$50 MILLION IN STIMULUS RELEASED BY CHANCELLOR

CFA scores a victory in the “Free the $50 Million” campaign to save class sections and educate students!

On Thursday, CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed reacted to CFA’s call to action and released the remaining $50.9 million in unused federal stimulus money to campuses to use for the fall term.

This money is desperately needed on campuses and could fund in excess of 8,000 more course sections throughout the system.

To view the Chancellor’s memo, go to: http://calfac.org/allpdf/Budget_10_11/CBR%20-%20Presidents%20Memo%202-4-10%20Fall%20Courses%20Funding.pdf

The Chancellor’s actions come just four days after CFA launched a campaign urging him to release the money to help students and protect jobs. During the preceding four days faculty and students sent the Chancellor more than 600 messages asking him to “Free the $50 Million.” It was clear that faculty, staff and students were just getting started.

While CFA leaders are pleased with Thursday’s news, they remain determined that this needed funding must be used soon as possible to fund classes and other vital student services.

“We applaud the Chancellor for making the right choice in releasing this money to campuses,” said CFA President Lillian Taiz, a professor of History at CSU Los Angeles.

Taiz continued, “The question now is how and when this money is going to be used. There remains a critical need this term for more money to fund additional course sections to help students complete their education and save faculty and staff jobs.

“We look forward to working with the Chancellor and campus presidents to ensure that every penny of this funding is used for classes and vital student services because that’s the best graduation initiative we could ever have.”

HOW THE MONEY COULD BE USED NOW


CFA knows there are many ways this money could be used NOW – instead of next fall – that will help put the university back on the right track.

Quarter campuses could use the money to increase the number of course sections they offer in the spring 2010 quarter to help ensure students are getting the classes they need

Even on semester campuses that are already under way, the money could be put to good use with creative solutions - such as classes in a compressed format and on weekends to add access to course units, especially in highly impacted programs. The funds also could be used to avoid layoffs or to call back people already laid off.

In addition, some resources could go to funding regular summer session courses rather than forcing students to pay extra in for-profit summer sessions.

All of these options would put this much needed funding to work as the federal government intended it to be used.