SB-2016-17-004: Associated Students Inc. Opposition to the Proposed 2018-2019 Tuition Increase (Revised)

Senate Bill No.: SB-2016-17-004

Date: December 5th, 2016

Authored by: Christian Rubalcava, Attorney General

Clarissa Rojas, Senator for the College of Arts, Media, and Communication

Bhernard Tila, Senator for the College of Humanities External Affairs Committee

Amended by: Zahraa Khuraibet, Vice President

Adam LaBrie, Chair of legislative Affairs

Saurabh Ratnaparkhi, Graduate Senator

Ian West, Senator for Social & Behavioral Sciences

Referred to: External Affairs Committee

Committee Rec: Approved on 11/23/2016 (5-0-0)

Senate Action: Approved on 12/05/2016 (21-0-0)

Revised: 02/26/2018 (18-0-0)

Title: Associated Students Inc. Opposition to the Proposed 2018-2019 Tuition Increase

1. WHEREAS: The Associated Students, Inc. (AS) is the official voice of over 40,000 students at California State University Northridge; AND

2. WHEREAS: AS is the primary advocate for students at CSUN and provides excellent, meaningful programs and services designed to create and enhance a spirited, learning focused campus environment; AND

3. WHEREAS: AS is always trying to get more students involved and increase student participation within the many programs and services we offer; AND

4. WHEREAS: The State of California operates on a budget of over 170 billion dollars, with 15 billion directed towards higher education ;AND

5. WHEREAS: A gap of 192 million dollars exists between what the CSU has requested to fund its goals for the 2018-2019 academic year and what Governor Jerry Brown has indicated he would allocate for the 2018-2019 California State Budget; AND

6. WHEREAS: For the second year in a row, an increase in eligible students, and pressure from legislators to raise graduation rates, the CSU System has proposed a five percent tuition increase that would raise undergraduate fees by 228 dollars and graduate fees by 432 dollars per academic year ; AND

7. WHEREAS: The 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education in California states that “state colleges and the University of California shall be tuition free to all residents of the state ”; AND

8. WHEREAS: In 1982, the California Postsecondary Education Commission recommended that the state end its pledge to pay instructional expenses for all residents, opening the door for tuition costs for students in the public-school system ; AND

9. WHEREAS: CSU system wide undergraduate, full-time tuition fee per academic year has increased from $1,428 in 2001/02 to $5,472 in 2011/2012, constituting an average annual increase of fifteen percent due to reductions in funding from the California General Fund ; AND

10. WHEREAS: The California State Student Association (CSSA) has historically opposed tuition increases through various resolutions, stating in January of 2016 that “CSSA believes that increasing tuition should not be a strategy to augment a State budget that does not fully fund the CSU ”; AND

11. WHEREAS: CSUN AS has opposed tuition increases in the past, with the most recent example being Senate Bill 2011-2012-11, which opposed a nine percent increase for the Fall 2012 school year ; THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED

1.RESOLVED: That the Associated Students Inc. is in complete opposition to the 2018-2019-five percent tuition increase proposed by the CSU Board of Trustees; AND LET IT BE FURTHER

2. RESOLVED: That the Associated Students Inc. calls on Governor Jerry Brown to provide a fully funded CSU for the 2018-2019 fiscal year; AND LET IT BE FURTHER

3. RESOLVED: That the Associated Students Inc. urges members of the California State Assembly and the State Senate to advocate on behalf of the California State University and their student constituents; AND LET IT BE FURTHER

4. RESOLVED: That the California Faculty Association, the Alumni Association, Associated Students Inc. and all other stakeholders come together to oppose the potential increase; AND LET IT BE FURTHER

5. RESOLVED: That the Associated Students Inc. continues to inform students about the potential increase and provide opportunities to the campus community to effectively oppose it; AND LET IT FINALLY BE

6. RESOLVED: That copies of this resolution be distributed widely, including but not limited to the following:

• Jerry Brown, California Governor
• Robert Hertzberg, State Senator
• Hannah-Beth Jackson, State Senator
• Ed Hernandez, State Senator
• Kevin De León, State Senator
• Benjamin Allen, State Senator
• Anthony Portantino, State Senator Elect
• Henry Stern, State Senator Elect
• Matthew Dababneh, State Assembly Member
• Tom Lackey, State Assembly Member
• Raul Bocanegra, State Assembly Member Elect
• Laura Friedman, State Assembly Member Elect
• CSU Board of Trustees
• Dr. Dianne Harrison, President
• Dr. William Watkins, Vice President for Student Affairs
• Nate Thomas, CFA at CSUN President
• Carlos Fuentes, Alumni Association President
• Adam Swenson, Faculty Senate President
• CSUN Today
• Sundial