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Faculty unions, student advocates urge lawmakers to ensure new higher‑education dollars reach classrooms
Summary
During public comment at the Assembly hearing, union leaders, faculty associations and students urged the legislature to backfill prior CSU loans, prioritize instructional spending over administrative raises, and include budget language to ensure accountability.
Public comment at the end of the hearing featured union leaders, faculty representatives and students who largely supported the governor’s proposed investments but asked for clearer budget safeguards.
Catherine Hutchinson, president of the California State University Employees Union, said members support the governor’s January proposal but urged the legislature to direct CSU to fully implement merit steps and to negotiate fairly for the 20,000 student assistants currently bargaining. "We need a funded CSU that supports every corner of the state and its employees," Hutchinson told the committee.
Speakers from the California Faculty Association, UAW Local 4811 and student advocates repeatedly asked the subcommittee to adopt budget language that ensures new funds go to instruction and student services, not administrative compensation. Teresa Montano, a professor and statewide academic‑senate member, asked the panel to ensure funding "go to instruction and not to administration." Several student speakers asked the committee to backfill a one‑time 3% loan provided to CSU in the prior budget.
Legislative members noted the recurring nature of these requests and said they will scrutinize segment budgets in forthcoming hearings and request more detailed spending plans and campus‑level accountability measures.
