Greetings Golden Eagles:
As the Associated Students, Incorporated (ASI) of California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA), representing the voice of nearly 25,000 students, we would like to acknowledge and oppose the impact of the CSU Multi-Year Tuition Increase on our students. Serving as your student body government, it is the mission of the ASI Board of Directors to advocate and provide effective leadership for a diverse student population while igniting students' potential and empowering their voices for the betterment of CSULA students. With Cal State upholding the #1 rank in upward mobility within the CSU system, 60% of enrolled undergraduate students have their tuition covered or assisted through grants, scholarships, and waivers. Nonetheless, the proposal's lack of recognition for the 40% of students who are not covered under that umbrella does not go overlooked.
Having proposed a resolution in opposition of the CSU Multi-Year Tuition Increase, ASI is requesting the Chancellor's Office for transparency in the correlation between increased tuition and its potential to widen the equity gap in graduation rates, evaluate the percentage of affected undergraduate students yearly in accordance with the new adjustments to the FAFSA application, and acknowledge the detrimental impact the increase will have on enrollment across all 23 CSU campuses. Additionally, ASI has called to action with University support from the administration, Division of Student Life, Dean of Students, and University-wide departments to find alternative measures to alleviate the cost of attendance and reduce the impact that it will have on our CSULA students. That said, ASI is working to provide more immediate relief for our students through daily and systematic advocacy.
As finances become a greater struggle for our students to navigate, ASI is currently looking to work with the Financial Aid Office to find ways of offering financial advising through the form of workshops and potentially more accessible individual appointments. Across the entire CSU system, there will also be a greater focus on expanding housing and transportation as the tuition increase threatens to take away the funding students have for those basic needs. Through active attendance and participation in the Cal State Student Association (CSSA) plenaries, ASI student leaders from all 23 CSU campuses are advocating to include meal plans and accommodation for students with dependents with the offered on-campus emergency housing, in addition to assistance for long-term housing in the form of security deposits, rent supplements, utility support, and more. Although 91% of CSUs offer programs to serve transportation needs, we are continuously looking to further reduce transit fares for our students, expanding on programs like the Metro U-Pass and the recent Metrolink Student Adventure Pass. Additionally, as we get an increase in students transferring over from community colleges, CSU campuses have been working on building specialized bridge programs as an extension of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) to facilitate a smoother transition for students transferring into the CSU system. By strengthening partnerships with California community colleges, the CSU system aims to increase student retention and success.
At our home campus, ASI is always made readily available for our students. Located on the 2nd floor of the University Student Union (USU) in room 203, we are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with student staff ready to answer your calls and respond to your concerns. Active efforts are also being made daily through committee meetings, executive advising, and coordination with administration to implement assistance programs. For direct inquiries, our member directory on the ASI Cal State LA website (asicalstatela.org) is accessible for students to contact our student leaders looking to help address their concerns and direct them to the proper support. Whether it is through email or scheduled office hours, ASI is here to facilitate your success. The sky is the limit, and golden eagles are meant to soar.
Notes:
- "Nearly 25,000 students" is meant to reflect the latest student demographics provided by:
https://www.calstatela.edu/diversity/student-demographics - Letter Paragraph Breakdown
- 1st Paragraph: largely reflects the "whereas" portion of the resolution
- 2nd Paragraph: largely reflects the "therefore" portion of the resolution
- 3rd Paragraph: focuses on the active resolutions being made by ASI on campus and within the
CSU system through CSSA
- Have Andrew reach out to the Financial Aid Office to coordinate accordingly!
- 4th Paragraph: recaps ways that students can connect with ASI for assistance
- The letter is also meant to address the concerns that were brought up from the last BOD meeting following the discussion of the resolution draft.
BOD 2023-2024
Resolution in Opposition of the CSU Multi Year Tuition Increase & University Call To Action
WHEREAS, Associated Students, Incorporated (ASI) of California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) is the recognized voice of nearly 25,000 students; and
WHEREAS, Cal State LA upholds the ranking of being #1 in upward mobility1; and
WHEREAS, the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees is responsible for the oversight of the entire CSU system and adopting rules, regulations, and policies that govern the CSU2; and
WHEREAS, the California State University Chancellor’s Office is proposing a 6% annual increase that would be effective as of Fall 2024 and would continue with a 5 year review and could continue indefinitely; and
WHEREAS, 60% of enrolled undergraduate students mainly have their tuition covered by grants, scholarships, or waivers3; and
WHEREAS, FAFSA will experience major changes for the 2024-25 school year such as replacing Expected Family Contribution (EFC) with the Student Aid Index (SAI) and modifications to Family Definitions in FAFSA®; Formulas; and
WHEREAS, the proposal does not clearly define how 40% of students would be affected by the tuition proposal (IE middle class, undocumented, international, grant ineligible); and
THEREFORE, Associated Students Incorporated of California State University, Los Angeles, opposes the CSU Multi-Year tuition increase; and
THEREFORE, the ASI Board of Directors expects the Chancellor’s Office to be transparent in the correlation between increased tuition and its potential of widening the equity gap in graduation rates, and thus continuing to fail to meet the goals of Graduation Initiative 2025; and let it be further,
THEREFORE, the Chancellor's office should review and financially reflect on the percentage of undergraduate students every year with the new adjustments of the FAFSA application; and let it be further,
- https://news.calstatela.edu/2021/08/31/cal-state-la-continues-rank-one-nations-top-universities/
- https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/board-of-trustees/Pages/default.aspx
- https://www.calstate.edu/apply/paying-for-college/tuition-increase/Documents/24-25-TUITION-PROPOSAL.pdf
THEREFORE, the Chancellor's office should be aware that tuition increase would detrimentally affect enrollment throughout all 23 campuses and let it be further,
THEREFORE, the Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) of California State University, Los Angeles, calls to action the University administration to work closely with the ASI President and Board of Directors for strategic planning on the allocation of the University budget.
THEREFORE, the Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) of California State University, Los Angeles, calls to action the Division for Student Life to work closely with the ASI President and Board of Directors to ensure adequate holistic support for all student-focused organizations under their purview.
THEREFORE, the Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) of California State University, Los Angeles, calls to action the Dean of Students Office to work closely with the ASI President and Board of Directors to continually work on initiatives addressing rising student needs as a result of the tuition increase.
THEREFORE, the Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) of California State University, Los Angeles, calls to action the Academic Senate to work closely with the ASI President and Board of Directors on developing policies to promote accessible student registration and reduce student out-of-pocket costs.
THEREFORE, the Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) of California State University, Los Angeles, calls to action the University administration to work closely with the ASI President and Board of Directors for strategic planning on the operation of the University budget.
In Solidarity,
Yahir Flores
ASI President
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