CSU to declare system-wide impaction?

First time in history declaration to be made?

The CSU may declare impaction for the entire CSU system at the November 18-19, Board of Trustees Meeting. According to a statement on the CSU Web site:

Trustees will discuss a plan to declare impaction for the entire CSU system, for the first time in its history. For several years, the CSU system has been providing access to more students, while resources have remained static and in some cases, have declined. While student demand to enroll at the CSU is at its highest levels, the 2008-09 budget does not provide funding above that of the previous year. Given the state’s worsening fiscal condition, it is anticipated that funded students for 2009-10 will remain at 2007-08 levels.

This will mean fewer students will be admitted to the CSU system than are anticipated will apply. According to a release from the Chancellor’s Office, “The unprecedented CSU action is caused by the state’s worsening fiscal crisis, and the anticipation of additional budget cuts. CSU is already serving 10,000 students for whom the state provides no funding, and while student demand is at its highest, it is anticipated that 2009-10 will be the second consecutive year that the CSU receives no funding for enrollment growth.”

Going on vacation

I am headed out of the area. I will be posting mostly on my Twitter Feed.

Please follow me here:

http://twitter.com/ssloansjca

Election Day recap: Working family advocates dominate!

[From South Bay Labor Council]

Tuesday was an historic, thrilling day across the country. The election of Barack Obama promises to bring real change to American politics, starting with the Employee Free Choice Act, which would greatly facilitate worker organizing. And, of course, his election symbolizes much more.

Here in the South Bay, advocates for working people were elected to office throughout the area, and we managed to pass some critical issues. Endorsed candidates Dave Cortese and George Shirakawa were elected to the Board of Supervisors. Ash Kalra and Rose Herrera will represent the concerns of working families at the San Jose City Council, and great candidates like Laura Macias, Larry Carr, and Bob Livengood will fight for us in Mountain View, Morgan Hill and Milpitas, respectively. Propositions 4 and 8 were defeated in our County. And of course, the passage of Measure A means that we will continue to be able to rely on Valley Medical Center, the critical piece of our healthcare safety net. Meanwhile, we keep our fingers crossed that Measure B will eke out a victory.

None of this, none of these victories, would have been possible without the hard work of thousands of volunteers. Over GOTV weekend, we logged over a thousand volunteer shifts, with hundreds of volunteers hitting the streets on Election Day. Our movement depends on volunteers like you taking time from busy lives to help make the world a better place. Tuesday night, we did.

For more on what the outcomes of Tuesday’s races mean, check out a series of essays recapping this election cycle at the blog of our friends at Working Partnerships USA: www.wpusa.org/blog

Schwarzenegger proposes forced furloughs and holiday cuts

The governor proposes tax increases, forced furloughs and the loss of two holidays. According to today’s Sacramento Bee:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called today for…one-day-a-month unpaid furloughs for state workers for the next 17 months, as well as rescinding two of the workers’ 13 paid holidays…

The Web site for our staff employees union is here.

Yes we did!

[Click here to see video]

Yes we did, change America

It has been a long time since I have felt proud, really proud, to be an American. I do today. But, I am reminded by the passage of CA’s gay marriage ban that despite the election of a black president, bigotry is still alive in our state and our nation!

I think Obama is the man for this time and his election sends a powerful message to the world about our capacity for peaceful revolution. But, there are still barriers to overcome. Despite these barriers, in my heart I know, we shall overcome them. We shall overcome.