California State Student Association

The California State Student Association or CSSA is an organization for university students in the California State University system. CSSA qualifies as a non-profit organization exempt from taxation under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. The purpose of CSSA is to coordinate communication among the 23 CSU "Associated Student" organizations to bring about unity in addressing campus and statewide issues affecting the California State University System.

Mission

It is the mission of the California State Student Association (CSSA) to maintain and enhance the accessibility of an affordable quality education for the people of California, to the People's University. The single recognized voice for over 450,000 students in the California State University System (CSU), the CSSA is the acknowledged statewide student organization designed to represent, serve and protect the collective interests of students in the CSU system .

History

In 1958, three years before the formation of the California State University (CSU) system, a group of Associated Student Body presidents founded the Student Presidents Association. This group initially served mostly as an informational forum for the campus student associations, but the fact that a well-organized statewide student association was firmly established when the CSU was founded ensured that the students had a place in the CSU's internal policymaking from the beginning. The Student Presidents Association was formally recognized by the Trustees in 1963, only three years after the formation of the system itself and only two months after the statewide Academic Senate held its very first meeting.

The 1970s saw a revival in student governance in the CSU that carried through to the present day. In 1972 the Student Presidents Association sponsored legislation which authorized the expenditure of student body fees to fund a lobbyist for CSU students (Ed Code § 89300). The bill passed the legislature and was signed into law by then Governor Reagan.

By 1974, the student leadership had moved beyond the activism of the 1960s to become more articulate, intelligent, and politically astute. The student leaders of this era were quite successful both in the legislature and within the system, and are responsible for much of the foundation of student leadership that still exists today. Through their successes with Governor Brown and many legislators, they started the tradition of seeking victories in the legislature if they are not forthcoming from the system.

By 1979 CSSA had become extraordinarily active, and many student body presidents were finding it difficult to fulfill both their campus and CSSA responsibilities and thus began appointing CSSA representatives (a few campuses had already started electing separate representatives). The Association decided to recognize this reality by re-naming itself the California State Student Association in 1979.

In 2005, CSSA successfully lobbied for an 8% student fee freeze for the CSU that the Governor included in his January budget .

In 2009, the California State University faced a $584 million budget cut. The Board of Trustees and the Office of the Chancellor responded by implementing furloughs and work force reductions, a total fee increase of approximately 32%, enrollment caps anticipating a reduction of 40,000 qualified students in the next two academic years and additional campus by campus cuts to cover the remaining $190 million loss. CSSA has continued its dedication to advocacy projects for the betterment of public higher education in California. CSSA continues to maintain regular communication with the California State Legislature, the Office of the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees and representatives from each of the 23 campuses meet on a monthly basis.

Standing Committees

• Executive Committee:

The duty of CSSA Executive Committee is to review, research and make recommendations on the CSSA Budget, CSSA Policies and Procedures and CSSA Personnel matters. Executive committee members include the President, Chair, Vice President of University Affairs, Vice President of Legislative Affairs, Vice President of Finance, Speaker for the Multicultural Caucus and the Executive Director .

• Legislative Affairs:

The Legislative Affairs Committee job is to make recommendations to the CSSA board of directors on higher education issues pending in the California State Legislature. Committee members vote to recommend positions on bills and strategies for accomplishing the board's policy objectives. Since 2003, the Legislative Affairs Committee has lead the way for CSSA to sponsor legislation that would curtail student fee increases and reform the state financial aid program, called Cal Grants. Members of Legislative Affairs are also leaders in engaging our own campus community on legislation that would affect students by running information-based campaigns on CSU campuses, organizing letter writing and call-in days, and working with local news outlets . The committee oversees the CSSA Lobby Corps program, which provides the opportunity for students to develop the leadership skills to confidently speak with state senators or assemblymembers and be engaged with civic life .

• University Affairs:

The University Affairs Committee principals are to promote access, affordability and quality of instruction. In addition, the committee seeks to expanding student's role in the decisions that affect the CSU by influencing system wide issues and policies and promoting shared governance through systemwide committee representation . Each year these principals are carried out through a policy agenda voted on by the entire CSSA Board. The University Affair Committee creates an action plan on all policy agenda items and all 23 campuses work together to progress the student perspective and quality of education on the campus and system wide level. University Affairs activities include working with CSU and campus administrators including the Academic Senate, testifying in front of the Board of Trustees, writing resolutions and passing them on each individual campus, and implementing information campaigns on system policy or initiative. An example of CSSA activity within University Affairs would be the annual voter registration drives hosted by individual campus's to help encourage a next generation of young people to become involved in the electorate process .

• Internal Affairs:

The Internal Affairs Committee develops and revises the policies, procedures and constitution of CSSA as well as the scholarship funding for dues-paying campuses and other internal documents as directed by the board. The committee insures that members of the California State Student Association derive the maximum benefit from their association by ensuring that the board stay focused on student issues .

• Multicultural Caucus:

The Multicultural Caucus is an official on going force of the CSSA to advance and monitor the further development of programs and policies regarding the maintenance and enhancement of the diversity within the CSU system and campus communities. Student leaders express their concerns about the need to build supportive rather than hateful environments on CSU campuses and adopt resolutions which recognize these concerns and request the administration to take proactive steps to foster a welcoming and supportive environment .

CHESS

CSSA hosts the California Higher Education Student Summit (CHESS) annual conference composed of California State University leaders, student advocates, higher education policy experts, public officials, proud alumni, and inspiring students from around the state of California . This conference is the only statewide leadership conference for CSU students. CHESS offers student leaders a variety of ways in which to become active members of their respective communities with a focus in higher education.

Member Schools

• California Maritime Academy
• California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
• California State Polytechnic University, Pomona - Cal Poly Pomona Associated Students, Inc.
• California State University, Bakersfield
• California State University, Channel Islands
• California State University, Chico
• California State University, Dominguez Hills
• California State University, East Bay
• California State University, Fresno
• California State University, Fullerton
• California State University, Long Beach
• California State University, Los Angeles
• California State University, Monterey Bay
• California State University, Northridge
• California State University, Sacramento
• California State University, San Bernardino
• California State University, San Marcos
• California State University, Stanislaus
• Humboldt State University
• San Francisco State University
• San Diego State University
• San Jose State University
• Sonoma State University

External links

• Official site
• Facebook group
• CSU Official site
• CSU Office of Gov. Affairs

1. "http://www.csustudents.org/about_cssa/documents/constitution.pdf". CSSA Constitution Revised and Approved by the Board on March 22, 2009. 
2. "Student Advocacy and the CSU Budget." The CSSA Review. Volume II, Number 3. November 2006. 
3. http://www.csustudents.org/board_directors/executive_committee.asp. "Executive Committee." August 3, 2009 
4. “Legislative Affairs Committee.” The CSSA Review. Volume II, Number 1. August 2006. 
5. "Student Advocacy and the CSU Budget." The CSSA Review. Volume II, Number 3. November 2006.
6. "University Affairs Committee." The CSSA Review. Volume II, Number 1. August 2006. 
7. Maitre, Michelle. "College Students Register 42,000 Brand New Voters." Oakland Tribune. Oakland, Calif.: Nov. 7, 2006.
8. http://www.csustudents.org/board_directors/internal_affairs_committee.asp. "Internal Affairs Committee." June 17, 2009. 
9. "Multicultural Caucus." The CSSA Review. Volume 1, Number 6. May 2006. 
10. http://www.csustudents.org/about_cssa/chess/index.asp. “California Higher Education Student Summit.” February 17, 2009.