To the University of California Board of Regents and President Michael V. Drake,

We request that you immediately meet with student representatives to address the unjustifiable support of animal agriculture by the UC system in the face of the human, non-human animal, and environmental crises we face today. We urge the UC to pave the way for a just and sustainable food system by taking the following actions: 

1. Immediately begin a comprehensive 5-year transition from animal food products to ethical, healthier and cleaner plant-based provisions across dining halls and throughout hospitality events.
2. Divert funds towards cruelty-free alternatives to non-food products, materials, and methods.
3. Publicly condemn the slaughter and exploitation of animals in the food industry through campus publications and press releases across UC campuses. 

The University of California has historically been a catalyst of global change, and now, more than ever, we need to demonstrate our leadership. Animal agriculture tortures trillions of animals each year, spurs the deforestation of the Amazon, and creates frightening potential for another global pandemic. These reasons -- and many others -- are detailed and sourced in the attached document . In light of the vast social, environmental, and existential harm that animal agriculture causes, we students urge the University of California to set a global precedent by ending all support of this industry.

Adopting these demands is far from extreme, and follows in the footsteps of numerous universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, and the London School of Economics, who have adopted plant-based meal services and banned various animal products. The UC can and should go further -- we ask that you meet with our coalition of students to begin the transition to a more just food system.