In an unprecedented development, the CSU Board of Trustees have
cancelled their meeting – originally slated for Monday – in which
they were set to take up executive compensation and hiring
practices for the wealthiest one percent of Administrators.
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom railed against tuition increases and said
this afternoon that the state's master plan for higher education
is outdated, promising "a different narrative" for higher
education by the end of the year.
It was unclear what the plan might contain or how Newsom, a
Democrat, might propose funding it.
"We're going to come up with some out-of-the-box recommendations,
is our hope and expectation," he told The Bee's Capitol Bureau.
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) sent a
scathing letter to the heads of the CSU and UC last week
objecting to fee hikes after legislators boosted state funding
this year to the embattled systms.
While Chancellor Reed, Chair Herb Carter and other CSU Trustees
demonstrated little remorse for hiking student fees and
decreasing access to the CSU, newspapers across the state slammed
the decision in editorials.
The Trustees heard an informational announcement at their meeting
today that Chancellor Charles Reed plans to break from the
strategic vision outlined in California’s Master Plan for Higher
Education and install “tuition” at the CSU for the first time.
To read the agenda item at the Cal State U Trustees meeting this
week, go to http://www.calstate.edu/bot/agendas/
and click on "Committee on Finance."
CFA leaders strongly oppose the proposal because the words
indicate a change in vision for the CSU.
Faculty and students will be out in force in Long Beach tomorrow
(Wednesday) to voice their opposition to planned student fee
hikes totaling 15.5% set to be voted on by the CSU Board of
Trustees.
Members of CSU students for Quality Education (SQE) will host a
“Protest Carnival”
http://www.calfac.org/students outside the Trustees meeting
to highlight the impact of fee hikes on students ability to
receive a quality education. Their theme is “Stop clowning around
with our education!”
Words matter. Everyone knows it's true, even though some would
deny it.
That is why a little item on the agenda at the California State
University Trustees meeting this week jumped out at those of us
who believe that our state university is an investment in the
future by making sure higher education is available to every
Californian who can benefit from it.
Another major development at next week’s Trustees meeting will be
the announcement that Chancellor Charles Reed plans to break from
the strategic vision outlined in California’s Master Plan for
Higher Education and install “tuition” at the CSU for the first
time.
Unlike state universities in every other state, California's
public campuses in effect have banned official use of the word
“tuition” and what it means — that students bear a hefty share,
if not most, of their education costs.
Despite receiving an increase in state funding last month, the
CSU Board of Trustees is set to vote on yet another massive
student fee hike.
The Trustees will vote next week on whether to approve a fee hike
that would bump student costs by a combined 15.5 percent between
this fall and next.
With this latest increase, student fees will be 242% higher than
they were in 2002 (when the latest round of major budget cuts
began). Fee hikes have averaged 13% per year since that time.
The CSU Board of Trustees will vote on a 5% mid-year fee increase
for 2010-11 and another 10% increase for 2011-12. With both
fee hikes, student fees will be 242% higher than they were in
2002 (when the last round of major budget cuts began). Fee
hikes have averaged 13% per year since that time.
The California State University Board of Trustees struck yet
another blow against access to and affordability of the CSU last
week when they voted to increase undergraduate fees by 5% with a
contingency for another 5% increase in the fall.
The board voted 10 to 2 to adopt the fee hike, with Lt. Gov. Abel
Maldonado and student Trustee Russell Statham casting the “No”
votes. Trustee Margaret Fortune abstained.
The CSU Board of Trustees have called a special meeting to raise
California State University fees. They will meet at 10 am on
Friday June 18 at the CSU Chancellor’s Office at 401 Golden Shore
in Long Beach...
The Trustees may consider either a 5% or 10% increase in
undergraduate fees, plus other proposals for increases in
graduate and out-of-state student fees.
Chancellor’s new executive order could hike cost of some courses
by up to 90% as long as the university says it doesn’t have
enough money.
A new executive order issued last week by Chancellor Charles Reed
could shift more CSU classes, even those required to complete
degrees, into special sessions that charge students far steeper
fees while the faculty who teach the classes have far fewer
rights.
