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California State University Chancellor Charles R. Reed, CSU faculty and
staff leaders and other state officials issued this message to CSU
employees today (Jan. 30, 2008).
As we begin a new year at the California State University, it is clear
that 2008 will present significant budget challenges for the CSU system.
Faced with a growing $14.5 billion state budget deficit, Governor
Schwarzenegger has proposed a $312.9 million cut to the CSU budget
approved by the board of trustees for the 2008-09 fiscal year. The
proposed budget fails to fund access for 10,000 students and puts at
risk our ability to provide quality education for the nearly 450,000
students already enrolled.
In the face of these proposed budget reductions, the CSU community –
faculty, students, staff, alumni, administrators and the Board of
Trustees – have agreed to work together to advocate that the legislature
and the Governor consider alternative solutions. We are all alarmed by
the $386.1 million reduction to the CSU budget consisting of the
Governor’s unallocated cut of $312.9 million and the $73.2 million
necessary to avoid a 10 percent student fee increase in the 2008-09
academic year.
This funding reduction comes only three years after our budget was
reduced by over $500 million during the 2002-03 and 2004-05 fiscal
years, which led to significantly reduced student access, as well as a
dramatic increase in student fees. History will likely be repeated if
the Governor’s proposed CSU budget reductions are sustained by the
legislature.
Some policymakers believe that we should “live within our means” without
new taxes and that resources to fund public services should be generated
by a stronger California economy. As you know, the CSU is California’s
economic engine, strengthening the economy by graduating 90,000 students
into the state’s workforce every year.
We play a major role in the state’s workforce in the areas of nursing,
teaching, agriculture, business, public administration, and engineering.
The CSU returns $4.41 to California’s economy annually for every $1
invested by the state. Given the state’s General Fund condition, we
believe investing in the CSU is a smart solution to address the state’s
fiscal deficit.
Working together, the CSU community is urging the legislature and the
Governor to support alternative options to maintain the state’s
investment in California’s economic engine -- the CSU. We are also
asking the legislature and the Governor to find other sources of revenue
– other than higher fees for our students and their families – as a way
to support the CSU budget. There needs to be a more balanced budget
approach that considers the CSU as a valuable investment in the future
economy of California.
We would like to ask all members of the CSU community to help us
advocate for the California State University by writing to your
legislators, talking with your friends, and making your voice heard
about the importance of restoring our budget and protecting the state’s
investment in higher education. As the budget process proceeds, we will
be asking you to join us in our efforts to ensure that the CSU gets the
budget our students and California deserves.”
This message is from: Charles B.
Reed, CSU Chancellor; Lillian Taiz, president, California Faculty
Association; Pat Gantt, president, CSU Employees Union; Floyd Anscombe,
president, Union of American Physicians and Dentists; James Banks,
president, United Auto Workers; John Connor, business manager, State
Employees Trade Council; Charles Goetzl, president, Academic
Professionals of California; Sgt. Jim Procida, president, State
University Police Association.
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