Thursday, November 19, 2009

CAL STATE TRUSTEES APPROVE BUDGET; SEEK $884 MILLION IN SUPPORT. PROTESTERS RALLY OUTSIDE LONG BEACH HEADQUARTERS

by Carla Rivera | LA Times

November 18, 2009 | 11:48 am - The California State University's Board of Trustees today approved a 2010-11 budget that seeks $884 million in state support to bolster a system struggling to recover from severe funding shortfalls.

The trustees, who were meeting in Long Beach as their UC counterparts gathered at UCLA, adopted the budget plan with little discussion, a day after it was approved by their finance committee. About 100 protesters gathered outside the Cal State headquarters, marching in a circle, chanting and carrying signs urging the trustees to "Stop the Program Cuts Now" and "Stop the War on Higher Education." The demonstrators did not disrupt the meeting.

The budget plan requests $305 million to restore one-time cuts imposed in 2009-10; $283 million to restore money for collective bargaining agreements not funded in 2008-09 and 2009-10; and $296 million for mandatory cost and compensation increases and improvements in student services and instruction.

The budget plan would increase Cal State’s general fund support from $2.3 billion to $3.2 billion. [Updated 1:59 p.m.: An earlier version of this post incorrectly said the budget plan would increase Cal State’s support from $2.3 million to $3.2 million.]

State support for the 23-campus system has been slashed $625 million over the last two years, resulting in staff and faculty furloughs, reduced enrollment and student fee increases.

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