i

One Debt

A Student Curated Exhibition

By

Valerie Brown

Evelyn Frederick

Stacey Kotcher

Debbie Pavlovich

Heather Wallace

Sponsored and Supervised in Part by:

Susette Min

of

the ART HISTORY department

of

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

DAVIS

2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................................. 2

Abstract ............................................................................................................................................................. 3

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 4

Background ....................................................................................................................................................... 4

Exhibition Description ...................................................................................................................................... 5

Challenge .......................................................................................................................................................... 6

Works Cited ...................................................................................................................................................... 7

Budget ............................................................................................................................................................... 8

Deadline and Task List ..................................................................................................................................... 9

Resources Consulted ....................................................................................................................................... 10

Images ............................................................................................................................................................. 15

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Abstract

One UC Davis ONE Debt is OUR story. --- It’s the reason we stare at piles of OUR own dirty

laundry. It's the reason we are on OUR third bowl of ramen. It’s the reason we have to count

quarters we scrounged from OUR pockets. It’s the reason we are scared for OUR futures. It’s

OUR Debt.

At a staggering amount of $1 trillion of debt and counting, student debt has become the nation’s

number one debt across America. At UC Davis alone, the average amount of debt a student

graduates with is an overwhelming $19,000. This can be attributed to the 220% increase of

tuition fees and the 25% decrease of state funding in the past decade.

The purpose of this exhibit is to illuminate what’s at stake: the transition of education from a

right to a privilege. The aim of this exhibit is to tell the stories of students who are suffering

trying to make ends meet but with no end in sight. One Debt is an exhibit that tells a story that

isn’t being told. It’s an exhibit that tells OUR story. Any appropriations of themes or elements

are meant only to enhance the project.

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Introduction

Across the country, student debt is in the trillions of dollars. UC Davis students currently

graduate with a relatively low level of debt, an average of $17,000 with less than 2% of students

exceeding $50,000. However, rising UC tuition— having gone up 220% in the last decade—and

decreased support from the State of California threatens to increase the funds students are forced

to borrow. Awareness is the first step to formulating a solution. One Debt aims to bring attention

to the issue of student debt and in doing so, be a catalyst for discussion towards a solution.

One Debt will use a combination of guerilla art and social media to ask questions about

student versus university financial burdens: What actions is the university taking to deal with this

crisis? Why is the issue of student debt not more publicized and addressed by the university? Is

the university partly responsible? By asking these types of questions, the exhibition confronts

both students and faculty, and forces them to engage and respond to the issues concerning the

imminent crisis of student debt.

Background

One UC Davis

The One UC Davis Campaign centers on how UC Davis prepares its students for the real

world as well as the university’s contribution to society as a whole. It features success stories of

faculty, students and alumni, describing how they are changing the campus and the world. Here

is the official description from the website:

“ONE WORLD, ONE UC DAVIS IS YOU — a global network of people

connected to our university. It is the positive impact of our unsung heroes,

imaginative research teams and innovative thinkers. What our people share in

common is they are transforming lives, celebrating humanity and nature, and

inspiring breakthroughs in California and beyond.

In our campaign, we tell the stories about how together, at UC Davis, we are changing our world for the better.”

In the eyes of the curators, the campaign only tells one side of the story, and that the issues

facing students in terms of cost for attending UC Davis must be addressed.

Student Debt

UC Davis is on the edge of affordability for both low and mid-income students. Mid-

income students are actually at the greatest disadvantage because they do not receive financial

aid and their parents cannot easily afford rising tuition. For these students, their costs have

increased the most over the last 10 years. When low-income students receive aid they are often

still expected to contribute up to $10,000, which often cannot be funded through other

scholarships without decreasing the amount of aid they receive through the school. Scholarships

for these students are often also expected to cover living expenses. Taking out loans becomes the

only option, which can burden the student for years or even a lifetime.

This is not to say that the administration has not addressed some of these concerns. A

new scholarship has been introduced for students whose parents make $80,000-$100,000 per

year. Additionally, the 2020 Initiative aims to bring in 5,000 more students, specifically targeting

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more out-of-state and international students who are charged higher tuition prices compared to

in-state students. If California taxpayers are contributing funding for state schools, relying on

these out of state students to resolve the debt crisis is not a viable solution. These students will

most likely move away from California when they are finished with their education, so the

state’s economy will not benefit from educating them. In turn, being overburdened with debt

keeps in state students from having disposable income to support the California economy.

Student loans are an investment in the student’s future, but providing education for all students is

also an investment in our economy and society as a whole.

Exhibition Description

The exhibition will consist of two parts: a physical component and a virtual component.

Both of these will play off the One UC Davis campaign and social media in order to reach the

target audiences of both students and the administration.

The physical component of the exhibition will center on the banners created by the One

UC Davis campaign, displayed in key areas around campus. Alternative banners will be created,

with text providing information about student debt in addition to photographs of students who

are suffering because of their debt. Displaying these alternative banners side by side with the

One UC Davis banners will draw attention to the issue of student debt, in contrast to the ideas

put forth by One UC Davis. In addition, the exhibition posters/banners may even draw attention

to the existing posters, which often go unnoticed.

Already strategically placed in six areas around campus—down the center of the quad, on

the path to 3rd

St., etc.—the One UC Davis banners create a perfect display place for the

exhibition. Content of these banners will focus on a variety of issues we have researched: how

debt affects students’ daily lives and what sacrifices students are forced to make; the “solution”

from the 2020 Initiative of bringing in international and out-of-state students to create more

income for the school at the disadvantage of California taxpayers; the State’s low contribution

per student for higher education; and finally, how education has become a commodity and the

idea of the indentured student. These ideas will be represented through pictures of students

leaving work at late hours because they’re forced to work around their school schedule,

cramming more people than is comfortable into an apartment to save money on rent, students

with empty fridges because they can’t afford groceries, etc. The students we photograph will also

be the students we interview on our website—they will tell the other side of the story.

A part of the website of the One UC Davis campaign is a map that shows these banners

and their location on campus. In the instance that these banners are removed or damaged due to

weather, the exhibition team will also create a similar web page in order that they may still be

viewed as an online exhibition. The online exhibition will be made known through the use of

stickers with the exhibition’s logo that will be placed all around campus.

The second component of the exhibition will be contingent on online participation. Using

the #oneucdavis provided by the campaign as well as our #onedebt, students can link pictures

and tweets of student debt together via Instagram/Twitter. By using #oneucdavis, the tweets and

Instagrams will be sent to the administration who run the campaign and the One UC Davis

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website, possibly flooding the website with pictures of the exhibition posters or tweets about

their own student debt. The question it will pose to the administration overall is this: the

administration launched a new campaign, but it only tells us half of the story of UC Davis. What

world are they benefiting if students are entering the workforce with massive amounts of debt?

The other portion of the online component is the creation of a page with summaries and

links to articles that offer more information on student debt. The website will take the form of a

website page mocking the One UC Davis page. Using a mock website, we can let people share

their own stories in the same way One UC Davis encourages students to share their stories. This

website will also have a video commercial to parody the One UC Davis videos, that discusses

student debt and the campus in a satirical tone. The creation of a clever and humorous Buzzfeed

article will also be very effective and will be shared on other social media.

Challenge

We will need to create different content: six banners (approximately 4’x2’ each, for the

six locations), a web page, videos, and a Buzzfeed article. The participation of students might

ultimately be the most telling part of the exhibition—whether or not they choose to share our

content may indicate how concerned students are with student debt. It may also be most telling in

the opposite regard: how likely are students to ignore their own student debt even when

confronted with it? Do students take debt seriously?

Overall, our goal as curators is to confront and agitate both students and the

administration with the facts our research has uncovered. I think the information we have found

has the capacity to go viral and create debate and discussion, but also outrage on the campus.

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Works Cited

Cunningham, Taylor. "One World, One UC Davis Campaign Aims to Increase University

Visibility." The Aggie. UC Davis, 30 Jan. 2014. Web. 04 Feb. 2014.

Fensterwald, John. "California Drops to 49th in School Spending in Annual Ed Week Report."

EdSource Today. EdSource, 14 Jan. 2014. Web. 04 Feb. 2014.

Stevens, Ann. "California Students' Debt Less than in Most States." SFGate. N.p., 26 Dec. 2013.

Web. 04 Feb. 2014.

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Budget

Materials Number Cost Projected

Expense

Banners $349 $349

Flyers ∞ Paper donated

$0

Spray paint 2 $8 $16

Website 1 $30 $30

Total $395.00

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Deadline and Task List

Tuesday, 2/25

Final draft of AHI newsletter press release

Sent to Susette for approval

Thursday, 2/27

All interviews and photographs completed

Friday, 2/28

Banner and flyer drafts will be completed

Images of students will not be integrated yet, just the template.

Interviews typed and sent for information extraction.

Saturday, 3/1

Stacey will extract all relevant information from interviews.

-All Photoshop of photographs completed

Final banners completed and approved by Susette

Banners sent to Copy Land for printing if approved.

Sunday, 3/2

Buzz feed article completed

Website and Facebook draft completed

Draft of bibliography/list of articles/links to films sent to Susette

Final draft about exhibition sent to Susette.

Monday, 3/3

Flyers printed

Tuesday, 3/4

Table tents go up in the Coho

All social media up and running.

Start posting flyers.

Wednesday, 3/5

Finish posting flyers.

Sunday, 3/9

Installation of banners at night

(Ladder and zip-ties provided)

Monday, 3/10

Installation of banners complete, exhibit fully up and running.

Banners documented and installation documented

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Resources Consulted

http://accountability.universityofcalifornia.edu/index/3.1

http://accountability.universityofcalifornia.edu/index/3.6

http://accountability.universityofcalifornia.edu/index/3.7.1

http://blogs.kcrw.com/dna/the-futures-so-bright-talking-debt-with-calarts-grads

http://budget.ucop.edu/fees/documents/history_fees.pdf

http://budget.universityofcalifornia.edu/?page_id=5

http://business.time.com/2010/09/13/6-questions-about-college-so-where-does-the-money-spent-

on-tuition-and-fees-really-go/

http://chancellor.ucdavis.edu/initiatives/2020_Initiative/index.html

http://dumit.net/

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/05/yes-even-young-college-graduates-have-low-

unemployment/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SWc-FynwL.jpg

http://edsource.org/today/2013/california-drops-to-49th-in-school-spending-in-annual-ed-week-

report/25379#.UvEb43ddUyc

http://educationvotes.nea.org/2013/07/25/senate-passes-questionable-student-loan-deal/

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/yes-despite-student-loan-crisis-college-worth-

183044599.html

http://guerrillagirls.com/posters/PolishNotAFeminist.shtml

http://gulflabor.org/

http://keepcaliforniaspromise.org/482/where-does-uc-tuition-go

http://lasierra.edu/news-archive/2012/october-2012/art-collectives-exhibit-aims-to-talk-up-

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student-debt/

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/infographic-student-loan-cost-benefit-analysis-for-750-

professions.html

http://pankisseskafka.com/2014/01/15/karen-kelskys-phd-debt-project/

http://projectonstudentdebt.org/state_by_state-data.php

http://socialtextjournal.org/periscope_article/andrew_ross_speaks_to_ows_on_student_debt/

http://socialtextjournal.org/periscope_article/making_5841210_of_student_debt_disappear_into_

thin_air/

http://socialtextjournal.org/periscope_article/the_banking_model_of_education/

http://socialtextjournal.org/periscope_article/the_unemployed/

http://socialtextjournal.org/periscope_topic/going_into_debt/

http://studentdebtcrisis.org/forprofit/

http://studentloanjustice.org/argument.htm

http://tweakyourbiz.com/marketing/2012/08/08/100-guerilla-marketing-ideas-grow-sales-with-

zero-budget/

http://ucaft.org/webfm_send/239

http://ucscfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/07_Meister.pdf

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-08-18-column18_ST1_N.htm

http://utotherescue.blogspot.com/2012/02/have-we-protected-poor-students-from.html

http://webcast.ucdavis.edu/llnd/1cac3539

http://www.asa.org/policy/resources/stats/

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/college-finance/how-much-college-debt-is-too-much-1.aspx

http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm XXX

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http://www.campusexplorer.com/college-advice-tips/1FDB725F/Unemployment-Rates-are-

Lower-Among-College-Graduates/

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100989025

http://www.creativeguerrillamarketing.com/guerrilla-marketing/the-80-best-guerilla-marketing-

ideas-ive-ever-seen/ --guerrilla ads, some are really effective at getting across a serious

message

http://www.creativeguerrillamarketing.com/viral-marketing/emotions-key-viral-marketing/ --

about marketing videos, but maybe has some ideas we could use in terms of spreading

our idea

http://www.dailycal.org/2011/11/07/uc-berkeley-student-loan-debt-despite-rise-less-than-

nations-average/

http://www.dailycal.org/2012/05/10/debt-levels-differ-for-colleges/

http://www.defaultmovie.com/

http://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/debt-education-bad-for-the-young-bad-for-america

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130730/bushwick/artists-take-stand-on-student-loans-

debtfair-art-fair

http://www.fine-art.leeds.ac.uk/events/university-of-leeds-fine-art-degree-show/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/22/college-

debt_n_471023.html?#s70340&title=Dennis_Shoup_58

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/annie-shattuck/uc-regents-tuition-increase_b_1108336.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kyle-mccarthy/10-fun-facts-about-student-loan-

debt_b_4639044.html

http://www.kerismith.com/popular-posts/how-to-be-a-guerilla-artist-2/

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http://www.lajollalight.com/2014/01/22/lets-review-ucsd-art-exhibit-forces-you-to-confront-

how-you%E2%80%99re-feeling/

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/06/student-loan-debt-charts

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/16/136214779/college-student-debt-grows-is-it-worth-it

http://www.npr.org/2012/06/26/155766786/whats-driving-college-costs-higher

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/business/student-loans-weighing-down-a-generation-with-

heavy-debt.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/02/us/loan-monitor-is-accused-of-ruthless-tactics-on-

student-debt.html

http://www.paulpetro.com/exhibitiohttps://www.facebook.com/events/261341333961211/ns/400

-Useless-Money,-Everyday-Lists-&-Debt-Relief

http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/riverside/riverside-headlines-index/20121007-

riverside-art-collectives-exhibit-aimed-at-student-debt.ece

http://www.propublica.org/series/college-debt

http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/California-students-debt-less-than-in-most-

states-5094919.php

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/counter_narrative/2014/01/president_obama_s_higher_ed_spe

ech_what_we_really_need_is_a_federal_job.html

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/map_of_the_week/2012/02/student_loan_debt_an_interactive_

map.html

http://www.slate.com/blogs/breakingviews/2012/07/18/u_s_student_debt_on_scary_trajectory_.h

tml

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/01/15/phd_debt_project_google_doc_survey_collect

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s_figures_of_graduate_school_debt.html

http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/29695

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/25/federal-student-loan-

profit/3696009/

this talks about the profit the government makes off of student debt -stacey

http://www.vulture.com/2013/12/saltz-on-the-trouble-with-the-mfa.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/blog/student_loan_debt_focus_on_pu

b.php?

page=all http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFyJ-MumME4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvQR93C6n2E

http://www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/unemployment.final.update1.pdf

https://musiciansway.com/blog/2013/09/how-to-avoid-excessive-student-debt/

https://www.ed.gov/blog/2013/05/4-mistakes-i-made-with-my-student-loans-and-how-

you-can-

avoid-them/

https://www.facebook.com/events/2613413339

61211/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOP2V_np

2c0

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Images

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