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Play an active role in the effort to restore CSU budget cuts. Write letters or call local legislators to urge their support. Encourage colleagues and others to contact state elected officials. Visit the San José State Advocacy website, send a letter to your legislator about the budget using the tips below and sign up to receive updates about issues that affect the university.

Resources

• Letter writing tips
• Sample letter
• Legislative contacts for San José region
• Get the name, addresses and phone numbers of your representatives

Letter Writing Tips

• Use your own words on your own stationary.
• Keep your letter short and clear (preferably one page).
• Give reasons for your position. Tell how the issue affects you or your business, your community or the state.
• Address letters to legislators who represent your district.
• Copy the Governor when you write to state assemblymembers and senators.
• Send via mail, email, or fax.
• Use the proper form of address:

The Honorable John Doe
California State Senate
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Senator Doe:

The Honorable Jane Doe
California State Assembly
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Assemblymember Doe:

The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor of California
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

Sample Letter

Date

The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor of California
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

Personalize the message. Begin by introducing yourself, tell a little about yourself and your affiliation with SJSU. Talk about what applies directly to you, what field are you in (industries that rely on CSU graduates: nursing, business, agriculture, life sciences, education, public administration, and criminal justice).

The proposed budget cuts to the CSU will affect all Californians. At this crucial economic juncture, reducing funding to the CSU can only harm its mission of producing a highly skilled workforce for our state.

I believe this is the wrong direction for the state to go; cuts to the CSU will only make the economy more stagnant and reduce our ability to remain competitive in our global marketplace.

1) For every dollar the state invests into the CSU, $4.41 is generated in economic activity.
2) With these cuts, many eligible students are being turned away.
3) The CSU plays a major role in the state’s workforce, graduating 90,000 students each year, including 87 percent of education graduates, 64 percent of nurses, 65 percent of business professionals, 82 percent of those involved in public administration, and more than half of the state’s graduates in agriculture-related fields.
4) Cuts to the CSU mean a loss to the economy.

Given the significant impact the CSU has on the future of California’s workforce and economy, it is critical that you restore the budget cuts to the CSU. California’s future depends on the CSU. I look forward to hearing your response to this matter.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Legislative contacts for the San José region

Senator Elaine Alquist (D-13)
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Tel: 916-651-4013
Fax: 916-324-0283
Senator.alquist@sen.ca.gov

Senator Joseph Simitian (D-11)
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Tel: 916-651-4011
Fax: 916-323-4529
Senator.simitian@sen.ca.gov

Assemblymember Jim Beall, Jr. (D-24)
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 94249-0024
Tel: 916-319-2024
Fax: 916-319-2124
Assemblymember.beall@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Joe Coto (D-23)
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 94249-0023
Tel: 916-319-2023
Fax: 916-319-2123
Assemblymember.coto@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Paul Fong (D-22)
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 94249-0022
Tel: 916-319-2022
Fax: 916-319-2122

Assemblymember Ira Ruskin (D-21)
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 94249-0021
Tel: 916-319-2021
Fax: 916-319-2121
Assemblymember.ruskin@assembly.ca.gov

Get the names, addresses and phone numbers of your representatives

Visit the state legislature’s website to search for the name, address and phone number of your state assembly members and state senators.