Campus Update for Legislative Aides
Graduates  

2010 Distinguished Alumni Awards

The 2010 Cal State Northridge Distinguished Alumni Awards event is coming up! If you’ve never attended before, please consider attending. It’s a wonderful event and great way to see the various ways that Cal State Northridge alumni make a difference and contribute to the economic and social well being of our region!

Saturday, April 24, 2010, 6:00 p.m.
Four Seasons Hotel, Westlake Village
2 Dole Drive
Westlake Village, California 91362

This year’s honorees are:

Lauren Leichtman ’72, Philanthropist , CEO and Founding Principal of Levine Leichtman Capital Partners

Robert M. Myman ‘67, one of the nation’s most successful and influential entertainment attorneys

Diane Warren ’78, one of the most successful and acclaimed songwriters of the last two decades

If you, your boss, or someone from your office would like to attend or if your office would like to supply certificates of recognition, simply reply to this email.  


Graduates  

Campus Budget Update

For the latest news on the Campus Budget situation visit http://www.csun.edu/presofc/campusbudgetnews-FAQs-04-2010.html


Graduates  

Legislative Aides Association

The next meeting of the Legislative Aides Association will be Wednesday, April 28, 2010 from 9:00-10:30 am, beginning in room 250 University Hall. President Jolene Koester will provide a campus update and respond to any questions.

In light of questions regarding the Auxiliary role on CSU campuses (including the introduction and debate of SB 330), Rick Evans, Executive Director of the Cal State Northridge University Corporation will give an overview of the role of auxiliaries on campuses, how non-state revenue benefits the campus, and other policy-related issues. The discussion will include a tour of a campus auxiliary. Please join us!


Graduates  

State Watch

The California State University (CSU) has sponsored several pieces of legislation for 2010:

AB 867 (Nava) California State University: Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree: This proposal would allow the CSU to offer the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree to prepare nurses for the CSU and community college classrooms, and also nursing leadership roles. AB 867 moved out of the Assembly and the Senate policy committees and awaits further action by the Senate Appropriations Committee this summer.

AB 1890 (Committee on Higher Education) Lost Property: This proposal would reduce the length of time the CSU must hold property from six months to three months, consistent with other agencies and the UC. In addition, it would establish a monetary threshold of $300 for an item that must be kept or auctioned, and would allow items under this threshold to be donated as an alternative to a costly auction. AB 1890 passed the Higher Education Committee and will be heard next in appropriations on the consent calendar.

AB 1971 (Lowenthal) Affinity Programs: This measure extends the “sunset” on the ability of our alumni associations to operate affinity programs by five years – to 2014. AB 1971 has passed the Judiciary Committee and will be heard next in appropriations on the consent calendar.

AB 2075 (Committee on Higher Education) Prequalification for CSU Contractors: This proposal would increase the time period for CSU to complete the prequalification process from five calendar days to ten working days. This will allow the Capital Planning, Design and Construction department to better assure contractors a that their prequalification application will be processed before the bid date and increase the number of contractors available to do our public works projects.  AB 2075  is on the consent calendar.

SB 1046 (Cogdill) Modification to Claim Filing Process: This proposal would remove the CSU from the jurisdiction of the Victims Compensation Government Claims Board (VCGCB) when the system settles with a potential plaintiff and would instead allow the CSU to manage claims directly through the CSU Office of Risk Management, removing a 15 percent surcharge imposed by VCGCB on top of any settlement fees. SB 1046 passed the education committee and has been referred to the Judiciary Committee consent calendar.

In addition, Cal State Northridge continues to oppose several measures including SB 330 (Yee), which would have a chilling effect on the ability of our campus to raise non-state revenue.

For a complete list of CSU “priority legislation” see http://ct2k2.capitoltrack.com/report.asp?rptid=U32960

Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield’s bill -- AB 2382: California State University: Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees passed the higher education committee and will next be heard in the Business, Professions, and Consumer Protection Committee. While the CSU has not taken a position on this legislation, it would affect Cal State Northridge by allowing the granting of professional doctorates in Physical Therapy at CSU campuses. Cal State Northridge has one of the four PT programs in the CSU. The Physical Therapy profession is taking the lead on securing support and passage of this legislation.  


Graduates  

Federal Front

Congressman Brad Sherman has included four Congressionally-directed spending projects in his Fiscal Year 2011 request to the House Appropriations Committee that would directly benefit Cal State Northridge:

Funding for the Strategic Language Initiative (SLI) would continue funding an already successful program that allows the entire CSU system to teach languages such as Arabic, Chinese and Russian. The Russian Language Immersion Program at Cal State Northridge—a component of SLI—includes three language development phases for each cohort of students to move from low or mid-intermediate proficiency level to high-intermediate or low-advanced level. Cal State Northridge is proud to be part of the effort to bolster national security by expanding foreign language education.

Funding for a Smart Grid Initiative would allow Cal State Northridge to store and use energy more efficiently, while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. As the nation and our region work to develop ways to lessen our impact on the environment, this initiative becomes an important part of the effort to reduce our carbon footprint.

Funding for a Transit Center would create a facility on campus that would improve mass transit efficiency and pedestrian safety, allow for ADA pathway and lighting upgrades, and reduce the area’s overall traffic load.

Funding for a Veterans Workforce Development project would allow Cal State Northridge to create a pilot program to increase veteran enrollment and graduation from engineering and computer science programs. It would help fulfill a critical need for new engineers, while offering enhanced educational opportunities and employment assistance to those who have served our country.  

Cal State Northridge continues to remain very strong in securing federal competitive funding in a variety of academic areas. The latest grant received—in the amount of $8.4 million—will support funding over five years to improve the education of teachers who work with students with disabilities. For more information see: http://blogs.csun.edu/news/2010/04/ed-grant/#more-1720


As always please let me know if our office can be of assistance to you.


Brittny McCarthy
Director of Government and Community Relations
California State University, Northridge
(818) 677-2123

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