Virtually every aspect of the California State University has been and continues to be affected by the 2003/04 state budget reductions.
In late 2003 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed $23.7 million mid-year cut to the CSU budget. The governor also proposed cutting $74.6 million from the 2004/05 budget.
• See CFA’s analysis of the state and CSU 2003/04 budgets Click Here
In August 2003, student fees were raised 30 percent and the Chancellor's Office directed campuses to reduce enrollment targets, restrict (or eliminate) new spring 2004 admissions, and engage in other "enrollment management" techniques in an effort to reduce costs.
Enrollment growth targets for the campuses were further reduced in December 2003. If the reduced targets are implemented, a total of 19,000 students will have been turned away by June 2004.
In addition, during 2003:
• Campuses across the system reported widespread class reductions.
• Hundreds of temporary faculty positions were eliminated.
• Class sizes increased.
• Many student services, including athletics, were reduced or eliminated.
• Hundreds of vacant faculty positions remained unfilled.
• Many campuses reduced or eliminated release time for faculty.
• Travel and instructional equipment budgets were reduced.
• Library acquisition budgets were sharply reduced. Many libraries cancelled tttsubscriptions and eliminated online databases.
• On-campus student employment was more difficult to find.
• Several campuses laid off non-academic staff. Those that remained tttexperienced increasing workloads.
• The workload of both faculty and non-academic staff increased.
At the July 2003 CSU Trustees meeting, CFA leaders presented alternatives to the budget slashing that would protect students and instruction.
CFA called on the CSU Board of Trustees to:
• Engage in an open budget process.
All of us who work, study, and support one of the great public systems of higher education care about the outcome of the budget crisis. The Trustees and the CSU administration must be more open, seek more input and work together with all the CSU constituencies to preserve our core mission — instruction.
• Be more creative in seeking alternatives to cuts in instruction and to large student fee increases.
Public education is a public good. It is in the interests of a democratic society to have an educated people capable of participating in the democratic process. That is the value that underlies the Master Plan, which created the state university system.
It is not good enough to solve financial problems by sharply raising fees, laying off teachers and support staff and capping enrollment. These steps effectively reduce the opportunity to educate our young people. It is the responsibility of the Trustees to turn every stone searching for ways to protect the instruction of students.
• Energetically implement the language in the state budget that would guide the CSU to protect instruction of students.
During the 2003/2004 budget deliberations in the state legislature, CFA successfully negotiated supplemental budget language that outlines how the CSU administration should address budget reductions. CFA's goal is to protect student instruction, student services and libraries.
CFA PRESENTATIONS TO THE CSU TRUSTEES IN JULY
Four leaders of the California Faculty Association addressed the CSU Trustees on these issues. Here are the excerpts from their talks.
CFA PRESIDENT JOHN TRAVIS “The CFA is composed of 22,000 academics, people who chose their occupations to live the life of the mind and of reason. We are not ideological zealots. We can be convinced with good arguments which is what we have asked for before and are asking you now.”
CFA VICE PRESIDENT LILLIAN TAIZ “Our students need you to closely scrutinize the priorities of this administration before you take this drastic step. I have been horrified by public statements, which suggest that CSU students waste state resources and who equate the fee increase variously to the students’ annual cell phone, CD, or beer budget. It is hard to imagine anyone having this much contempt for the young men and women I teach.”
CFA TREASURER KIM GERON “I strongly recommend that the Board, look to cut as far away from the classroom as possible, and not put the burden of the current economic crisis on the those least able to financially absorb this hit: part-time lecturers, and poor and underrepresented students who are the majority on my campus and many other campuses in the system.”
CFA LECTURERS’ REPRESENTATIVE LINDA CURRENT “I am here today representing almost 12,000 lecturers, the faculty most at risk as you face critical decisions about budget priorities. I want to share with you my perspective on commitment and dedication. My perspective comes from working with my fellow Lecturers who are committed enough to give their all in a system that does not always commit back.”
TO SEE THE FULL TEXT OF THE FOUR CFA LEADERS' PRESENTATIONS Click Here
