The California State Student Association (CSSA) is committed to the accessibility of an affordable quality education for the 450,000 students of the California State University.
On Tuesday, January 8, 2008 the Governor delivered the state of the state address in which he highlighted his priorities for the year.
Governor Schwarzenegger addressed state budget reform, education, and his strategic growth plan. The Governor also spoke about hard times and across-the-board cuts to programs and services due to the fiscal emergency of the state.
It is in hard times that an accessible and affordable quality education should be the number one priority. Public higher education provides the economic engine for California; as well as the teachers, social workers, and nurses that are needed. Public higher education is the key to the social well being of Californians, as well as the future economic success of our Golden state.
The Governor announced his plan outlining solutions to California’s critical need for approximately 20,000 new engineers over the next decade. This will be done by expanding existing educational programs and building new partnerships between the CSU/UC/CCC. The Governor also addressed the shortage of teachers to come in the upcoming years.
The CSU is the leader in providing teachers to the state, producing the majority of K-12 teachers (CSU 2007). Fully funding public higher education and opening the doors to an accessible and affordable quality education for all Californians will address the needs of the state. We call upon the Governor and the Legislature to fully fund public higher education and solve the state’s problems.
It is no secret that undergraduate student fees have increased 70 percent since 2002 (2002-2007) and we continue to face those increases despite the need for an educated and prosperous California. The rising cost of student fees has squeezed families that don’t qualify for financial aid and cannot afford to pay for college. The students of California are disappointed that the Governor has proposed to cut $312.9 million from the CSU and increase student fees once again.
In the coming months CSSA will be working with student leaders on each of the 23 CSU campuses, as well as at the UC and CCC campuses to analyze the proposed budget, and empower all students to hold elected officials accountable to fully fund public higher education and stop student fee increases.
CSSA is committed to continue the fight for access and affordability during the budget crisis. Keeping fees low is one part of that equation: We must continue to have financial aid for needy students and secure full state support for our universities to provide the highest quality education to the people of California.
