Thank you and good morning, Chair Clark, Trustees, Chancellor Garcia, University Presidents, and everyone else present today. I would first like to take a moment to congratulate our newest student trustee, Carson Fajardo. It has been wonderful to work with Carson last year, and I am truly so excited for his term. Congratulations!

For those I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Tara Al-Rehani and I am both humbled and honored to have been elected as the President of the California State Student Association (or CSSA) for the 2025-2026 academic year. Representing nearly half a million CSU students, the CSSA serves as the official voice of CSU students to both the California State Legislature and the CSU Board of Trustees. I’m honored to present this report on their behalf.

I am a first-generation Iraqi-American college student entering my fourth-year at San Jose State University, pursuing my B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Economics, and on track to graduate in the Spring. This meeting marks the early days of my second term with CSSA, as I previously served as the Vice President of Systemwide Affairs. My journey as a student representative began in my first year at SJSU where I joined the Associated Students’ Lobby Corps  and since then, I have been a passionate advocate for enhancing the student experience and ensuring our CSU students have access to a safe, affordable, and equitable education.

I come before you all today, also joined by my fellow CSSA executive officers. Please allow me to introduce you all to: 

• Katie Karroum, serving as CSSA Vice President of Systemwide Affairs. Katie will be joining me at future meetings, and attends CSU Northridge, pursuing her BA in Communication Studies, also on track to graduate in the spring. Prior to joining the CSSA executive team, Katie served as CSUN’s Associated Students Senator and most recently completed her term as Associated Students President.
• Aaron Villarreal, serving as CSSA Chair. Aaron has earned a B.S. in Accounting with a concentration in Financial Planning at CSU Monterey Bay, and will continue his education pursuing a Master’s of Finance graduate degree at Sacramento State University. Prior to coming to CSSA, he served as the Associated Students President at CSUMB. 
• Derrick Herrera serving as CSSA Vice President of Legislative Affairs. Earning three degrees at San Diego State University in American Indian Studies, Political Science, and International Security, he is now pursuing a master’s in Public Administration at SDSU. Previously, he served as SDSU’s Associated Students Vice President of External Relations.
• Finally,  Artur, serving as CSSA Vice President of Finance. Artur is a third-year undergraduate student at San Jose State University pursing a B.S. in Corporate Accounting and Finance. Before joining CSSA, Artur served as the Chief Financial Officer for two statewide nonprofit service organizations. 

Please join me in congratulating these four inspiring leaders who embody the excellence of the CSU!

A lot has happened since the start of my Presidential term in June, and we know that we face a difficult year ahead. From our local communities being raided, to a variety of strategic attacks and cuts to higher education, but rest assured my executive team, myself, and CSSA stand strong in the fight to preserve and protect the right to higher education. That being said, we are grateful that a majority of the core funding for the CSU has been preserved for the 25/26 academic year, and that nearly $56.5 million has been allocated to support programs for Undocumented, Native American, and Foster Youth students. However, we must acknowledge the absolute need for the deferred funding from the compact agreements to be sustained over the long term. This will be critical to ensure our system can successfully keep up with the increasing costs that are associated with access, enrollment, academic, and non-academic programs and services. Additionally, Cal Grant Reform has yet to be fully funded and our system still faces a $122 million reduction. While these truths weigh heavily on the shoulders of our system, the commitment of our association to continue collaborating with all of our partners, to secure this funding in future years, remains steadfast. 

The smaller successes are not to be overlooked and they serve as a source of hope during these times. They are a direct result of the strategic, dynamic, and joint advocacy efforts between CSSA, our systemwide partners, and the Chancellor’s Office. My confidence in our ability to ensure the CSU’s prosperity and financial security has only been strengthened as CSSA welcomed our 2025 – 2026 Board of Directors this past weekend. So let me be the first to say that our incoming student leaders are bold, eager, and devoted to protecting public higher education. They shared their inspirational stories about how they got to the CSU and the amazing things the CSU has afforded them. For some, it was having access to a food pantry and professional clothing that allowed them to land their dream internship. For others, it was the mental health counseling which helped them finally feel stable in their academic journey. For those like me, it was the university’s promise program that gave us a second chance and a direct pathway to achieving our higher education goals. For all, the CSU is a beacon of hope, and an avenue for breaking cycles and building futures. It’s no secret that CSU students are among the most determined and strong-willed in the country. I know that in collaboration with everyone in this room, we will honor their resilience by investing in their future and ensuring they have the resources, support, and opportunities they deserve to thrive.

Last year, our board passed and upheld four main priorities through our policy agenda. While our new board will soon be working on revisions, I would like to share the priorities from last year that we are still actively carrying out, until a new policy agenda is approved. Priority number one is Addressing the Total Cost of Attendance for CSU Students by maintaining access to high-quality student support services that aid in a student’s ability to access food, housing, and provide solutions to their affordability concerns. Our second priority is to Ensure Students Have Access to High Quality Wellness and Mental Health Support Services. It’s important to highlight the influential impact that these services have on the well-being of our students. In turn, it gives them the confidence and security they need to stay on track and committed to their education. Priority number three is to Ensure Academic Success and a Holistic Educational Experience for all CSU Students. Now more than ever, is the time to push back against the unjust attacks on higher education from our nation’s administration. Our students deserve an educational experience that makes them feel seen, heard, and taken care of regardless of their immigration status, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, and ethnicity. And finally, our fourth priority is to Foster Inclusive Engagement for Students to Find Agency in the CSU Community. The inclusion of students in CSU policy-making not only strengthens their ability to advocate, but also their trust in the institution. Developing a sense of ownership creates a bond that will undoubtedly be paid back to the CSU through lifelong engagement, advocacy, and a deep commitment to the institution and system’s success. I look forward to sharing the finalized version of our policy agenda with you all at a future meeting.

As my predecessor promised this board last year, transparency and communication are of the utmost importance to the success and health of our system. CSSA will continue its commitment to fostering transparent and constructive dialogue with this body, ensuring that student voices remain central to CSU decision-making. 

Before I close, I would like to emphasize the ever-growing collaboration between Chancellor Garcia and the Cal State Student Association. As I have previously stated, it is evident that attacks on our education and on our students from historically marginalized communities will persist, however, we are grateful to have a champion in Chancellor Garcia who will walk alongside us in this fight. Together, we are building a stronger, more unified CSU—one that listens to students, centers equity, and takes bold steps to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow

To conclude, I have to acknowledge the reason I am able to be here today speaking on behalf of our CSU students. San José State University, through its commitment to students like me, and the visionary leadership of President Cynthia Teniente-Matson, has shown our local and campus community opportunities that I never believed could be within reach. Additionally, if not for the determination and strength that it took my parents to leave their home country and come here, I would not know stability. If not for the care and patience that my grandmother gave me growing up, I would not know empathy. If not for the confidence that my older sister instilled in me, I would not know bravery. I say this because I, like many of our CSU students, are built up by our communities, and just as easily torn down. When our communities are attacked, so are we. From our family, friends, and loved ones – we are all impacted. Our existence is political, especially if you’re an immigrant, a person of color, first-generation, receive government aid, or beyond. But the CSU has always been, and should continue to be a safe haven for our historically marginalized students to find sanctuary, obtain their degrees, and live prosperous lives. 

Chair Clark, thank you. This concludes my report, and on behalf of CSSA, we’re ready to get to work!

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