Resolution on Increasing Student Charges

Whereas, the Master Plan for Higher Education in California recognizes that public higher education is fundamental benefit to the state and all its citizens; AND

Whereas, since September 1974 the policy of the Board of Trustees has been that student charged would be solely based upon the operating cost of the following Student Service Programs: Counseling, Testing, Career Planning and Placement, Social/Cultural Development, Health Services, Financial Aid Administration, Housing Administration, and 50% of the Dean of Students Office; AND

Whereas, the Chancellor's Office report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the Department of Finance, entitled "Basis and Procedures for Adjusting the Student Services Fee," dated January, 3 1978, requires that actual expenditures for the previous fiscal year along with funds budgeted for the current year be used as the basis for projecting budget requests for the following year; AND

Whereas, the CSUC Task Force Report on the Student Services Fee, completed November 1981, notes that programs supported by the Student Services Fee or intended to primarily and substantially for regularly enrolled students and that student shall have a consultative role both at the systemwide and campus level in the planning and review of funded programs; AND

Whereas, the CSUC Task Force Report projects a needed increase of only $18 for 1982-93 and of less than $128 for the Fiscal Year 1989-90; AND

Whereas, the proposed increase, as well as the Spring 1982 "surcharge", must therefore be viewed as "linguistic ingenuity" designed to convince a presumedly gullible student body, public and state legislature that the CSUC would not be in violation of the principle endorsed in the organic statutes of California since 1867 that "public higher education institutions in California do not charge tuition to bona fide legal residents of the State;" AND

Whereas, the Governor of California has announced his opposition to the proposed increase in student charges and his intention to "work with the Trustees and the legislature to ensure that the students pay no more than their fair share;" AND

Whereas, the President of Sonoma State University has opposed the proposed increase in student charges; AND

Whereas, the President of the Associated Students of Sonoma State University has noted that the proposed increase in student charges "lacks planning, sound reason, and does not solve the problem at hand. . .[but] merely postpones a permanent solution;

THEREFORE BE IT

Resolved, that the Academic Senate of Sonoma State University deplore the action of the Board of Trustees of the California State University, as well as the prior support for the increase in student charges provided by the CSUC Council of Presidents and the CSUC Academic Senate;

AND BE IT FURTHER

Resolved, that the Academic Senate of Sonoma State University commends the Governor of California, the President of Sonoma State University, and the Associate Students for their rejection of fees, charges and tuition which would deny access to higher education to the residents of the state.

Approved by the Senate
12/10/1981