Schwarzenegger Promises Funding For Higher Education

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger promised to veto any state budget that does not provide additional funding to higher education, reported the Associated Press.

Schwarzenegger met with a dozen top administrators and student leaders from the various higher education systems in California. The meeting marked the 50th anniversary of California's Master Plan, which greatly expanded the affordability and accessibility of higher education to California residents. The budget cuts now have a gun to the head of the Master Plan, and have all but pulled the trigger.


Schwarzenegger has proposed a $224 million increase in general fund spending to higher education, reports the AP, and has threatened to reject any budget from the Legislature that does not award this money.

"If anyone tries to tinker around with that particular area of my budget, I will not sign the budget," he said in the AP article. In January, the Republican governor proposed a constitutional amendment to set the state's general fund spending at a 10 percent minimum for the UC and CSU systems, it is currently at 7.5 percent.

Over the past five years, students in the UC and CSU systems have suffered an increase of over 60 percent in student fees, according to the AP. Both systems - which combine to serve 3.5 million students each year - have also reduced enrollment, cut courses, and instituted faculty furlough days and pay decreases as a result of budget cuts.

Watergate At CSU Stanislaus

Students at CSU Stanislaus discovered shredded documents pertaining to Sarah Palin's upcoming visit to the campus in a dumpster.




"This in fact is a dark day for the CSU, particularly for the Stanislaus campus," said Senator Leland Yee, quoted in the CFA's newsletter. "To some extent this is our own little Watergate here in California."

The documents, which the university claimed did not exist, included parts of the speaking contract between Palin and the university. The documents were found in a dumpster outside the school's administration building during a furlough day. Although the discovered documents did not reveal how much Palin is getting paid for the event - reported the Los Angeles Times - they did specify two round-trip, first-class commercial air tickets to the event city, a one-bedroom suite, two single rooms in a deluxe hotel, bottled water, and bendable straws.


The Attorney General Jerry Brown will launch a broad investigation into the alleged dumping of the documents, reported the San Francisco Chronicle. Brown will also look into whether the foundation uses its reportedly $20 million in assets for educational purposes.


"It is truly shocking and a gross violation of public trust that such documents would be thrown away and destroyed during a pending investigation," said Yee in the CFA newsletter. Yee was already criticizing the foundation for the secrecy of their contract with Palin, and was calling for the disclosure of their finances.

Several students retrieved the shredded documents after one of them received a call that the documents were being destroyed, reported the Times. "We were very shocked that documents such as these that the university had in their possession would be discarded like this," said Alicia Lewis, one of the students who found the papers, in an interview with the Times. "We started making contacts right then to make sure the documents were put in the right hands."

The controversy further exemplifies the need for government transparency and accountability says Yee.


The video, courtesy of Youtube, is the press conference of Yee and two of the students who discovered the documents.
Photo courtesy of the LATimes.com

UCLA Returns Student Fees

Photo Courtesy of Los Angeles Times
The administration at UCLA will return $15 million dollars in student fees that it originally planned to use towards an ambitious renovation of Pauley Pavilion.


The administrators' decision comes days after the Los Angeles Times published an article that revealed the misuse of funds at the UC campus. The article claimed that administrators planned to use $25 million of student fees for the renovation after original fund raising efforts fell short. The renovation, which includes high-definition score board, cushier seats, and expanded locker rooms "seems like a strange priority," said long-time UCLA fundraiser Richard Bergman, quoted in the Times article.

$10 million of the student fees will still be used for renovation to help make seismic improvements to student facilities. How the returned $15 million will be used is still undecided.

Controversy Over Palin's Pay

The California State University Stanislaus Foundation will not disclose how much it is paying Sarah Palin to speak at the campus - which is raising questions about the foundation and others like it, and how they spend their money.

Palin, who usually charges between $100,000 to $200,000 in speaker fees according to the California Faculty Association's newsletter, is set to speak at CSU Stanislaus for the celebration of the campus' 50th anniversary in June. The $500-a-plate, black-tie event is a fundraiser for the school which hopes to net $100,000 to $200,000 after cost, said Matt Swanson, the president of the foundation, in a San Francisco Chronicle story. The terms of Palin's contract with the foundation doesn't allow for the disclosure of how much she is being paid for the event, which is making some organizations and lawmakers scrutinize the secrecy that these auxiliary foundations work under.

"This is just the latest example in a continuing pattern of problems involving these foundations that highlights the need for better oversight," said CFA president Lillian Taiz in the organizations newsletter. "At a time when the 23 CSU campuses are severely underfunded, it is imperative that every penny be used to serve students in the classroom."

The CFA is calling for the foundation to make public how much it is paying Palin for her appearance as well as how much the event is costing the foundation to put on, but these figures remain hidden. The Palin controversy has also sparked the interest of San Francisco lawmaker Leland Yee who is pushing for his bill SB330 The bill would apply California's public records law to auxiliary organizations tied to the public higher education systems, including the UC, CSU, and community college campuses. This bill would make the financial records of these auxiliary organizations, which are private businesses that are connected to a campus such as the 49er book store, transparent to the public and would allow for more financial accountability.

Photo courtesy of San Francisco Chronicle

Marchers Rally at State Capitol

An estimated 7,500 people gathered in front of the state Capitol to help fight for California's future on April 21st, reported the California Federation of Teachers website.

The rally was the culmination of the 48-day-long March for California's Future, which started March 5th and stretched from Bakersfield to Sacramento. The demonstration was led by six core marchers including San Diego City College professor Jim Miller, Los Angeles probation officer Irene Gonzalez, retired southern California teacher Gavin Riley, Watsonville community organizer Manny Ballesterors, Pajaro Valley teacher Jenn Laskin, and Los Angeles substitute teacher Davie Lyell.


Supporters at the rally were not strictly teachers and students, but were varied members of the community including domestic workers, nurses, office staff, children, pastors, and union representatives. Some participated in the 300 mile march, others arrived in one of the 80 buses that drove from cities across the state - ranging from San Diego to Eureka.

In his blog, Miller explained that the rally was more than just a fight for California's education, but an united effort for a common goal shared by all members of the community. "It becomes clear that this march is not just a march about stopping cuts, it is a march for access to opportunity and equality. Our struggle is a civil rights struggle and our movement is a movement for social justice for all Californians, not just those affluent enough to get in the door."

The organizations supporting the rally were just as varied as the participants as AFSCME, CSEA, the Firefighters, CFA, SEIU, and the UFCW all united to fight for California's future.

The March for California's Future had two goals, reported the CFT website. The first was to spread the word that the state budget crisis is the result of decisions made by the Legislature and Governor, and that we must hold the state accountable by demanding for the restoration of public education. The second was to establish a political coalition that would have a lasting impact on how the state runs itself.
As marchers headed north, they collected signatures to help put the Majority Vote Budget Act on the November 2010 ballot. This bill would overturn the two-thirds requirement for state legislature to pass a budget, replacing it with simple majority vote.

Though not one legislator addressed the rally as was requested, the marchers were not short of testimonies as they listened to laid-off school teachers, farm workers who had marched with Cesar Chavez, and the leaders of the March for California's Future.


Photos courtesy of newsreview.com, cft.org, and Jim Miller's Blog respectively. Video courtesy of youtube.com

The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

Approximately 8,000 students state wide know this feeling of limbo all to well as they anxiously wait to find out their admission status into CSU campuses for this fall.

The Daily 49er reported that this is due to the extreme budget cuts that the CSU and UC systems have endured over the past year. Both systems continue to scramble to find lifeboats, lifejackets, driftwood - anything to cling to as they go down with this sinking ship that is the California budget. One method being implemented is the wait-listing of thousands of students state wide for the fall semester of 2010.

CSULB already has more than 3,000 students expecting to transfer this fall, reports the Daily 49er, but most will have to wait until the summer before finding out whether they will be spending their fall at The Beach. Their fate teeters on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's already shaky academic budget proposal for the 2010-11 school year. Campuses plan to only admit as many students as state funds will allow, but the amount the universities will receive from the budget still remains unclear.

Schwarzenegger's budget plans to restore $305 million to the CSU system with an additional $60.6 million possibly coming from federal aid to help campuses increase enrollment. Yet, the proposal is likely to face adversity in the state Legislature during an election year.

The Daily 49er reports that both the CSUs and UCs plan to notify wait-listed students starting the first of June, until then the waiting game continues.

Budget Cuts at CSULB

This blog will be covering the California budget cuts on education. I will be following new policies concerning the budget cut, the impact these policies are having on the CSULB campus, and what the student community is doing in reaction to the budget cuts.

CSULB is at a crossroads

A panel of five faculty members at Cal State Long Beach agreed that the campus is in a crisis, as they discussed California’s budget cuts on higher education at the Solidarity Symposium last Tuesday. This crisis can be a turning point for the university, said professor of American Indian Studies Troy Johnson, as it provides the opportunity for a positive change.
“We are at a cross roads,” said professor of Chicano and Latino Studies Jose Moreno. “Are we a packing plant, or are we a place of hope for the practice of freedom.” Moreno went on to say that there are pockets of hope but we must continue to strive to be both idealists and practitioners of freedom. This has become more difficult under the stresses of the budget cuts - which Clarissa Rojas, professor of Chicano and Latino studies, said are an unprecedented attack on the university.
This privatization of the university has narrowed access to marginalized groups, consequently stifling diversity and collaboration in thought, ideas, and activities on campus. The panel pointed out the disparity between the demographics of the campus and the representation marginalized groups receive, emphasizing that representation is more than just numbers. Johnson used the words of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to illustrate this point, “We share physical proximity without spiritual affinity.” We must engage in a constructive dialogue, urged the panel, forming a true synergy among the campus community.
The crisis that Cal State Long Beach faces, offers the potential for possibility and change, but the change will not come without sacrifices explained Moreno, “You can only promote change if you are willing to risk something.”

Photo courtesy of the Daily49er

Students March For Education

More than a thousand protesters gathered on the Cal State Long Beach campus Thursday afternoon in support of the Day of Action to Defend Education movement.
“It is an amazing sight,” said senior student Shawna Francisco. “This is the biggest protest I have ever seen on this campus.” Students, faculty, and staff gathered on upper campus at noon in an effort to combat the recent budget cuts, which have raised tuition rates at the UCs and CSUs by over 30 percent and stagnated the CSUs acceptance rate. Protesters came armed with signs, megaphones, noise makers and a fighting spirit to help make their point; the stranglehold of the budget cuts on the students of Cal State Long Beach needs to stop.
“No one is going to give you anything,” shouted a student from the stage at upper campus. “You have to take it!” The crowd erupted in cheers of affirmation as the speaker left the podium.
The rally felt more like a music festival as people boogied to the southern zydeco groove of Bennie and the Swampgators. The assembly garnered a sense of solidarity and community to a usually disconnected campus. “People don’t feel connected on campus,” said Francisco. “So it was really nice to see students come together for a common cause.”
When the music came to an end, the march started. Protesters funneled down the stairs outside the Student Union, snaking their way to Brotman Hall in a line four people wide. The walls of passing buildings echoed the chant, “The people united will never be divided,” as students shouted the phrase in unison. The exodus culminated at the fountain in front of Brotman Hall, as staff members kept a watchful eye on the rally from their second story offices. Multiple speakers ignited the crowd from the fountain’s ledge,reminding students that this is going to be a continuous fight.
President F. King Alexander was said to be in Washington, D.C lobbying for the CSULB community.

CSULB's Budget Outlook Announced

CSULB will continue with its original planning assumptions for the 2010-11 school year.

The Governor's January budget proposal was not as grim for the CSU system as was expected, though it brings about many uncertainties to the campus budget problem. The plan proposes some restoration funding for the CSU, restoring $305 million of the $571 million that was reduced in 2009-2010. There could also be a possible $60.6 million restoration, which relies on additional federal funding. This proposal is not guaranteed as it still has to go through legislature, where it could face some adversity. The plan proposes significant cuts in health and welfare which may not survive the legislative process, and with it being an election year, much of the state Legislature may not want to stick their necks out to clean up the education budget. If these proposals survive, they will help to alleviate budget cuts and enrollment reduction but the budget problem will be far from over.

With these uncertainties in mind, CSULB will continue with its original planning assumptions for 2010-11. One strategy to help manage the budget will be a reduction in enrollment. This will reduce available class sections which will increase the problems with high-demand courses. Even in the most negative budget scenario, fall admissions at CSULB can remain at the same level as the prior year but the campus is planning to be closed to transfers for the spring 2011 semester. The bottom line is that enrollment at CSULB will decline year to year even in the most positive scenario.

The campus is working with many contingencies as the budget will not likely be finalized until September or October. CSULB is dealing with many unknowns, but one thing is certain, even with the help of Schwarzenegger's proposal it will still face budget cuts for the 2010-11 school year.

Alexander Urges Students to Take a Stand

Cal State Long Beach President F. King Alexander recently discussed the problems facing higher education in the wake of California's budget woes at the College of Business Administration's Notable Speaker series last Tuesday night. With recent increases in tuition costs and a decline in the accessibility to state universities, Alexander claims that California is failing in its plan for higher education.

The Daily 49er reports that Alexander advised students to become involved in the fight against the budget cuts by researching the subject to gain an understanding of the problems at hand. Though the battle between the state and the CSU system is complicated and messy, Alexander believes it is vital for students to put forth an educated effort to mitigate the situation. Students have the power to make their voices heard and the opportunity to hold the state and federal government accountable, Alexander said, counseling the students to assume leadership roles to help build back the economy.

Students are easy targets for the state legislators says Alexander, because they are expected to lie dormant during the fury of budget cuts. Yet, Alexander urged the students and other members of the CSU community to act now, as the problem will only intensify if nothing is done soon.

Students will have an opportunity to take such action as a part of the March 4th Strike and Day of Action To Defend Public Education. The rally will start at the South Campus upper quad at noon at CSULB. There will be an aerial photograph taken at 12:15 pm and a parade beginning at one. Students are also encouraged to join the "Long Beach Unite for Education" rally taking place at 4 pm at Wilson High School. This day will be an opportunity for the CSULB community to get involved in the fight for education by making our voices heard.