Cal State Long Beach President F. King Alexander reported on California’s budget problem at the Academic Senate meeting Thursday.
Alexander’s presentation was originally used in Sacramento, where he spoke at the third public hearing for the Joint Committee on the Master Plan for Higher Education on Feb. 17. He brought the presentation home for those present at the Academic Senate meeting to emphasize the problems California schools now face.
“The master plan, in my eyes, is on its dying legs because of what they’re not doing in Sacramento,” Alexander said. “We know what they’re doing to us.”
California is spending $10 billion, or 47.7 percent, less in tax efforts for higher education than in 1980, adding it to the category of states that have declined their support for higher education in the last 30 years.
“We’re part of the terrible 12 now,” Alexander said. “Only 11 states have decimated higher education more than we have.”
One potential solution to this problem is to increase financial aid. However, there wouldn’t be a need for increased financial aid if student fees aren’t raised, Alexander said, adding that students must make sure to get this information out.
“The real issue is state support and lack of balance,” Alexander said.
The cause of the financial problems, as well as possible solutions, has been muddled, and according to Alexander, legislators are stalling and creating bills that don’t really help students.
“Our students are too smart to buy into this gimmickry,” he said.
Since this is an election year, much of the state Legislature will not want to risk losing re-election by attempting to fix the education budget, according to Alexander.
“I don’t have any faith in what is going on in Sacramento,” he said. “I wish I had more positive things to say about that.”
Alexander said the different government stimulus plans have helped immensely.
“It’s helped protect us in an environment where we would’ve been hurt even more,” he said.
Alexander said he is currently crafting recommendations on how to fix California’s master plan by working with Assemblymember Ira Ruskin.
After Alexander’s presentation, a 20-minute open discussion over policy on mini-grants and summer stipends attempted to clarify the document, which will be heard again at the next meeting before being sent to the Fair Political Practices Commission for approval.
Mini-grants and summer stipends are mandated by the Legislature and the chancellor’s office. A mini-grant allows faculty members to test ideas; it is intended to be seed money. Summer stipends are used for research, scholarship and creative activities that faculty members engage in during the summer.
The Academic Senate also unanimously passed a policy regarding the “early start” programs designed to help qualified first-time freshmen acquire skills in English or mathematics necessary for college-level proficiency.