Gov’s May revision of 2010/11 state budget plan RETAINS HIGHER ED FUNDING

On Friday afternoon, Gov. Schwarzenegger released his revised plan for the 2010/11 state budget. He retained a provision to restore $305 million to the CSU, a portion of the state funding that had been cut over the last two years.

His latest budget also would provide $60.6 million CSU enrollment growth funding. In his January budget proposal, this funding was to be contingent on the state receiving almost $7 billion in federal funds. This contingency is dropped from the May Revise.

In addition, the governor withdrew controversial proposals that would have cut the competitive Cal Grant program, frozen Cal Grant award amounts, and reduced Cal eligibility for the grants by freezing the qualifying income level.

Over the past two months, the governor indicated that he would not sign a budget that fails to restore some of the public higher education funding that he and the legislature cut in the last two state budgets.

CFA responded favorably. “CSU faculty, staff and students appreciate that the governor heard us. California’s system of public higher education is a vital resource and we must reinvest in it,” said CFA President Lillian Taiz, a professor of history at CSU Los Angeles.

“Hundreds of thousands of students rely on the CSU for educational, professional and

economic advancement. Deep budget cuts to public higher education have put the state’s progress in jeopardy.

“We hope the members of the Legislature will support this step in the right direction by reinvesting in public higher education,” Taiz said. “CSU supporters must ramp up our efforts to make sure this vital funding for the CSU remains in the budget that is ultimately adopted.”