Faculty at the University of California system are urging leaders to reinstate SAT/ACT math requirements for STEM-intensive majors, arguing that test-optional policies have resulted in severe preparation deficits. A letter signed by more than 600 STEM faculty says the SAT/ACT mathematics requirement is “a prerequisite for equity,” warning that without readiness measures, barriers move into the classroom. The faculty cite diagnostic testing findings, including that at least one UC campus—UC San Diego—has seen steep increases in incoming students with math skills below high-school level. They also report severe deficits among Berkeley calculus students and argue that basic mathematical fluency is analogous to literacy for STEM success. If UC leaders change admissions policy, it would affect recruitment pipelines, remediation demand, and the balance between access and preparation standards in STEM pathways.