Good Morning Chair Kimbell, Chancellor White, Trustees, Campus Presidents, and Guests,

As the officially recognized voice of all CSU students, CSSA appreciates the opportunity to address and share some updates with you.

Since we last met, we added a new member to our Executive Officer team and I am pleased to introduce CSSA’s newly elected Vice President of Legislative of Affairs Guan Liu, a sophomore at San Diego State majoring in political science and history; I’m excited to finally have a full executive team.

It has truly been a busy and impactful two months since we last met in July, and I hope to provide you all with updates on CSSA’s projects and priorities.

A month ago CSSA hosted one of its largest conferences, CSUnity, where students from across the state had the opportunity to learn about systemwide issues and civic engagement during a pandemic; and I would like especially thank our presenters Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis (COO-NAH-LOCK-IS), Secretary of State Padilla, Vice Chair Fong, Dr. Rob Collins, and Dr. LuoLuo Hong. Thank you for your partnership and sharing in community with our students.

I hope we can continue this partnership and in this spirit I want to recognize that yesterday was National Voter Registration Day, where many of our students and campuses encouraged their communities to register to vote. I want to take this time to acknowledge the tremendous responsibility that we hold in utilizing the platforms that we have and to encourage all who can register to vote to not only register but to also vote this November. We are continuing to work with students across all 23 campuses to participate in the Ballot Bowl competition and appreciate the support that campus staff and administrators that have been actively engaged in these efforts alongside their students.

Just this past weekend, our Board took a support stance on Proposition 16.

Our Board unanimously readopted our 2019/2020 CSSA Policy Agenda for the coming year. The 4 priorities are: Enable access to housing, food and wellness resources that promote overall student health and safety. Ensure that the CSU is accessible, affordable, and sustainable. Ensure the academic success and holistic educational experience of all CSU students; and lastly foster inclusive civic engagement for CSU students to find agency in their campus, community and governmental affairs.

While these issues are still at the core of our advocacy, we hope to adopt a separate policy agenda solely dedicated to the virtual and covid-19 environment we are currently living in, especially with the announcement that the spring semester will be a virtual one. While we all hoped we would be able to reconvene in the spring I value that the decision by Chancellor White was made early and with the students, faculty, staff and administrators health and safety as a top priority. CSSA hopes that we can continue these conversations in addressing student concerns regarding a virtual spring semester. It’s important to recognize the many different challenges students are facing beyond the classroom including the fires across California; my thoughts are with all those impacted.

CSSA continues, as it has for the past several years, to take a strong stance on our support of Basic Needs and the importance of it being explicitly included in the CSU’s budget request. Our hope and advocacy to you all is that this is a dedicated funding line and that funding procured for Basic Needs goes to support and enhance the CSU Cares program to provide direct aid to our most neediest students. As this body mentioned several times yesterday, basic needs expands past mental health resources, food, and housing insecurities, and must now address technology and broadband access as well.

We look forward to working with the CSU in authentic and collaborative advocacy to procure the necessary dollars to support our students and system and hope that the many other CSU stakeholders will join in these efforts.

CSSA’s Executive Officers had the opportunity to attend the academic senate retreat and the Alumni Council Executive Council Meeting, where we had fruitful discussions on improving the experience for students and found areas where we can work together collaboratively. We hope to continue working together to improve the lives of CSU students. Additionally, I have been meeting with different ASI presidents and ASI board of Directors, in hopes of attending all 23 CSU campuses to better understand the issues of each campus.

To conclude my report, there are a few congratulations in order, firstly congratulations to all the student recipients of the CSU Trustee’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement, including CSSA’s Vice Chair of the Systemwide Affairs Committee, Bre Holbert.

CSSA offers our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Joseph Castro for being appointed as the 8th Chancellor of the CSU. As the president of Fresno State University, Dr. Castro has been a good faith partner with students and is a beloved leader in the Fresno community. In 2018, CSSA recognized him as the CSU President of the year for his work in addressing student basic needs. I would also like to recognize Chancellor-Select Castro’s story as the grandson of immigrants from Mexico, son of a single mother, and the first in his family to graduate from college. His story is the story of many students and alumni at CSU and serves as an example of the transformational power of higher education in an individual’s life, their families lives, and the lives of those in their communities.

I still remember my very first official experience with CSSA ; when I attended CSUnity at Fresno 3 years ago. I fondly look back at my first meeting with Dr. Castro and seeing a passionate and caring leader who put students at the forefront.

Chancellor-Select Castro, we look forward to working with you to improve the lives of our students.

Thank you Chair Kimbell that concludes my report.

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