"CSU is the solution for California's Budget Crisis"

There was high energy and high spirit at the Bell Memorial Union Auditorium last Tuesday, the April 8th with almost 800 students, parents, staff and teachers of California State University, Chico getting together to fight back for the budget cuts planned for the whole of California State University system which includes 23 campuses all over California. This was organized by the ‘The Alliance for the CSU’ an organization which includes students, alumni, faculty, staff, administrators, parents, students, employers, church leaders, labor union members of CSU and many other who care about the future of the state university system and its contribution to the development of this country and state.

“CSU is the solution” was the motto of the gathering and The University President Paul Zing opening the forum gave a very inspiring and motivating speech about the crisis at hand.“The governor’s proposed budget would cut $386 MILLION from the CSU." and went on further to explain the audience why immediate action is crucial. " We must fight these cuts and win the funding because The Fight for the CSU Budget is a Fight for the State’s Future!” With the prevailing economic instability, the California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed to cut funding CSU general fund by $312 million and also $ 73 million as student fee buy outs. “There are many good reasons to fund public higher education. In a time of budget crisis, we should focus on the CSU’s role in solving that crisis” said Paul Zing, explaining how California State University System can be the solution for this state budget crisis. There had been a similar budget cut during 2002-2004 for $500 million and this hasn’t been recovered yet which shows that during the past 6 years there has been budget cuts close to $ 886 million to the CSU system when logically it should be increasing with the more demand for higher education.

“Cuts of funds to the universities mean it will be harder for students to get a college education because of the increased cost and the decreased admission numbers due to limited funding. And the increased cost of education will also discourage many low-income students from getting the college education they deserve.” CSU Trustee and former Chico State graduate, Debra S. Farar said. It is estimated that because of the budget cuts, approximately 10000 eligible students will be turned away from admission to CSU. “Cuts to the CSU undermine California’s economy and will force it to stagnate and undermine revenue to the state if more people do not earn bachelor’s degrees.” she added. It was shown that every dollar the state invests in the CSU directly generates $4.41 in spending and in 2003, CSU students and graduates alone generated $3.11 billion in tax revenue to the state.

“The CSU prepares the people who do exactly the type of work the Governor wants done—engineers, teachers, nurses & more. Of all degrees granted in CA, CSU awards 51% in engineering, 64% in nursing, 65% in business.” said Katherine Renner, President of the CSUC chapter of the California Faculty Association and a professor of anthropology at CSUC. “The governor says we need to build infrastructure by $500 billion over the next 20 years.” she added. “The CSU prepares the people who do exactly the type work governor wants done. It will be impossible if the CSU gets less and less funding.”

Also during the session, audience were encouraged to volunteer to support this cause by filling out a information cards where they could specify the individuals ways each and everyone of them can contribute. As the meeting ended, Paul Zing once again stressed the importance of everybody’s participation in this fight for funding and requested everybody’s fullest corporation.

more information about the propose budget cuts and the Alliance for the CSU, please visit http://www.allianceforthecsu.org/