Resolution in Response to the California State Budget Crisis
RESOLUTION IN RESPONSE TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE BUDGET CRISIS
Adopted February 10, 2003
Whereas, The future of California depends on an educated populace to form a solid and
dependable economy, and
Whereas, the California State budget deficit of approximately $30 billion can only be resolved
now and prevented in the future if the Governor, the Legislature, and the Board of
Trustees maintain their commitment to an educated California by insuring affordable
access to the California State University, and
Whereas, Governor Gray Davis stated, October 25, 2002, “I know that every time we raise
student fees, we freeze our students, we deny them the opportunity for an unparalleled
education”, and
Whereas, the Associated Students at Humboldt State University clearly stated their position by
adopting a Resolution in Opposition to Student-Fee Increases (December 13, 2002)
and articulated their priorities for planning budget cuts in the adopted resolution
Associated Student’s Response to HSU Budget Reduction (November 4, 2002), and
Whereas, the Board of Trustees has already imposed an ill-advised, much opposed mid-year fee
increase of 10% for undergraduate and 15% for graduate students, and
Whereas, the practice of shared governance was not faithfully executed by the CSU statewide
administration during the mid-year fee increase that the Board of Trustees imposed
with no student input, no warning, and at a strategically inconvenient time for students,
and
Whereas, the Governor’s budget as offered to the Legislature assumes that the Board of Trustees
will compensate for budget cuts by generating revenue through a further increase in
student fees, and
Whereas, CSU Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Richard West said that
“the 2003-04 budget proposed by the Governor assumes annual fee revenue for the CSU
of $212.2 million, which would be generated from the current year increase in student
fees and an additional undergraduate fee increase of 25% percent ($396) and a graduate
fee increase of 20% ($348).” (from the Public Summary of the January 28-29, 2003,
Board of Trustees Meeting)
Whereas, The Governor has shown that he has not heard the recognized voice of the students
from Humboldt State University or the California State University as a whole, as shown
by the expectation of the revenue generation through an increase in student fees, and
Whereas, the Governor has kept the student voice from the table by itemizing the cuts
that the CSU will be expected to make in the coming fiscal year, therefore be it
Resolved, that the Associated Students of HSU stand with the California State Student
Association, the students of the University of California and the students of the
California Community College in direct opposition to any additional increase in
student fees, and be it further
Resolved, at the statewide level the Associated Students of HSU will remain dedicated to
collaborating with the Governor, the State Legislature, and statewide administrative
bodies to shape the higher education community’s response to the California budget
crisis, upholding the promise of shared governance, and be it further
Resolved, at the campus level, that the Associated Students of HSU will remain dedicated
to collaborating with the administration, the Academic Senate and staff and auxiliary
representatives to shape the Humboldt State University community’s response to the
California budget crisis, upholding the promise of shared governance, and be it
further
Resolved, that the Associated Students of HSU will respond to the proposed fee increases
with an education campaign to insure that students are prepared to adjust their
budgets if the Board of Trustees persists on the course they have laid out in their
most recent meeting, and be it further
Resolved, the Associated Students of HSU will continue to work with the CSSA to speak
for students in the Capital, as the recognized voice of CSU students, 407,000
strong, and be it further
Resolved, that this resolution be sent be sent, but distribution not limited to HSU
President Rollin Richmond and the Executive Committee, the HSU Academic Senate
Executive Committee, the CSSA Board of Directors, CSU Board of Trustees,
Chancellor Charles Reed, State Assembly Member Patty Berg, State Senator
Wes Chesbro, and Governor Gray Davis, HSU Lumberjack.
Authored by:
Caitlin Gill,
California State Student Association Representative
__________________________________ _______________________________
Gretchen Kinney Manuel Fonseca
Associated Students President Legislative Vice President