A Message From The Executive Director

Dear Board of Directors,

The skills and experiences that you will have when you leave office will make you a more marketable individual than any other graduate, regardless of the field that you wish to pursue a career. Currently, there are CSSA alumni in every field; such as, teachers, social workers, public officials, entrepreneurs, labor union leaders, government officials and many more to name. To manage a full day of meetings, classes, study time, family time, work schedule and social life takes a competent leaders and multi-task master!

An observation often made is student board turnover. Many associations experience large turnovers in board membership while others may not. This is an issue that is not foreign to any organization with elected or appointed members. For ASIs It is this time of year, March through May, we have elections at every campus. Some questions that we ask ourselves are:

• Who will lead the student efforts next year?
• Who will serve in ASI?
• Who will serve in CSSA?

This is an exciting time for everyone and what a wonderful opportunity to connect with peers and share your wisdom, which includes: motivating those students that you have cultivated and mentored. Many leadership books emphasize the importance for organizations to develop effective mentoring programs to ensure goals and priorities move in accordance with the mission and vision of the organization. What happens when you have not cultivated or mentored anyone? The good news is that there is an array of resources available to develop mentoring programs. In the meantime, here is a brief list on how to continue “leadership legacy and transition”.

For existing leaders, not running for office that have worked all year to represent their constituents at the: campus level, in systemwide committees and at statewide campaigns, the following is a list of suggestions on how to transition the newly elected leaders.

For those students that are beginning or continuing on this wonderful journey of leadership, keep this list in mind.

•  Schedule a meeting with the incoming officer

•  Share your contact information after you leave office

•  Write down your accomplishments this year

•  How did you do your work?

•  What worked best?

•  What did not work?

•  Provide the name, address, phone numbers of everyone you called for advise, help, supplies, work or inspiration during your term in office

•  Suggestions, thoughts, and advise for the next person that will serve in your position (What have you done, if you had stayed another year?)

The Legislative Affairs Committee (LAC) focus this year was financial aid reform, voter registration and textbook.

The committee's number one priority this year was to address the rising cost of higher education in California by improving the state financial aid program, know as Cal Grants. The LAC has been the driving force behind CSSA sponsored legislations Assembly Bill 2813 by Assembmlymember De La Torre. AB 2813 would make changes to the program that will ensure that the cost of college – particularly for non-traditional students and those with the lowest income – is not a barrier. For more information, please visit www.leginfo.ca.gov and search for AB 2813.

Support for the bill continues to grow: The bill passed out of the Assembly Higher Education Committee on April 18 with unanimous, bipartisan support. Over 25 Assemeblymembers and Senators have signed on to become coauthors – indicating their support for the measure. Education policy experts and students on campus have voiced their support for AB 2813: Both the California Student Aid Commission, and the California Postsecondary Education Commission support the bill. And CSU students and organizers from the Student Empowerment Training project have collected nearly 700 hand-written letters in support of the bill. The bill is now in the Assembly Appropriations Committee where your letters and phone calls can help. Please contact the Office of Governmental Relations to find out how you can support AB 2813!

The LACwas understands how important it is for students to be active in civic life by registering and voting in the upcoming statewide election. LAC hosted voter registration trainings in both northern and southern California campuses this year, and spearheaded a statewide student voter registration drive, registering 4,831 new CSU student voters. CSSA collaborated with the Secretary of State Bruce McPherson in kicking off April as Voter Registration and Participation month, and helped to coordinate the his visits to four CSU campuses this spring.