According to madeinthecsu.com, 90,000 CSU students graduate into the work force each year.
“Made in the CSU” is a campaign started last year by the California State Student Association, or CSSA. It brings awareness to the significance of CSU graduates in California’s economy and advocates against higher education cuts on behalf of CSUs and students.
“It’s a public relation that demonstrates why CSU is important,” executive director of CSSA Miles Nevin said.
The campaign uses statistics and facts to gain public support and get the message out to legislatures.
According to the campaign website, CSU graduates hold more than 207,000 jobs in the state alone. These graduates make up 64 percent of nurses, 55 percent of teachers, 62 percent of public administration, 76 percent of tourist and hospitality workers and a majority of other professions in the state of California.
These numbers are due to the fact that most CSU students continue to reside in California after graduation.
The campaign points out that a huge portion of the California work force would be missing without CSU graduates. Also, cuts to higher education make graduating harder for students who are trying to start their careers.
Nevin predicted a noneducated work force in the future if schools continue to cut budgets. He believes students’ education will lack two important things: access and quality. Access to education has become harder with the 40,000 student reduction in enrollment. With class courses and professors being cut, the quality of education will change. However, Navin hopes the possible federal stimulus and acceptance of transfers in the spring will be a step toward stopping this from happening.
President of CSSA Christopher Chavez, last year’s ASI president at CSULB, said, “The big thing we are trying to point out is that California’s future is made in our education and the government has forgotten the campuses. For California to have a sustainable future, we need to support the universities and community colleges.”
Chavez stressed that students should get more involved so that important decisions aren’t made for them without their input. Students, and anyone interested, can pledge their support for the campaign by going to the website madeinthecsu.com and providing their name and e-mail. The pledges are published online and distributed to legislatures to illustrate the public support.
Next year in January, phase two of the campaign will start.
“Keep your eyes peeled,” Nevin said. “We are going to be unveiling a new campaign and website with the same message.”
On March 14, 2011, the CSSA will be rallying in Sacramento to demonstrate students who are fighting for their education.
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