BILL ANALYSIS �
ACR 164
Page 1
Date of Hearing: August 22, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Das Williams, Chair
ACR 164 (Pan) - As Introduced: August 6, 2012
SUBJECT : California State University: chancellor selection
process.
SUMMARY : Encourages the recruitment and selection process for
the next Chancellor of the California State University (CSU) to
be done in a publicly inclusive manner. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Makes numerous declarations and findings, including the
following:
a) The search for the next Chancellor of the CSU is the
recruitment and hiring process for one of the most
important public jobs in the state.
b) Members of the CSU Board of Trustees (Board) should not
conduct the search for the new chancellor alone, without
the input of the public.
c) The CSU community, which includes students, parents,
faculty, and staff, should all be given a chance to
participate and provide their needed and valuable input
during the selection process.
d) The search for a chancellor should be conducted before
the people, at campus-based forums, in public settings, and
with access and outreach to as wide an array of people as
possible.
e) Finalists for the position should be willing to
participate in an open process.
2)Recognizes the Chancellor for the CSU as being tasked with the
responsibility of leading one of the largest public
postsecondary education systems in the world.
3)Emphasizes that the CSU is at a critical juncture and is in
the midst of economic pressures due to decreased funding, a
growing student population, and an unprecedented era of
ACR 164
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awareness and public interest in the administration of the
CSU.
4)Requests the Legislature to encourage the recruitment and
selection process for the next Chancellor of the CSU to be
done in a publicly inclusive manner.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown. This resolution is keyed non-fiscal
by the Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS : Background . The CSU is comprised of 23 campuses
with over 40,000 faculty and staff and over 420,000 students.
In May of this year, current CSU Chancellor Charles Reed
announced that he would retire after 14 years in his position.
Chancellor Reed is expected to remain in his position until the
Board names his successor. The Board is responsible for the
oversight of the CSU. The Board adopts rules, regulations, and
policies governing the CSU.
Chancellor search committee . On June 12, 2012, the Board
announced the creation of the Trustees' Special Committee for
the Selection of the Chancellor (Committee). The Committee is
comprised of eight CSU Board of Trustees members; the membership
includes a faculty, student and alumni representative. The
Committee held its first meeting on June 28, 2012 to receive
input from CSU stakeholders and the public regarding the search
for the new Chancellor.
On August 21, 2012, the Committee held a closed session meeting
to consider candidate qualifications. To note, at the time this
analysis went to print, information regarding the outcome of the
Committee's meeting could not be determined.
The Committee has set up a special e-mail account and Facebook
page for the public to send suggestions and questions. The
public can email the Committee at:
[email protected] . The public can join the
conversation on Facebook at:
www.facebook.com/calstate/app_6009294086 .
The Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act . Known as "the Act" or "the
Bagley-Keene Act", set forth in Government Code � 11120-111321,
covers all state boards and commissions. Generally, it requires
these bodies to publicly notice their meetings, prepare agendas,
accept public testimony and conduct their meetings in public
ACR 164
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unless specifically authorized by the Act to meet in closed
session. The Board, its standing committees and subcommittees,
as well as the Academic Senate, its standing committees and
subcommittees are subject to the Act.
Need for this bill . According to the author, "The aim �of ACR
164] is to have a transparent, inclusive process to ensure the
Chancellor who is selected will have the trust and support of
the public."
The California Faculty Association (CFA), sponsor of the measure
states, "In light of recent cuts to our public higher education
system and massive increases in tuition at the CSUs, it is
important that the next CSU Chancellor be selected in an open
and public forum. An open selection process will allow for the
involvement and participation of the CSU community, which
includes students, parents, faculty, and staff. In a time where
student fees are increasing and public scrutiny is high, it is
imperative that the selection process is as diverse, transparent
and inclusive as possible." The CFA recently conducted a member
survey with other members of the CSU regarding the qualities
that they would like to see in the next Chancellor. According
to the CFA, the findings suggested that the CSU faculty members
want the next Chancellor to have a commitment to shared
governance, collective bargaining process, a proven record of
public higher education leadership and other qualities.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Faculty Association (sponsor)
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960