The California State University board of trustees unanimously approved a budget proposal Wednesday morning that will seek $884 million from Sacramento for the 2010-11 budget.
The proposal calls for an increase from $2.3 billion to $3.2 billion from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature. The plan asks for $305 million to be restored to the one-time cuts imposed in 2009-10; $296 million for mandatory costs and compensation increases, including upgrades in student services and instruction; and $283 million for collective bargaining agreements not funded in 2008-09 or 2009-10.
“One of the things that I feel strongly about is that the governor and Legislature give us a price,” CSU Chancellor Charles Reed said. “Whether we meet that or not is going to be the big thing — to find us $305 million, which they’ve indicated that they were cutting from our budget on a one-time basis.”
The request comes amid California’s projected $21-billion deficit for the next year and a half, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday afternoon.
Reed and Erik Fallis, media relations specialist for the CSU, said the proposal “outlined the needs of the CSU,” which include growth in enrollment and compensation for one-time cuts.
“We have laid priorities out within that $884 million for the governor and Legislature,” Reed said.
Fallis added that a speculated student fee increase was not on the agenda.
More than 80 students and California Faculty Association members from various CSUs watched the meeting at the Dumke Auditorium. More than 130 people attended, including the protestors outside of the CSU chancellor’s office.
Sophomore Xitlali Rodriguez, the Latino Student Union representative of the La Raza Student Association at Cal State Long Beach, said students “haven’t seen the reality of it yet.”
“They’ll find out when they start signing up for their winter courses,” the 19-year-old political science major said.
Eleven of the 12 speakers voiced their discontent with issues such as the furloughs, and also shared personal experiences with the cuts in education during a 30-minute window for public comments.
Vivian Price, an assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies at Cal State Dominguez Hills, carried more than 1,700 letters from students for the board of trustees to read.
Rochelle Corros, a recreation and leisure studies major from CSUDH, said her major “could potentially be taken away.”
“Due to the suspension of admission to recreation [programs] and current students enrolled in recreation graduating soon … the program will be cut — no matter which word you would like to use,” Corros told the board.
Teri Yamada, CFA president of the CSULB chapter, thought the personal stories helped the students get their point across.
“The value of being able to have a major and not having it get pulled out from underneath you … I think they made that point very well,” Yamada said.
CSULB President F. King Alexander said the state “continues to de-prioritize education.”
“There’s no simple solution and there’s no way around them,” Alexander said. “They hit hard and students are feeling what’s been done to them — as are the institutions and the faculty and staff.”
Also at the meeting, Herbert Carter assumed the chair of the CSU board of trustees. Carter, who has been affiliated with the board for 35 years, served as vice chair since 2008 and has been a member of the board since 2004.
He is replacing Jeffrey Bleich, who resigned after being named the ambassador to Australia by the Obama administration and, by law, cannot be in both positions simultaneously. Bleich served on the board since 2004 and had been chair since 2008.
The board of trustees will select a vice chair at its next meeting on Jan. 26.