At its meeting of April 14, 2008, the Academic Senate approved the following Sense of the Senate Resolution presented by Senator Sivertsen for the Instruction and Student Affairs Committee.
Support for AS 0708-02, Associated Students Resolution in Opposition to the budget cuts to higher education proposed in the State of California Governor’s January 2008-2009 Budget
Resolved, That the Academic Senate received and supports Associated Students Resolution 0708-02 as attached.
Associated Students Resolution 0708-02
Resolution in Opposition to the Budget Cuts to Higher Education Proposed in the State of California Governor’s January 2008-2009 Budget
Whereas, the Associated Students (A.S.) of San José State University (SJSU) is the officially recognized representative body of approximately 32,000 SJSU students; and
Whereas, A.S advocates to preserve the California State University (CSU) as an affordable, equitable, and quality higher education institution as outlined in California’s Master Plan of Higher Education; and
Whereas, Governor Schwarzenegger has released a January Budget Proposal with a $312.9 million reduction to the California State University system for the 2008/2009 fiscal year; and
Whereas, the Governor’s proposal includes a 10 % system wide student fee increase;
Whereas, the Governor’s budget proposal eliminates new Cal Grant Competitive awards; and
Whereas, student fees have increased dramatically within the last seven years and are expected to increase another 10% every year until 2012; and
Whereas, student fee increases and financial aid award reductions threaten the access, affordability and diminishes the quality of a public higher education and
Whereas, the Governor’s budget violates the Master Plan for Higher Education; therefore be it
Resolved that Associated Students strongly opposes the proposed budget by the Governor, that increases student fees and reduces financial aid awards; and, be it
Resolved that Associated Students call on the Governor and California State Legislature to make higher education a top priority by fully funding the CSU system; and be it
Resolved that Associated Students reminds the Governor and the state legislature that CSU students have experienced annual fee increases totaling more than 72% since 2002; and be it
Resolved that Associated Students urges the Board of Trustees, Office of the Chancellor, faculty and administration to call upon the Governor and Legislature to fully fund the CSU and stop student fee increases; and be it
Resolved that Associated Students, calls on the CSU family (students, Trustees, Chancellor, faculty, staff and alumni) to remind elected officials that CSU has not recovered from more than $500 million dollars in budget reductions; and be it
Resolved that Associated Students call upon the CSU family (students, Trustees, Chancellor, faculty staff and alumni), UCSA and Community College students to join the Student March for Public Higher Education on April 21, 2008 in Sacramento, and be it further
Resolved that Associated Students will make this document public and forward this resolution to all parties, including all statewide student associations, campus Associated Students, CA higher education presidents, CSU system wide and statewide Academic Senates, the CSU Board of Trustees, Chancellor Charles B. Reed, the California Legislature, the office of the Governor of California and the local media.
Approved: April 7, 2008
Present: Campsey, Castillo, David, Fee, Henderson, Parker, Langdon
Absent: Kelly, Hilliard
Vote: 7/0/0
Financial Impact: None
Workload: Unknown