BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 325
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Date of Hearing: June 11, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Das Williams, Chair
SB 325 (Block) - As Amended: April 1, 2013
SENATE VOTE : 36-0
SUBJECT : Trustees of the California State University: student
members
SUMMARY : Changes the requirements for service as a student
trustee on the California State University (CSU) Board of
Trustees (BOT). Specifically, this bill :
1)Changes the grade level requirement for serving on the CSU BOT
from students who have at least junior standing to students
with at least sophomore year standing.
2)Requires that the tuition fee be waived for student members of
the CSU BOT for the duration of their terms of office.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides that the CSU BOT be composed of the following ex
officio members: the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of
the Assembly, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and CSU
Chancellor.
2)Provides that the CSU BOT be composed of the following
members:
a) 16 members appointed by the Governor and subject to
confirmation by two-thirds of the membership of the Senate;
b) A representative of the CSU alumni associations,
selected for a two-year term by the CSU alumni council
(this person cannot be a CSU employee during the two-year
term);
c) Two student members with at least junior standing,
appointed by the Governor, serving staggered two-year
terms. One student trustee has full voting powers; the
second, non-voting student trustee succeeds to the voting
position upon the expiration of the term of the first; and,
SB 325
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d) A tenured CSU faculty member, appointed by the Governor
for a two-year term (Education Code � 66602).
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, costs are minor and under $50,000 annually.
COMMENTS : Need for the bill . According to the author, the
goal of this measure is to establish parity with the
requirements and benefits of service as a student Regent at the
University of California (UC) and the CSU Student BOT.
According to the UC, a candidate for student Regent must be an
undergraduate, graduate or professional student in good standing
at a UC campus, but there are no grade level standing
requirements. Additionally, the student Regent is reimbursed
for expenses incurred for attendance at meetings of the Board
and its Committees, and all mandatory University fees and
tuition are waived during the academic years in which he or she
serves as Regent-designate and as a member of the Board.
According to the CSU Office of the Chancellor, SB 325 is
consistent with the Chancellor's interest in making sure that
the CSU student Trustees are successful in their role. The CSU
Office of the Chancellor states, "We believe that changing the
law as proposed in SB 325, allowing sophomores and beyond to
compete for this role, will expand opportunities for more of our
students. This change is also more consistent with the UC
student Regents who do not have any requirement for grade level
standing."
Conflicting legislation . This measure appears to be in conflict
with AB 46 (Pan), which was passed by this committee in March
and is pending action in the Senate Education Committee. Staff
recommend, in order to avoid chaptering-out issues, that the
measures add double-jointing amendments.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California State Student Association
California State University
Opposition
SB 325
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None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960