Greetings, Cal State LA community:
Regarding the recent concerns surrounding the presence of asbestos in King Hall, as your student body President, I wanted to assure you that your voices are being heard. As we continue to navigate the situation as a community, your safety and well-being remain ASI's top priorities. Rest assured, we will continue to echo your student needs to the administration as transparently and proactively as possible.
As an advocate, I stand in solidarity with all student and faculty organizations around this issue and your advocacy efforts.
Although we may not have all the answers now, we encourage you to continue reaching out with any questions or concerns to allow us to provide you with the information and support you need. As we continue to gather updates regarding the situation, we will inform you of any asbestos-related issues on campus through our social media and various communication channels as a practice in line with our commitment to transparency and building trust.
The University Administration has shared that they have been advocating alongside the other 22 Cal State Campuses and the state legislature to support a facilities bond. Last year, Senator Steve Glazer introduced SB 28, one of two competing measures to help address ongoing facility renewal needs for K-12 and higher education. SB 28 would place a $15.5 billion facilities bond on the November 2024 ballot for K-16 that would allocate $2 billion to the CSU if approved by the voters. AB 247 (Muratsuchi) would place a $14 billion bond on the November 2024 ballot, but only for K-14. Both measures were held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee with the understanding that both authors would find one vehicle for an education bond measure. The Board of Trustees is officially in support of SB 28. ASR has been working with legislative leadership and the Governor to encourage consensus on a bond measure that includes funding for the CSU and UC. At the Governor’s urging, the legislature only placed one bond measure on the March 2024 ballot, Proposition 1, which would provide new funds for behavioral health programs. Leadership from both houses will soon begin to negotiate a single measure they intend to present to the Governor that would be eligible for the November ballot. The Governor alluded to the need for an education bond in his budget proposal but was silent on the size of it or if higher education should be included.
To emphasize, your safety as students, faculty, and staff of Cal State LA is paramount and will continue to be highlighted as one of the top priorities for your success and within the University. As a collective, we will continue to advocate for measures to maintain a healthy and secure learning environment for all campus community members. While also pushing for more transparency from campus administrators in releasing reports to the public and being transparent on timelines and action plans.
Please do not hesitate to reach out; our doors are always open.
Sincerely,
Yahir Flores
ASI President
