Biweekly news digest from the California State University Employees Union
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STATE ROLLS OUT ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION
CSU BOARD OF TRUSTEES: CONTINGENCY MEASURES
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION: A DELEGATE’S VIEW
CONTEST: IDENTIFY THE CAMPUS
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Secretary of State Rolls Out Online Voter Registration
Registering to vote is easier than ever thanks to the latest phase of an online voter registration application developed by California Secretary of State Debra Bowen in coordination with the DMV and California’s 58 county elections officials.
“Though most states still cannot offer online voter registration, I am thrilled to say the largest state in the nation is ready to roll,” said Bowen at the unveiling of the system last Wednesday. “Today the Internet replaces the mailbox for thousands of Californians wanting to register to vote. Online or on paper, California’s laws and procedures for processing voter registration applications are identical.”
The voter registration application is at RegisterToVote.ca.gov. The last day to register to vote for the November 6 general election is October 22. California's voter rolls totaled 17.1 million people – 72 percent of those eligible – shortly before the June primary election.
Senate Bill 397, which took effect Jan. 1, authorized creation of online registration. State Sen. Leland Yee, a San Francisco Democrat who proposed the bill, said the new system will enable voters to register from the comfort of their home. “It's tremendous, it's a game-changer,” Yee said, predicting that online registration will become as popular with Californians as vote-by-mail ballots have been in recent elections.
For more information on registering to vote, visit www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_faq.htm.
CSU Board of Trustees Adopts Contingency Measures
CSUEU speakers during public comment periods included (clockwise from top left): Pat Gantt, Alisandra Brewer, John Orr, and Tessy Reese
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During a two-day meeting last Tuesday and Wednesday, the CSU Board of Trustees adopted budget contingency measures based on the outcome of Proposition 30 on the November 6 ballot. The board voted to raise tuition fees by $150 a semester, or five percent, effective January, 2013, if the measure is defeated, meaning a $250 million trigger budget cut to the CSU goes into effect.
That would bring undergraduate tuition for one semester to $3,135, not including school-based fees, books and other costs, providing approximately $58 million in revenue for 2012-2013.
The board voted to roll back the 9.1 percent tuition fee increase already in effect for fall if voters approve the tax measure.
Trustees also approved a plan to seek an increase in employee healthcare contributions. However, CSU administrators would need to seek changes in state legislation and negotiate changes in its contracts with each union to amend our benefits article. CSU administrators stated that they are just seeking parity with other state agencies. CSUEU will continue to remind the CSU that:
- state civil employees have five percent step increases that enable them to move through their salary ranges;
- state civil employees received pay raises to compensate for the increased cost in healthcare premiums; and
- state agencies are funded differently than the CSU
University officials estimate that the outcome of Proposition 30 will determine whether or not 20,000 additional students will be admitted next fall, translating into approximately 165,000 course seats, 5,500 course sections, and about 1,500 faculty and staff jobs.
On Tuesday morning, CSUEU President Pat Gantt issued a statement proclaiming that the time and energy devoted to devising cost savings would be better spent working to make sure Prop. 30 passes.
“CSUEU-represented staff members have endured layoffs, furloughs, stagnant wages, and workload issues over the last several years as the state and CSU have struggled with financial problems, and now they must deal with the specter of these contingency plans, which, if enacted, will represent a further erosion of staff jobs and benefits,” he said. “We all should be working together to pass Prop. 30, which, if passed, will provide the state with enough temporary revenues to obviate a $250 million trigger cut to the CSU.”
Democratic Convention: A Delegate’s View
By Peggy O’Neil-Rosales, CSU Long Beach Chapter 315
O’Neil-Rosales attended the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., as a delegate from the newly drawn 47th Congressional District.
I’m very fortunate to have served as a delegate at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. It was an exhilarating experience that I will never forget. What a thrill to see President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton in person, among other powerful and notable speakers at the convention!
While in Charlotte, I attended the Hispanic Caucus. Dolores Huerta, Richard Trumka, and Hilda Solis were the keynote speakers, and it was awesome to hear their words. The surprise keynote speaker was Michelle Obama. Wow! What a way to start my convention experience.
I was invited to attend a private luncheon sponsored by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association for State Attorney Kamala Harris. Reverend Jesse Jackson was the surprise guest speaker.
Afterwards, at the Senior Council, I was riveted listening to Congressman John Conyers. “Guard Social Security,” he said, “and never allow it to be privatized. It’s solvent, and don’t listen to anyone who says anything different.”
He warned that Medicare will continue to come under attack and that voters must fight to preserve it. “These are entitlement programs,” he explained, “but they should be renamed ‘earned benefits.’”
During the delegates’ breakfast, we heard more special guest speakers, including Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, General Wesley Clark, and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, to name just a few, whose enthusiastic talks were designed to get the delegation fired up.
Elizabeth Warren was amazing, and Jennifer Granholm was a firecracker. She had the room rockin’ with her robust enthusiasm. I was deeply moved by Congressman Lewis and Tammy Duckworth’s stories. I avoided the CNN and CSPAN cameras while I wiped tears from my eyes.
Bill Clinton was the highlight on the second night of the convention. He had us cheering and hollering. What a memorable presentation! We were truly fired up after he spoke.
Read the entire article.
Contest: Identify the Campus
In each edition of E-News, we show a photograph of a different campus and invite readers to identify the campus.
The depicted campus in the most recent edition: CSU East Bay. And the winners are:
- Cal State L.A.: 'Bach' P. Bhakta
- San Jose State: M. Elma Arredondo, Lolita M. Pedro
Congratulations to all! And here's this edition's mystery photo:
Just to keep it from being too easy, you won't be eligible if you work at the campus depicted in the photo. Send your entry with "Contest" in the subject line, along with your full name and chapter, to campuscontest@csueu.org, and good luck!
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See back issues of CSUEU E-News, distributed every other Thursday.
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