CSSA Minutes: February 16, 2002

CSU Hayward
CSSA Board of Directors Meeting
February 16, 2002, 9:00 - 11:30 am

CALL TO ORDER 9:15 a.m., Chair Robert Garcia.
ROLL CALL Present: Bakersfield (by proxy given to San Diego), Chico, Dominguez Hills, Fresno, Fullerton, Hayward, Humboldt, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, Northridge, Pomona, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Marcos, Sonoma, Stanislaus. California Maritime Academy late (time not noted).
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Motion to approve the agenda with the change that the Administrative Affairs committee meeting be moved from 4 pm today (February 16) to 8 am tomorrow (February 17), San Diego; second, Dominguez Hills. PASSED.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM January 2002, Los Angeles; second, Stanislaus. PASSED.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
1. Dr. Norma Rees, CSU Hayward President, was introduced by Hayward Student Body President Nicole Rodriguez. Dr. Rees welcomed CSSA, saying that CSSA represents an enormous student population, the students of the largest system of higher education of its kind in the world. She said the group assembled today looks like California, like the world. She said CSSA representatives have identified themselves as leaders of today and tomorrow; she urged the group to stay involved, stay curious and to use its leadership for the good.
2. Dr. Sonjia Redmond, Vice President of Student Affairs, was also introduced by Nicole. She made a few remarks about leadership. She said the deepest fear is sometimes not fear of inadequacy but of power beyond measure-that it's sometimes light, not darkness, that frightens us, and we reject our powers thinking, Who am I to be beautiful, influential, powerful? Playing small, though, does not serve the world. She advised students to make manifest the glory of the universe within, saying that as student leaders, CSSA board members have chosen leadership. She analyzed reasons why people fear their own power: 1) admitting one's power means knowing one can make things better; 2) accepting a heavy burden of responsibility for others; 3) traveling the road less traveled; 4) putting negative images of power in perspective; 5) allowing stress in relationships with others; 6) developing a humane style for its management. Dr. Redmond said she has long been concerned about the limited involvement of students. She asked those present to ask themselves if they were using their power to encourage others to do so, too. She referred to Nelson Mandella's comments that when we let our light shine, we give permission for others to do the same.
PUBLIC FORUM
Nicole Rodriguez announced that Hayward is selling pins to raise funds for the victims of September 11th. The pins are $3/each. Haleemon Anderson, Dominguez Hills, thanked Dr. Rees for Friday night's reception, remarking that in opening her home to CSSA, Dr. Rees had set a precedent.
RECALL ELECTION OF THE CHAIR.
Emily Foster, Internal Vice Chair, had to leave the meeting; Joe Salas, External Vice Chair, assumed the gavel. Sacramento moved to recall the CSSA Chair; second, Los Angeles. Ron Williams, San Diego, gave procedural clarification: in this case, a "yes" vote is a vote to retain Robert Garcia as Chair; a "no" vote is a vote to remove him. There are 21 campuses present; 20 of them have a vote and 2/3rds of those votes must be "no" for Robert to be removed. There was discussion of whether non dues paying members are eligible to vote: Emily cited Article IV, "Officers," section B, re election of officers, and the lack of restrictive language in Article V, "Recall of Elected Officials," as support for her argument that all campuses have a vote. Veronica Shippy, San Luis Obispo, noted that a document separate from the CSSA Constitution, CSSA Election Guidelines, states all 23 campuses have a vote for officers; Bruce Wolfe, San Francisco, added that by implication if they have a vote to elect they similarly have one to recall. There was also discussion whether the chair has a vote. Pomona did not get a vote.

Robert read a prepared statement (attached to these minutes). Ronda Newt-Scott, San Francisco, said there were 2 people present at the last meeting who had been present in San Francisco at the incident but had declined to speak. She said Robert's story has changed 4 times-at first he was making a campus visit, then attending a meeting, etc. Andrew Johnson, Stanislaus, said the airiness of the meeting plans-trying to reach Maribel Martinez just once, for example-convince him that Robert just wanted a free trip. Robert said he left Saturday, driving all day; the first meeting was to be Sunday morning. Jason Velo gave his recollections. He said the meeting proposed by Robert intrigued him because he didn't know what was so compelling. Dan Cartwright's presence had not been prearranged: Dan is a good friend and was at Jason's house that weekend. The 3 of them met for 2 hours and their discussion was 90% business. When Robert left, Jason and Dan asked each other: what was so important about that? Jason said he has had suspicions and has asked himself whether it was a free trip, though at the time he did not know that CSSA was paying the bills. The business conducted could have waited. Elexis Mayer, Humboldt, asked whether Robert had spoken to Dr. Reed about the matter privately, during a meeting of CSSA executives with the Chancellor, after asking the other executives to leave the room. If so, that was inappropriate. Natoya Blaylock, Los Angeles, said she also found this inappropriate. Emily Foster had not been at the meeting but learned of it from a chancellor's office employee, then called Robert to say he shouldn't meet with the chancellor privately about the matter on CSSA time. Haleemon Anderson, Dominguez Hills, said she had no problem with Robert's request of a few minutes alone with the chancellor. Brandon Kline, Sacramento, thought it was similar to an AS president meeting with a campus president-not inappropriate. Robert said he had told the executives in the elevator he would ask for this private time and none objected. Robert had 5-7 minutes alone with Dr. Reed and [Richard West?] and thinks there was nothing wrong with that. Natoya asked Robert if he'd met with the chancellor about the Ed.D.; Robert said he had during scheduled CSSA/Chancellor meetings. With regard to the importance of the meeting in San Francisco, Robert said work on the Ed.D. had to be done at the upcoming Fullerton conference-in fact 2-3 days from 10/29, a deal was announced on the Ed.D. Natoya asked whether she should have been included in Ed.D. discussions, since it was an MCC policy agenda plank. She asked whether Robert had ever told the Chancellor that there were campuses out to get him; Robert said he had not. Manuel Cardoza, San Bernardino, asked if Robert could have talked to Jason by phone; he noted that Maribel leaves her cell phone number on her answering machine message-why didn't Robert call Maribel on her cell? For his part, Jason said yes, the meeting could have been conducted by phone. Robert said he likes in-person meetings on important subjects. He said he made a good effort to reach Maribel though he doesn't recall having access to her cell phone and isn't sure when he called her. She was supposed to have contacted him at his hotel after her marathon. Andrew Johnson said scheduling a meeting with one person who's just run a marathon and another coming in from a 10-hour flight simply doesn't make sense-those facts don't fit. Jason said until hearing of it at Fullerton from Emily, he didn't even connect an Ed.D. conference at San Francisco State with the meeting he had with Robert and Dan. Ron Williams said the meeting with the Chancellor is irrelevant and noted that propriety is not black and white and also that an inappropriate use of funds on a trip does not necessary mean the trip was unethical. He said Robert had paid the money back and this discussion is a waste of time that could better be spent on issues affecting students. San Diego moved to end debate; second, Chico. There was a roll call vote: voting yes were Bakersfield, Chico, Dominguez Hills, Fresno, Fullerton, Hayward, Humboldt, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Maritime Academy, Northridge, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Marcos, Sonoma and Stanislaus; voting no were Monterey Bay, San Francisco and San Luis Obispo. PASSED. There followed a roll call vote on the recall motion. Voting yes (Robert to remain) were Chico, Dominguez Hills, Fresno, Fullerton, Hayward, Long Beach, Maritime Academy, Sacramento, San Diego, San Marcos, Sonoma. "No" votes were Humboldt, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, Northridge, San Bernardino, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus. There was a dispute as to whether Bakersfield had a vote. Bakersfield had given its proxy to San Diego but wrote its vote as "no." Bakersfield's vote was not counted.
REPORT OF OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR LIAISONS
1. Alan Liebrecht, CSU Liaison to CSSA. Alan talked about $2.2 billion in cuts to the current year state budget, with $29.5 million to the CSU budget, $9.5 million of which are undesignated cuts and $20 million for natural gas funding reductions. These cuts will be proportionally distributed among all of the campuses and the Chancellor's Office. The CSU has signed an alcohol agreement with six state agencies to collaborate in the fight against alcohol abuse on and off university campuses. The state agencies
  include the Business, Transportation & Housing Agency, Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, California Highway Patrol, Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Office of Traffic Safety. The agreement is expected to result in a broad spectrum of activities, including educational efforts, prevention programs, and enforcement activities both on and off the campuses. The extent of the activities will vary from campus to campus, depending on the assessed needs and problems of each university. Alan discussed resolutions from the last CSU Board of Trustees meeting that will affect CSSA: the Finance Committee passed a debt bond issue; the Committee on Campus Planning, Facilities and Grounds approved various construction projects; and the Committee on Education Policy approved Title V changes that will: limit sites available to marketers and prevent credit card companies from giving gifts to students who fill out applications; and allow certain nonresident tuition exemptions.
2. Christy Zamani, Student Relations. Christy missed her plane. Her report is postponed until tomorrow.
STUDENT TRUSTEES REPORTS
1. Dan Cartwright. Dan urged students to attend the March Board of Trustees meeting in Sacramento. He said Richard West, Vice Chancellor, Business and Finance, has raised the issue of a 15% raise in nonresident tuition and has tied it to a faculty bargaining issue. Dan said to watch for broaching of the subject in Sacramento. San Luis Obispo reported that Dr. David Spence recently commented at their campus that in-state student fee increases are not on the table anymore. Dan said he was skeptical: student fees are always on the table. He said that most trustees rely on the chancellor's office for their information and that information can be slanted. The trustees of course know that CSU fees are the lowest anywhere and that our system provides the best education of its kind, with the best access. Because of huge Cal Grant B increases and the fact that they weren't all claimed, there's the perception that students don't need money. Dan thinks a 15% on nonresident tuition would pass; it would be inappropriate if earmarked for faculty raises. Dan said he was disappointed that at the January Board of Trustees meeting, during the report on remediation and proficiency, figures weren't given on disenrollment by ethnicity by campus. He let Dr. Spence know he was disappointed. Dan wants CSSA Board support in getting those figures at least released to the Board of Trustees. He says he is aware that the campuses don't want the figures released.
2. Erene Thomas. Erene attended the Republican gubernatorial debate at CSU Long Beach and commended campus pride on the campus. She commented on the wisdom of the CAPI initiative, which would mandate junior year testing with the opportunity of doing remedial work the senior year.
STAFF REPORTS
1. Laura Kerr, Director, Governmental Relations. Laura announced her office has a new intern, Matt, who will be with them through May. She said she had just filed her quarterly ethics certification. Laura said she endorsed Dan Cartwright's view that the Board of Trustees does not view students as needy. At the Capitol committees are back in full swing, after leadership changes. She said that CHESS will host discussions on the issues Dan brought up, including labor relations. Allison Jones will be present to discuss retention/remediation issues. There are presently 230 registrations for CHESS. With regard to nametags, campuses, please fax or email to Laura the placeholder list you provided at first to register, along with a complete list of real names of participants. CHESS will be a great occasion to display campus pride. Lobby Day information will come at least 1 week prior to CHESS; that Lobby Day will be just 1 day before elections. Brandon Kline commended Laura for the Lobby Day just past.
2. Joan Hemphill, Director, University Relations. No report.
3. Susana Gonzalez, Executive Director. Robert introduced Susana by saying that her hire is probably CSSA's most important act of the year. Susana said she is doing a policies and procedures review, as well as looking at reporting lines and roles to see if the organization is functioning as efficiently as it might. Bruce Wolfe asked if Susana had fundraising plans; she answered she did, that she was developing some strategic models for Robert.
SYSTEMWIDE COMMITTEE REPORTS
1. Admissions Advisory Council, Melissa Ortiz, Humboldt. The committee discussed 2 ESL placement tests. CSU will accept both or either of them. Students can take SAT2 to overcome failure in their last high school semester. The committee also made decisions about the demarcating units defining "upper division." Apparently with 56 units a CSU student is considered a sophomore, while at UC, 60 units is the minimum defining "upper division." There was discussion of CCC and CSU having a dual admission policy.
  
  Joe Salas asked in future that committee reports be written, with time on the agenda devoted to questions and answers.
OFFICER REPORTS
1. Diversity - Ronda Newt-Scott. No report.
2. Financial Aid - Yulil Alonso-Garza. No report.
3. Technology - Dan Bardenhagen. Dan participated in a February 15th teleconference, when a distance learning policy was discussed, as well as using mixed load courses (some online) to help with increased enrollment. Dan felt that the concern with servicing Tidal Wave 2 did not include concerns about the quality of education that students will get. Dan will participate in the April conference. He reported that complete degree programs will be offered by internet. Christy suggested CSSA might want to research past CSSA resolutions on the subject-she recalled concerns re equity raised in regard to such degree programs.
4. Lobby Corps - Katie Beebe. No report.
5. Environmental Affairs - Emilia Patrick. Emilia distributed a sheet regarding the problems with AB 75 and the California Integrated Waste Management Board (attached).
6. Academic Senate Liaison - LaLisha Norton. No report.
Alumni Council Liaison - José Solache. The last meeting was in January in San Marcos. José is presently working on campus flags; this coming week a letter will go out to campus presidents, cc: student body presidents, challenging them to work to design and produce flags for every campus. The Alumni Council is excited about CSSA's campus pride work.

Adjournment 11:27 pm, Hayward; second, Sacramento