By Anne Hall
Staff Writer
When attending the second round of the Student Success Fee Open Forums in April, the representatives for the proposal re-emphasized the need for the fee and addressed the student concerns that were heard by legislation through polls, comments, and Internet surveys.
Again, the issue of state funds dropping from $18 million since 2008 was on graphs to imply the need for more cash flow. The fee proposes that students must make up for expenses. The office responsible for determining funds is located at a central office in Long Beach. No lobbying action has taken place to the state or federal governments about how CSU’s should be supported by state funds.
According to the presentation, Prop. 30 was successful even though it was not expected to be. Prop. 30 gave the school $5.4 million to avoiding cuts, $4.1 million was given back to the students as refunds, and $1.3 million was observed as net gain from the proposition’s success. That difference is not sufficient for the amount of funds needed to just maintain what CSUSM offers to currently enrolled students and the rapidly growing population of attendees, according to the presentation.
Risks to not implementing this Student Success Fee include the loss of student research and learning programs, supplemental instruction programs, library resources, and depleted degree value. Expectancy to graduation may take longer due to lack of course availability as unit caps will continue. When implementing the fee, the state will have no say in what the money is spent on and how much of it can be used in specific areas. The money will be managed entirely at a local level. Students will have more control of the use of the funds and those funds cannot be taken away.
As students have stated that the fee is too high, legislation has chosen to consider that opinion and reduced the fee by $100. Now, the fee will be spread out over a longer period of time, which is four years rather than two.
Considering fiscal changes in economic cost and spending, after the fee has been approved and implemented, the fee will likely go up in future years, but not without legislation going through this process of informing students again and re-electing how the issue will be managed. Based on student election, the money from the Student Success Fee will go towards more courses, support of the academia, student life, and expanding the library.
When asked if the legislation will have final say in how the money is used if the fee is implemented, Dr. Graham Oberem, Interim Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs said, “There is a strong likelihood that the presidential decision will not go drastically against the committees favor.” The CSUSM president will remain in control of final decisions.
Student recommendations will be processed through proposals and considered by a Student Fee Advisory Committee. This committee comprised of four students, three administration/faculty and staff will represent future allocations across the categories that will be recommended annually. Associated accountability for the funds cannot be taken away. There will be an annual report of how the funds are used which will be made available for public information.
The main consideration of the need for the fee is the return on investment (ROI). These funds would help to strengthen the future value of the degrees earned, secure the post-college future of the students here, and preserve the quality of the education offered at CSUSM. Also, improving and expanding the quality of education offered on campus since budget cuts and changes over the last decade alone have drastically altered the opportunities and privileges that were once offered to students and teachers alike.
The advisory committee will continue to relay the information that has been collected from the open forums and polls. President Haynes will have the final decision as to what to pass on to the Chancellor of the CSU, who has the final say on the Student Success Fee implementation. That is where the final decision lies.