asicalpolypomona.com

Several important propositions will be before California voters during a special election May 19. Propositions 1A through 1E seek to stabilize California’s current financial crisis and to implement long-term budget reform. The CSU Board of Trustees has endorsed a yes vote on Propositions 1A through 1E because of the direct impact the propositions will have on the CSU if they fail to pass. Most of the measures provide new revenues to help balance the state’s General Fund budget over the next several years. This directly impacts the CSU as two-thirds of its budget comes from the state General Fund. More information, including the pro and con arguments for the measures, is available at http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/

The CSU and the UC systems are expected to share some $537 million in stimulus, some $268 million per system.  These funds will partially offset one-time cuts in state higher education funding and are intended to preserve jobs while maintaining vital student services and academic programs.  Chancellor Reed announced that the $268 million in federal funds would support the education of more than 35,000 student at CSU campuses.

The package will fund five targeted higher education programs, 1) Higher Education tax credits, 2) Increase in Pell Grants, 3) Competitive grants for scientific research, 4) Increased Federal Work study funding, 5) Teacher quality grants and public healthier service corps training funds.

On May 13th, 2009, the CSU Board of Trustees will consider increasing student fees by 10% ($306 per year for undergraduates), which was included as part of the 2009-10 budget adopted by the legislature earlier this year.  ASI Student Government has confirmed that our Student Trustee, Curtis Grima,  the only voting student on the board, will be voting NO and is working to convince the other Trustees to do the same.

The increase would raise full-time academic year fees for undergraduates to $3,354 per year, while teacher credentials students would pay $3,894 per year.  Graduate student fees would rise to $4,134.  CSU undergraduate and graduate fees continue to be among the lowest of all universities across the nation.

Revenues from the fee increase will provide $127 million, with one-third or $42 million set aside for financial aid.