Thank you Chair Fong, and good afternoon Trustees, university Presidents, Chancellor Garcia and distinguished guests. It is with great pleasure that I extend a special welcome to Chancellor Garcia as she steps into her new role. The relationship between CSSA and the CSU Chancellor is vital, and it is my hope that our collaborative efforts will enrich our mutual understanding and foster initiatives that drive student success.

I am delighted to announce that Joe Nino has been selected as the CSSA’s Executive Director. Joe’s experience as the Assistant Director of Government Affairs at CSU Long Beach State and his academic achievements as a two-time graduate of Cal State Long Beach equip him with the expertise to lead the CSSA with a forward-thinking vision. Joe is made in the CSU and his history as a student leader and former Chair of CSSA gives him unique insights into our organization. We are grateful he has chosen to return to CSSA in this role and look forward to his leadership.

Before I present my formal report, I must express profound gratitude to Mary Washington for her outstanding leadership as our Interim Executive Director. Her guidance has been a beacon of resilience, providing stability and inspiration during challenging times for our organization. As Mary transitions to her new role as the CSSA Director of Government Relations, we eagerly look forward to her continued mentorship and insight.

CSSA represents the nearly half a million students in the CSU and serves as the official voice of CSU students to the California State Legislature and CSU Board of Trustees. It is an honor to provide this report on their behalf.

Since our last meeting, the CSSA has convened two plenary sessions where members deliberated on the pressing issues that will steer our efforts in the upcoming year, with a strong focus on enhancing student support.

Our October plenary, conducted virtually, was a pivotal moment where the Board voted to adopt the CSSA’s 2024 Policy Agenda. This agenda, crafted with extensive input from students and governing members, prioritizes the total cost of attendance, access to quality wellness and mental health services, academic success, and fostering inclusive student engagement within the CSU community.

This policy agenda will guide our work for the next year. As we continue to engage with partners in and outside of the CSU, we look forward to identifying innovative and enhanced ways to best support our students.

We were excited to be back in person this last weekend for our November plenary, hosted by Cal Maritime. I’d like to thank ASI President Ryan Okama and Interim President Dumont for hosting us. While we were there for business, a highlight for many was being able tour the campus, ride on some of the small boats and experience the Golden Bear Ship Simulator. I also want to extend a sincere thank you to Associate Vice Chancellor Jennifer Bazille to discuss GI 2025 and Director Jessica Wolin from the Center of Equitable Higher Education at CSULB to discuss the affordable housing crisis with our board of directors. These discussions were highly productive, and we appreciated the chance to contribute our voice and expertise to such significant dialogues. We are now looking forward with anticipation to our January plenary at Cal Poly.

I also want to thank Deputy Vice Chancellor Dilcie Perez for inviting CSSA to attend the GI 2025 symposium and myself to contribute to the Doing the Work Panel. The insights gained there have been invaluable, and we are committed to working collaboratively toward the common goal of equitable student success.

The process for selecting the 2024/2026 CSU Student Trustee is currently underway, with applications being accepted through the end of January 2023. We encourage interested students to apply via our website, calstatestudents.org. I would like to thank Autumn Alaniz-Wiggins of Chico State, who has been elected to chair this crucial committee, overseeing the search for our next student representative.

During the recent plenary sessions, governing members highlighted the importance of student engagement in the NAGPRA implementation process. To this end, the Board of Directors has unanimously approved recommendations to ensure student and Native American representation in this process at the Chancellor’s Office and across all CSU campuses, reflecting a commitment to shared governance. These recommendations advocate for the inclusion of student members on all campus NAGPRA committees, not just the 11 that currently exist, and call for the formation of such committees on campuses that lack them, regardless of the number of Native American remains and cultural items they possess.

The Board also seeks to guarantee that Native American Resource Centers and Native American students are involved in the NAGPRA committees to ethically steer the implementation of audit recommendations, including the identification of remains and cultural items. Moreover, it is urged that Native American individuals be appointed to key roles responsible for executing the Repatriation Implementation Plan, supervising campus activities, and providing systemwide training.

Lastly, the recommendations include a stipulation that campus NAGPRA committees must review and approve their operational budgets in line with their Repatriation Implementation Plan before these are forwarded to the Chancellor’s Office. The Board looks forward to a cooperative effort with the Chancellor’s Office and CSU campuses as they begin to act on these audit recommendations.

The past year has been incredibly successful on the legislative front for CSSA. We are thrilled to report that every bill we endorsed, which made its way to the Governor’s desk, has been signed into law. Notably, we co-sponsored AB 789, championed by Assemblymember Berman, aimed at removing barriers hindering students from maintaining their financial aid. This achievement stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication and effectiveness of our student advocates.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Governor Newsom for his continued support of students, without which these victories would not have been possible. As the legislative session takes a recess, our students are actively engaging in advocacy efforts in preparation for the Governor’s January budget proposal.

Our primary focus remains on ensuring full funding for both the CSU and Cal Grant Reform, as these are our top priorities moving forward.

Lastly, while we understand the complexities surrounding the salary negotiations between the CFA and the CSU and stand in support of equitable compensation for our faculty, we earnestly request that the impact on students be a central consideration in your strategies.

The prospect of a strike has brought a considerable amount of uncertainty and anxiety to our student body, particularly regarding the potential jeopardy of their financial aid and academic progression. Furthermore, we appeal to both the CFA and the CSU administration to intensify efforts towards reaching a fair agreement. It is imperative that this situation is resolved before it leads to consequences that could harm the student community we all serve.

As the holiday season approaches, I extend my warmest wishes to everyone for a joyous and restful period. To our students, I offer encouragement for the finals ahead and hope for a rejuvenating break.

Thank you, Chair Fong. This concludes my report.

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