Budget Update

Cal State Northridge and its students, faculty and staff are bearing a large portion of the burden to help solve California’s ongoing budget situation. As you know, Governor Schwarzenegger signed the California state budget for 2009-10 on July 28. Anticipating cuts to the California State University (CSU) System, the CSU Board of Trustees met on July 7 and July 21 to discuss a general plan for addressing a budget cut to the CSU of $584 million. The Cal State Northridge portion of that total cut is about 7 percent, which translates into a $41 million reduction. This represents approximately 24 percent of the campus’s base budget.

For 2009-10, the $41 million reduction is being met by the following:

• $19 million from one-time savings from the State Budget Campus Closure program, which requires faculty and staff to take two unpaid days per month (approximately 10 percent salary cut)
• $13 million in new revenue from increases in student fees (state university fees) enacted by the CSU Board of Trustees
• $2 million from campus reserves
• $7 million from budget reductions to the divisions in the University

These reductions mean fewer classes and reduced services for students. Furloughs mean there’s less time for faculty and staff to do the same amount, or in some cases, more work.

For more information about the campus budget situation see http://www.csun.edu/presofc/campusbudgetnews.html

Also see President Jolene Koester’s opinion piece that ran in the Daily News on August 11, 2009.

In addition, attached to this email is a memo from the CSU entitled:  “Status Report:  CSU 2009-10 Budget: Information for Constituent Inquiries (.pdf)”. I hope that you will find this helpful in providing information to constituents regarding the CSU, particularly issues related to admissions and enrollment.

Envisioning California

The 21st annual “Envisioning California” Conference will be held on Friday, Oct. 16, at the Skirball Cultural Center. Your office should have received an invitation to attend. Please let me know if you’d like to participate in any part of this day-long discussion about the challenges of sustaining the California dream while creating jobs, expanding business opportunities, limiting waste, greening the state and reducing spending. For more information visit the website for Cal State Northridge’s Center for Southern California Studies

Campus Hosts White House Initiative

Cal State Northridge was chosen as a site for a community listening session hosted by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. Dozens of such listening sessions were hosted around the country. Nearly 300 community leaders, faculty, students, and staff attended the two sessions on August 19. Cal State Northridge was chosen as a site for several reasons. Cal State Northridge ranks fifth in the nation, and first among California institutions, for awarding bachelor’s degrees to Hispanic students, according to Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. In addition, CSUN has one of the most successful Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP) in the nation, the largest Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies in the country, and has created the first baccalaureate in Central American Studies.

Legislative Aides Association Meeting

The next Legislative Aides Association (LAA) meeting on the Cal State Northridge campus is fast approaching. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 from 9:00-10:30 a.m. An agenda and campus map will be sent out closer to the date. Topics and locations for these meetings vary and the next meeting will be a tour of the new student housing facilities. A general campus update will also be provided.  A continental breakfast is provided at each meeting. Please take a moment to check the LAA website to confirm your office’s representative and future meeting dates! If there are any updates to your office representative, please contact Susan Widelitz, Administrative Assistant, Government and Community Relations, at susan.widelitz@csun.edu with name, title, and email.

Parking Permits

Have you picked up your office’s new parking permits? If not, please contact Susan Widelitz, Administrative Assistant, Government and Community Relations at 818-677-2123. This parking benefit is provided to each of the elected official offices.

Free Furlough Yoga

We’re all affected by the state budget and the national economic situation. In honor of the State Budget Campus Closure Program, the Employee Assistance Program at Cal State Northridge is providing free yoga classes to faculty and staff. As the yoga teacher for the free classes I’d like to extend an invitation to legislative aides to participate. You can use your campus parking pass when coming to campus for the classes. More information, including a schedule, can be found here: http://www-admn.csun.edu/ohrs/eap/furlough_yoga.html

Cal State Northridge Campus Tours

Has it been awhile since you or one of your colleagues has visited Cal State Northridge? Do you know of a community organization or business that may be interested in Cal State Northridge's sustainability initiatives or other projects? Contact the Office of Government and Community Relations and we'll be happy to set up a personalized campus tour.