RESOLUTION IN RESPONSE TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE BUDGET CRISIS

Adopted February 10, 2003

 

Whereas, The future of California depends on an educated populace to form a solid and

dependable economy, and

 

Whereas, the California State budget deficit of approximately $30 billion can only be resolved

now and prevented in the future if the Governor, the Legislature, and the Board of

Trustees maintain their commitment to an educated California by insuring affordable

access to the California State University, and

 

Whereas, Governor Gray Davis stated, October 25, 2002, “I know that every time we raise

student fees, we freeze our students, we deny them the opportunity for an unparalleled

education”, and

 

Whereas, the Associated Students at Humboldt State University clearly stated their position by

    adopting a Resolution in Opposition to Student-Fee Increases (December 13, 2002)

    and articulated their priorities for planning budget cuts in the adopted resolution

    Associated Student's Response to HSU Budget Reduction (November 4, 2002), and

 

Whereas, the Board of Trustees has already imposed an ill-advised, much opposed mid-year fee

   increase of 10% for undergraduate and 15% for graduate students, and

 

Whereas, the practice of shared governance was not faithfully executed by the CSU statewide

   administration during the mid-year fee increase that the Board of Trustees imposed

   with no student input, no warning, and at a strategically inconvenient time for students,

   and

 

Whereas, the Governor’s budget as offered to the Legislature assumes that the Board of Trustees

will compensate for budget cuts by generating revenue through a further increase in

student fees, and

 

Whereas, CSU Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Richard West said that

  “the 2003-04 budget proposed by the Governor assumes annual fee revenue for the CSU

of $212.2 million, which would be generated from the current year increase in student

fees and an additional undergraduate fee increase of 25% percent ($396) and a graduate

fee increase of 20% ($348).” (from the Public Summary of the January 28-29, 2003,

Board of Trustees Meeting)

 

Whereas, The Governor has shown that he has not heard the recognized voice of the students

   from Humboldt State University or the California State University as a whole, as shown

   by the expectation of the revenue generation through an increase in student fees, and

 

 

Whereas, the Governor has kept the student voice from the table by itemizing the cuts

that the CSU will be expected to make in the coming fiscal year, therefore be it

 

Resolved, that the Associated Students of HSU stand with the California State Student

Association, the students of the University of California and the students of the

California Community College in direct opposition to any additional increase in

student fees, and be it further

 

Resolved, at the statewide level the Associated Students of HSU will remain dedicated to

collaborating with the Governor, the State Legislature, and statewide administrative

bodies to shape the higher education community’s response to the California budget

crisis, upholding the promise of shared governance, and be it further

 

Resolved, at the campus level, that the Associated Students of HSU will remain dedicated

to collaborating with the administration, the Academic Senate and staff and auxiliary

representatives to shape the Humboldt State University community’s response to the

California budget crisis, upholding the promise of shared governance, and be it

further

 

Resolved, that the Associated Students of HSU will respond to the proposed fee increases

with an education campaign to insure that students are prepared to adjust their

budgets if the Board of Trustees persists on the course they have laid out in their

most recent meeting, and be it further

 

Resolved, the Associated Students of HSU will continue to work with the CSSA to speak

for students in the Capital, as the recognized voice of CSU students, 407,000

strong, and be it further

 

Resolved, that this resolution be sent be sent, but distribution not limited to HSU

President Rollin Richmond and the Executive Committee, the HSU Academic Senate

Executive Committee, the CSSA Board of Directors, CSU Board of Trustees,

Chancellor Charles Reed, State Assembly Member Patty Berg, State Senator

Wes Chesbro, and Governor Gray Davis, HSU Lumberjack.

 

Authored by:

 

Caitlin Gill,

California State Student Association Representative

 

 

__________________________________                _______________________________

   Gretchen Kinney                                                                 Manuel Fonseca

      Associated Students President                                            Legislative Vice President