CSU budget cut and state audit
Alternative consulting fee program criticised
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Governor Newsom’s revised budget gives the CSU $3.6 billion, which is 14 percent less, or $609 million less, than what he proposed the CSU to receive in January. Last year, the CSU received $4.3 billion. Total funds the CSU had last year was $11 billion, and total funds in the revised budget is $10.3 billion. Here’s some of the data Mustang News has gathered on the final state budget since 2008, feel free to use it with attribution.
Here’s CalMatters’ story. It’s free to republish.
The state auditor released a report on increasing mandatory campus fees across the CSU. It singles out Chico State, San Diego State, San Jose State, and Cal Poly. Campus fees have increased in response to decreasing state support, and have begun to pay for crucial campus programs, like faculty and classes. Both of those the auditor takes issue with, especially since they says state budgets have given more money to the CSU since 2012. The CSU, however, is still invested in per student much less than it was before the 2008 crash—see this graph. I’m trying to find the data to share.
The audit also argued that the “alternative consultation” process of fee approval through Executive Order 1102 is vague and loosely unenforced. The process allows campus presidents to enact fees without a student referendum. The Executive Order dates back to 2015, but the process existed before then as fees at San Diego State and San Jose State detailed in the audit show.
Here’s CalMatters’ story, free to republish.