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Transparency in the CSU

Overview

Transparency

Openness in government is a virtue of democracy and is a necessary feature to protect public institutions – including our state university system.

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CSU needs, deserves $325 million in additional investment from state

Californians deserve a better-funded “People’s University.”

That’s the core of a message today from CFA President Jennifer Eagan to Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, who chairs the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance. The subcommittee will meet at 4 pm today to discuss funding for the CSU in the state’s 2017-18 budget.

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Take Action! Call on State Senate to adopt & Gov to sign CFA-supported bill

As the California State Legislature nears its August 31 recess and deadline to act on new laws, a labor-sponsored bill, AB 2835, is under consideration—and it needs your support!

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Faculty tells CSU Trustees: ‘Sustainability Report’ falls short

The following are comments made by faculty during the CSU Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, January 26. 

CFA President Jennifer Eagan, Associate VP North Kevin Wehr, and Lillian Taiz, CFA’s Political Action/Legislation Chair, made the comments in light of a ‘Sustainability Report’ presented to Trustees.

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Staff union holding online survey regarding presidential searches

Frustrated with the secretive nature of searches for campus presidents, California State University Employees Union is encouraging staff, faculty and the campus community to take an online survey.

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22 campus Academic Senates call for more open searches for CSU campus presidents

The CSU currently seeks new presidents for five campuses—Channel Islands, Chico, San José State, Sonoma, and Stanislaus—and 22 of the CSU campus Academic Senates are calling for a return to more open, transparent hiring processes.

Over the past several years, the hiring process has moved behind closed doors, to the point that candidates do not even meet with faculty, staff, or students in an open setting.

Academic Senate chair Steven Filling commented:

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Trustee professorship news blasted online

News of former Fresno State president Welty’s appointment at a satellite campus of CSU San Bernardino has created a flurry of buzz among faculty, with many sounding out online via Facebook.

John Welty retired in 2013 after 22 years at Fresno State, and was appointed last summer for a “trustee professorship” at the Palm Desert campus. The job, which pays $148,752 according to the Desert Sun article, is also at the same campus where his wife, Sharon Brown-Welty, serves as dean.

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Measures to reform CSU Administration clear state assembly

Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes (D-San Fernando)

Four important pieces of legislation introduced by the California Faculty Association have cleared the State Assembly and now head to the State Senate for consideration.

Assembly bills (AB) 1723 (authored by Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes), AB 1965 (Richard Pan), AB 2427 (Betsy Butler), and AB 2497 (Jose Solorio) all cleared the Assembly.

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Governor signs landmark CSU Transparency Bill into law

SB 8 Author Leland Yee

After more than three years of tireless advocacy by CFA members, State Senator Leland Yee and many others, Senate Bill (SB) 8 was signed into law today by Gov. Jerry Brown.

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CSU Transparency Bill passes Assembly unanimously, sent to Governor

Yee

Members of the state Assembly unanimously approved legislation Monday – by a vote of 75-0 – to open the books of CSU foundations and other auxiliary organizations.

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Transparency lost as bill ends independent audits of campus financial statements

Republican State Senators including Anthony Canella of Ceres

A disappointing sidebar to the final state budget deal was inclusion of language in this budget that eliminates the biennial audit requirement for the 23 CSU campuses.

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LA Times editorializes in support of SB 8

Los Angeles Times

Over the weekend the Los Angeles Times joined the ever-growing parade of supporters for Senate Bill (SB) 8.

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CSU, UC Management Drop Opposition to SB 8 Transparency Bill

Senator Leland Yee

In a major breakthrough, legislation sought for nearly three years by CFA – along with Senator Leland Yee – to open the books of CSU foundations and other auxiliary organizations is now one huge step closer to being signed into law by the governor.

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Whistleblower Website Exposes Abuse of Taxpayer Dollars on CSU Campuses

Whistleblower

Following the launch CFA’s online reporting form for CSU waste, tips are already coming in about how taxpayer dollars are being misspent by campus administrators.

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State Auditor: CSU Blatantly Disregarded Transparency Recommendations
CSU takes no action after exec misspent $152,441

In a development that is all too familiar to CSU faculty, the state auditor says that Chancellor Charles Reed and the CSU Administration once again have missed an opportunity to be open and transparent about how they spend state money.

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CSU Transparency Bill reintroduced

Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) hopes the third time’s the charm – or more importantly having a new governor is the charm – as he reintroduces legislation to bring greater transparency and accountability at California’s public higher education institutions.

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Schwarzenegger vetoes SB 330 Transparency Bill

Leland Yee with CSU Stanislaus students & shredded documents pertaining to Sarah Palins visit to the school. Documents the Stanislaus foundation claimed didn't exist.

Sacramento – Choosing special interests and ambiguity over much-needed reform in California’s floundering colleges and universities, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed Senator Leland Yee’s (D-SF) SB 330.

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LA Times endorses SB 330
Tell the Governor to sign the bill

Momentum continues to grow for the passage of Senate Bill 330: Transparency in public higher ed auxiliaries.

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times published an editorial urging the governor to sign the bill into law.

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CFA Officers send open letter to Chancellor calling for immediate action on foundations

On Tuesday, the CFA’s Officers sent an open letter to Chancellor Charles Reed urging him to take ownership of the financial mismanagement taking place within CSU auxiliaries and foundations.

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CFA report highlights the need for transparency in CSU foundations

A new report released by CFA last week revealed that auditors associated with the CSU Chancellor’s Office have found inappropriate co-mingling of taxpayer dollars with private donations and other business revenues inside the university’s 90 affiliated auxiliary organizations.

News Coverage

CBS 13: CSU system accused of mixing public, private funds

CBS 13: CSU system accused of mixing public, private funds
Alice Sunshine
Steve Large Reporting

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