UC Systemwide and Campus Procurement continue to drive value add opportunities with our supplier network, not only by lowering costs but by adding tangible benefits to our UC community, including supporting students.
President Drake’s initiative of driving down debt for UC students provides an opportunity for our suppliers to not only support UC operations, but also our mission to educate our students with as little financial impact as possible. The Path to Debt Free Gift Program is designed to help students graduate from UC with little to no student debt. This program is targeted to fill the gap of funds undergraduate students need for college and what they can access through part-time jobs, student loans or family contributions.
When working with new or existing suppliers, we bring this Gift Program to their attention during the negotiation and contracting process. We outline the opportunity and evaluate their interest in directly impacting the lives of UC students. Suppliers are often excited to learn that a relatively minor investment of $2500 per student per year allows UC to buy down that student’s potential debt for an entire year.
This program has been operating at the Systemwide level for months, and we are encouraging the campuses to join this effort as they negotiate with their suppliers. It’s a satisfying and rewarding win-win-win program for suppliers, UC Procurement, and students. Enterprise Health recently committed to 25 Paths to Debt Free awards per year - let's grow that impact!
Learn more about the Debt Free Program, and report your successful Debt Free contracting gifts via this form.
For more details, please contact the Strategic Enhancement Team (SET), Sean Parker or Bob Stueber.