I SENATE BUDGET SUBCOMITTEE
NUMBER ONE ORDER AND GOOD
MORNING. THIS IS OUR SECOND
HEARING OF, UH UH, A LONG STRING
THAT WILL HAPPEN MOST THURSDAYS
BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME THAT
THE GOVERNORS MAY REVISE BUDGET
COMES OUT AND I FEEL OBLIGATED
TO NOTE WHAT I NOTED LAST WEEK
IS WE ARE EXPERIENCING A
SHORTFALL IN THE STATE THAT IS
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 38 BILLION AND
73 BILLION AND THE, UH, THE
REVENUE ESTIMATES THE LAST MONTH
OR TWO HAVE NOT BEEN HEADING IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND SO IT
REALLY MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO FACE UP TO THIS IN ANY
OF A NUMBER OF WAYS AND THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET IN I'M
REPEATING MYSELF FROM LAST WEEK,
BUT I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE REAL
LIVES AND WE'RE NOT PAYING
ATTENTION. UH UM THE GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET. UH RECOGNIZED 38 BILLION
AND THERE'S ARGUING ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT THE DEFICIT IS
HIGHER. AND EVEN SINCE THEN, AND
, UH, ONLY 8 BILLION OF THE 38
BILLION WERE REALLY IN
REDUCTIONS. UM THE REST WERE
OTHER THINGS, AND SO TO ME, IT
MEANS THAT IT'S GOING TO GET
WORSE AND MUCH MORE REAL AS AS
WE HAD TO. MAY AND I HAVE BEEN
ADVISING INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE SO
I'VE HAD GROUPS IN THE LAST
COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM HOSPITALS,
CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS, CHILDCARE
CENTERS, UM, DIFFERENT
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, DIFFERENT
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS TALKING
ABOUT A BOND, A CONSTITUENT
GROUPS AND I TELL THEM ALL THAT.
I'M JUST SAYING DON'T CUT US IS
NOT A VIABLE POSITION RIGHT NOW.
IT IS REALLY IN MY VIEW,
EVERYBODY'S GOING TO HAVE TO
TAKE SOME SORT OF HAIRCUT ALONG
THE WAY AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE
CONVERSATIONS PRIVATELY. ABOUT
WHAT YOUR ABSOLUTE TOP
PRIORITIES ARE. AND YOU DON'T
HAVE TO DISCLOSE THEM. YOU
SHOULDN'T BE NEGOTIATING AGAINST
YOURSELF. BUT YOU SHOULD BE
READY BECAUSE IT'LL MOVE REALLY
QUICKLY IN MAY OR JUNE AND THE
TOP PRIORITY WILL BE WHAT CAUSES
THE GREAT GRIEF AND CAN PEOPLE
NOT LIVE WITHOUT? AND SO WITH
THAT? THAT IS THE BACKDROP OF,
UH, FOR THESE HEARINGS, AND WE
ARE HAVING HEARINGS IN WHICH WE
ARE NOT MAKING DECISIONS. WE ARE
AIRING OUT EVERY ISSUE CLEARLY
LAST WEEK WAS PROPOSITION 98 AND
THE OVERVIEW OF EDUCATION
FUNDING NEXT WEEK IS THE
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
SYSTEM AND THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA SYSTEM AND THIS WEEK.
WE HAVE THREE DISCUSSION ITEMS,
SO ONE IS ON, UH, STATE STUDENT
FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS AND
WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET? AND WHAT
IS THE BACKGROUND FOR IT? UH, WE
ALSO HAVE, UH, THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF THE LAW.
UH SAN FRANCISCO. I ALWAYS FEEL
LIKE I SHOULD SAY, FORMALLY
KNOWN AS HASTINGS. SO PEOPLE
KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT,
AND WE'LL HAVE REPRESENTATIVES
THERE IN THE FINAL ISSUE WILL BE
THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL FOR THE
STATE LIBRARY. AND SO THIS IS AN
INFORMATIONAL HEARING, BUT WE
WILL BE TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT
AFTER THE THREE ITEMS ON ANY OF
THE THREE ITEMS AND UH, ALL
ASSESS HOW MANY PEOPLE WANNA
SPEAK TO UNDERSTAND HOW LONG? UH
UH, THAT WILL GO AND BECAUSE WE
ARE A SORT OF EMERGING FROM OUR
PANDEMIC PROCEDURES. THE
TESTIMONY WILL ONLY BE IN PERSON
IN THIS ROOM. SO UH, IF ANY OF
YOU WERE WATCHING, THINKING YOU
WERE GONNA CALL IN, YOU BETTER
RUSH OVER BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE
DONE, THAT WILL BE THE TIME. UH,
FOR TESTIMONY. WITH THAT WE'RE
GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE VERY
FIRST ITEM, WHICH IS, UH,
STUDENT AID AND FINANCIAL AID,
AND IT IS NOTICED AS THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY,
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES
AND CALIFORNIA STUDENT AID
COMMISSION BECAUSE THE DIFFERENT
FINANCIAL AID STREAMS APPLY TO
ALL OF THEM AND IT CONFUSED SOME
PEOPLE. SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT THIS
WEEK WAS THE CSU HEARING, BUT IT
IS REALLY HOW FINANCIAL AID
FOCUSES ON THOSE, AND, UH, TODAY
WE HAVE, UH AN EXTENSIVE PANEL,
ALTHOUGH I KNOW THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE
WILL ABSOLUTELY SPEAK AT THE
BEGINNING, AND THEN WE WILL ASK
IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING TO ADD,
OR THEY REALLY WANNA SPEAK FROM
THE STUDENT AID COMMISSION FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OR THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM, AND
WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE TO THE
REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. AND, UH,
FOLLOWING WILL BE THE SENATOR
FROM THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S
OFFICE. SO WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING CHAIR AND MEMBERS. I'M
AMAN SINGH WITH THE DEPARTMENT
OF FINANCE AND I MIGHT HAVE TO
SPEAK UP OR PULL THE MICROPHONE
CLOSER TO ONE OR THE OTHER. MM.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND MEMBERS.
I AM AMIN SINGH WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, AND I'LL
BE PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF THE
FINANCIAL AID PORTION OF THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET. THE BUDGET
ASSUMES TOTAL FINANCIAL AID
EXPENDITURES OF THREE $0.3
BILLION IN THE BUDGET YEAR. OF
THE THREE POINT 3,000,000,002
0.5 BILLION IN A COMBINED
GENERAL FUND AND TEMPORARY
ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES.
FUNDING WILL BE SPENT ON CAL
GRANT, THE STATE'S LARGEST
FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM. OVER
THREE 137,000 STUDENTS WILL
RECEIVE A CAL GRAT AWARD IN THE
2425 ACADEMIC YEAR, AND THE
MAJORITY OF THESE AWARDS WILL
OFFER A STIPEND TO COVER LIVING
EXPENSES SUCH AS HOUSING, FOOD
AND TRANSPORTATION. IN ADDITION
TO TUITION COSTS. COMPARED TO
THE 2020 THREE BUDGET ACT. THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET REFLECTS
INCREASED SPENDING OF $148
MILLION ON THE CAL GRANT PROGRAM
BASED ON REVISED CASELOAD.
ESTIMATES FOR 2425. DESPITE THE
STATE'S CURRENT FISCAL CONDITION
, THE ADMINISTRATION REMAINS
COMMITTED TO MEETING THE CAL
GRANT ENTITLEMENT IN FULL AND TO
KEEPING COLLEGE AFFORDABLE AND
ACCESSIBLE. THE BUDGET ALLOCATES
$637 MILLION IN ONE TIME GENERAL
FUND TO THE MIDDLE CLASS
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH WILL
REACH THREE 132,000 STUDENTS IN
THE UPCOMING ACADEMIC YEAR,
WHICH IS 18 MILLION MORE
PARTICIPANTS THAN IN THE CURRENT
YEAR. AS A BUDGETARY SOLUTION.
THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET FORGOES A
PLANNED $289 MILLION.01 TIME
GENERAL FUND INVESTMENT IN THE
MIDDLE CLASS SCHOLARSHIP. THE
MIDDLE CLASS SCHOLARSHIP WILL
CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED TO
STUDENTS IN THE UPCOMING YEAR
WITH THE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT
WILL NOT BE OCCURRING. THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET ALSO PROVIDES
NEARLY 7500 GOLDEN STATE TEACHER
GRANT AWARDS TO STUDENTS
ENROLLED IN TEACHER PREPARATORY
PROGRAMS IN THE 2425 ACADEMIC
YEAR. THE 2122 BUDGET ACT
PROVIDED 500 MILLION AND ONE
TIME GENERAL FUND TO THE GOLDEN
STATE TEACHER GRANT PROGRAM,
WHICH IS INTENDED TO BE SPENT
OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS
AND I'LL REACH ITS EXPECTED
EXPIRATION IN 2526. THAT
INCLUDES MY SUMMARY OF THE
FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE. I'LL BE
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW WE'LL
MOVE ON TO THE LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST'S OFFICE. GOOD MORNING
CHAIR. LISA KING WITH THE L A
Ó. REGARDING CAL GRANTS. WE'VE
REVIEWED THE CASELOAD ESTIMATES
UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET AND
BELIEVE THEY'RE REASONABLE BASED
ON THE DATA AVAILABLE AT THAT
TIME. THERE IS AN UPWARD
REVISION TO CAL GRANT SPENDING
IN THE CURRENT YEAR. WHICH IS
PRIMARILY DUE TO COSTS IN THE
RECENTLY CREATED COMMUNITY.
COLLEGE ENTITLEMENT AWARDS,
COMING OUT SOMEWHAT HIGHER THAN
BUDGETED LAST JUNE. THERE IS
ALSO AN ADDITIONAL SPENDING
INCREASE IN THE BUDGET YEAR AS
THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE NOTED
OF 100 AND 48 MILLION ONGOING
THIS REFLECTS A PROJECTED
INCREASE IN RECIPIENTS. AS WELL
AS A PROJECTED INCREASE IN AWARD
AMOUNTS. PRIMARILY DUE TO
UNIVERSITY TUITION INCREASES. AS
AN ALL YEARS, THE COMMISSION
WILL BE UPDATING THEIR CASELOAD
ESTIMATES FOR CAL GRANTS IN THE
SPRING. AND SO YOU'LL RECEIVE
MORE RECENT DATA AT THE NEW
REVISION. TURNING NEXT TO MIDDLE
CLASS SCHOLARSHIPS. THIS PROGRAM
, AS YOU KNOW, COVERS STUDENTS
REMAINING COST OF ATTENDANCE
AFTER ACCOUNTING FOR THEIR
AVAILABLE RESOURCES. EACH YEAR.
THE STATE DETERMINES UPFRONT HOW
MUCH FUNDING TO PUT TOWARDS
MIDDLE CLASS SCHOLARSHIPS. AND
THEN STATE LAW DIRECTS THE
COMMISSION TO DETERMINE WHAT
PERCENTAGE OF EACH STUDENT'S
REMAINING COSTS THAT CAN COVER.
BASED ON THE STATE FUNDING
LEVEL. AS YOU MAY RECALL FROM
LAST YEAR. THE STATE IS
CURRENTLY ADDING ONE TIME FUNDS
ON TOP OF THE ONGOING FUNDING
LEVEL FOR MIDDLE CLASS
SCHOLARSHIPS IN ORDER TO
TEMPORARILY INCREASE STUDENTS'
AWARD AMOUNTS UNDER THIS
PROGRAM. THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL
WOULD IN EFFECT, REMOVE THE
PLANNED ONE TIME FUNDS FOR 2024
25, BRINGING FUNDING BACK DOWN
TO THE ONGOING LEVEL. IN LIGHT
OF THE LARGE BUDGET DEFICIT
REFERENCED IN YOUR OPENING
COMMENTS. WE THINK THAT THE
GOVERNOR HAS PROPOSED APPROACH
IS REASONABLE. WOULD NOTE,
HOWEVER, THAT IT WILL RESULT IN
STUDENTS RECEIVING SOMEWHAT
SMALLER AWARDS IN 2024 25 THAN
IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
SPECIFICALLY WE ESTIMATE THAT
UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, THE
MIDDLE CLASS SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING
WOULD COVER ABOUT 24% OF
STUDENTS REMAINING COST OF
ATTENDANCE. WHICH IS DOWN FROM
36% IN THE CURRENT YEAR. THIS
ISSUE COVERS A FEW OTHER ITEMS
THAT GO BEYOND WHAT'S IN THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, INCLUDING Tð
GRANT REFORM AND SOME RECENT
CHANGES TO THE FREE APPLICATION
FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID OR FAFSA
FORM. WHILE WE DON'T HAVE DRAFT
RECOMMENDATIONS ON THESE TOPICS,
WE'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS
AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, AND I'M GOING TO
SEE IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING TO
ADD FROM THE OTHER FOUR AND I'LL
START JUST GOING MY LEFT TO
RIGHT. WELCOME. WELL, GOOD
MORNING CHAIR, LAIRD AND, UH,
THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION TODAY AT THE
COMMITTEE HEARING. I WOULD JUST
LIKE TO ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENT
AID COMMISSION AND I'M JAKE
BREMNER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR
POLICY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT THE
STUDENT AID COMMISSION EXPRESS
OUR DEEP GRATITUDE TO THE
GOVERNOR AND THE ADMINISTRATION
FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND
INVESTMENT TOWARD COLLEGE
AFFORDABILITY, PARTICULARLY IN
LIGHT OF THE SIGNIFICANT FISCAL
CHALLENGES THAT YOU SPOKE TO. IN
YOUR OPENING COMMENTS, CHAIR,
LAIRD AND I HAVE A NUMBER OF
COMMENTS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO
SHARE ABOUT SEVERAL OF THE OTHER
KEY ISSUES THAT STAFF ANALYSIS
AND THE HEARING AGENDA HAS GONE
TO AND WHEN APPROPRIATE. UM I'M
HAPPY TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE
ISSUES THAT WE'RE ALL NAVIGATING
IN HIGHER EDUCATION AROUND THE
ROLL OUT OF THE NEW FREE
APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT
AID, THE FAFSA AND, OF COURSE,
ALSO CAL GRANT REFORM AND MIDDLE
CLASS SCHOLARSHIP AS LISA
ALLUDED TO GREAT, THANK YOU. I'M
CONFIDENT HER HER THAT AMONG ALL
THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THERE
WILL BE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
WELCOME. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING
CHAIR LAIRD AND MEMBERS OF THE
SENATE BUDGET SUB-COMMITTEE. I'M
SEAN BRICK FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENT. UM AND I'M THANKFUL
FOR THE TIME TO, UM, SHARE SOME
OF OUR THOUGHTS FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE. UM I WANTED TO
THANK THE SENATE IN PARTICULAR
FOR THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT OVER
THE LAST FEW YEARS AS I AM SURE,
YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST FOUR
YEARS HAVE BEEN VERY CHALLENGING
FOR OUR STUDENTS FOR A NUMBER OF
REASONS, BUT THE INVESTMENTS
THAT THE STATE HAS MADE IN CAL
GRANT AND IN THE MIDDLE CLASS
SCHOLARSHIP AS WELL AS SOME OF
THE NEW PROGRAMS, UH, HAS BEEN
TRANSFORMATIVE FOR OUR STUDENTS
ON BEHALF OF PRESIDENT DRAKE AND
OUR STUDENTS. I WANT TO THANK
YOU. I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUES AT THE CALIFORNIA
STUDENT AID COMMISSION FOR
WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE THESE
PROGRAMS A REALITY. UM, AS YOU
KNOW, THIS YEAR PRESENTS SOME
ENORMOUS CHALLENGES. THE FAFSA
DELAY MEANS THAT WE'LL BE
ISSUING FINANCIAL AID OFFERS TO
NEWLY ADMITTED STUDENTS IN MID
APRIL INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL MID
MARCH. UH AND FURTHERMORE, WE'RE
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ABILITY
OF OUR MIXED STATUS STUDENTS.
THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO
THEMSELVES ARE CITIZENS, BUT
THEIR PARENTS MAY NOT HAVE A
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER TO
COMPLETE THE FACES AT ALL. AND
SO, UH, WHICH IS NECESSARY IF
THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE THE
FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID THAT
THEY'RE ENTITLED TO AND WE'RE
EAGERLY AWAITING THE FIXES THAT
THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION HAS SAID WILL BE
COMING IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
UM, WE ALSO KNOW THAT, UM
INFLATION HAS REALLY HIT OUR
STUDENTS HARD AND SO THE COST
THAT THEY'LL BE FACING THIS FALL
ARE GOING TO BE HIGHER THAN EVER
BEFORE. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE. WE
ALSO EXPECT OUR STUDENTS TO
QUALIFY FOR MORE FEDERAL PELL
GRANT THAN EVER BEFORE, AND THE
UNIVERSITY IS SETTING ASIDE MORE
OF OUR OWN TUITION REVENUE FOR
FINANCIAL AID THAN EVER BEFORE.
UM I'LL CLOSE BY SAYING THAT
DESPITE THESE CHALLENGES, WE DO
STAND PREPARED TO HELP
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS AND PARENTS.
MY CAMPUS FINANCIAL AID
COLLEAGUES ARE DEDICATED
PROFESSIONALS WHOSE MISSION IS
TO HELP GUIDE LOW AND MIDDLE
INCOME FAMILIES, NOT ONLY TO
COLLEGE BUT TO GRADUATION.
MISTER PRESIDENT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS?
I DO. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS GINA
BROWN, ASSISTANT VICE CHANCELLOR
OF OUR EQUITABLE STUDENT
LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND IMPACT
OFFICE WITH THE CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY COLLEGE CHANCELLOR'S
OFFICE. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE VIEWS
ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE AND
THE 1.9 MILLION COMMUNITY
COLLEGE STUDENTS REGARDING
FINANCIAL AID. I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK THE CALIFORNIA STATE
LEGISLATURE FOR PASSING SEVERAL
FINANCIAL AID BILLS AND BUDGET
APPROPRIATIONS THAT CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
STUDENTS TO HELP THEM MEET THE
TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE. I'M
REFERRING SPECIFICALLY TO THE
ADOPTION OF CAL REFORM IN THE
2223 BUDGET, AS OUTLINED IN A B
1746. THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE REMAINS IN
COMPLETE SUPPORT OF INCLUDING
THE FUNDING NEEDED FOR CALGARY
REFORM IN THE 2425 BUDGET.
TODAY'S CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
COLLEGE STUDENTS TRANSFERRED TO
FOUR YEAR UNIVERSITIES. THEY
EARN BACCALAUREATE DEGREES. THEY
GRADUATE INTO THE WORKFORCE AT
LIVABLE WAGES NOW MORE THAN EVER
BEFORE. COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAS
EVOLVED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER AT
LEAST THE PAST 20 YEARS AND WE
WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE. TODAY'S
COMMUNITY. COLLEGE STUDENTS
SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CONTINUE TO
WAIT FOR CAL GRANT TO ALSO
EVOLVE. IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING
THAT THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE
PRESENTED UNPRECEDENTED
CHALLENGES FOR ALL OF US AND
ESPECIALLY OUR STUDENTS. AND
THOSE CHALLENGES PERSIST WITH
THE DELAYS OF FAFSA PROCESSING,
BUT EVEN MORE TROUBLING THAN THE
DELAYS IN FA FAST PROCESSING IS
THE INABILITY FOR STUDENTS FROM
MIXED STATUS FAMILIES TO SUBMIT
A COMPLETED FAFSA. THIS MEANS
THAT SOME U S¼ CITIZENS ARE
CURRENTLY UNABLE TO ACCESS THE
LARGEST SOURCE OF GRANT AID IN
OUR COUNTRY. THERE HAVE BEEN
STORIES OF WORKAROUNDS, BUT THEY
HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE
UNRELIABLE AND INCONSISTENT. THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS
ANNOUNCED THAT WE CAN EXPECT
FIXES TO BOTH THE PROCESSING
DELAYS AND INABILITY OF OUR U S¼
CITIZENS TO SUBMIT A COMPLETED
FAFSA IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, SO
WE REMAIN CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC.
REGARDLESS OF HOW OR WHEN THE
BETTER FAFSA IS FIXED OR WHETHER
OR NOT THE REQUIRED CAL GRANT
FORMING IS INCLUDED IN THE
BUDGET. THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
COLLEGES REMAIN COMMITTED TO OUR
VISION 2030 GOAL OF ENSURING
EQUITY AND SUPPORT FOR ALL
STUDENTS BY MAXIMIZING RECEIPT
OF ALL AVAILABLE FINANCIAL AID
FOR WHICH THEY ARE ELIGIBLE. WE
WILL CONTINUE TO BETTER SUPPORT
OUR STUDENTS ON THE ACADEMIC
JOURNEYS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUED COLLABORATION AND
THOUGHT PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR èC
S¼ UU èC AND èC S¼ A, UM,
PARTNERS, SO THANK YOU TO ALL
THANK YOU. AND TO WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE HØI GOOD MORNING. UH,
SHE LAIRD AND ESTEEMED MEMBERS
OF THE SENATE BUDGET SUBCOMITTEE
. I EXTEND MY GRATITUDE FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU TODAY
AND PROVIDE INSIGHTS ON THE
CRUCIAL MATTER OF FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED
IN THE CALIFORNIA STATE
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. MY NAME IS
NOELIA GONZALEZ AND I SERVE AS A
SYSTEM WIDE DIRECTOR FOR
FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS. I WISH
TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR THE
UNWAVERING SUPPORT DEMONSTRATED
BY THE SENATE TOWARDS CALIFORNIA
STUDENTS. THE SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENTS MADE BY THE STATE IN
INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE CAR
GRANT AND THE MIDDLE CLASS
SCHOLARSHIP HAVE HAD A PROFOUND
IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF èC S¼ U
STUDENTS ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE
èC S¼ U COMMUNITY. I EXTEND
SINCERE THANKS FOR THIS
INVALUABLE SUPPORT. THE CURRENT
YEAR HAS PRESENTED US WITH MANY
UNIQUE CHALLENGES. THE DELAY IN
PROCESSING THE FFA APPLICATIONS
POSES A NOTABLE CONCERN,
PARTICULARLY REGARDING THE
ISSUANCE OF FINANCIAL AID OFFERS
TO NEWLY ADMITTED FRESHMEN AND
TRANSFER STUDENTS. ADDITIONALLY
WE REMAIN DEEPLY ATTENTIVE TO
THE CHALLENGES FACED BY MIXED
STATUS FAMILIES WHOSE ABILITY TO
COMPLETE THE FAFSA PROCESS IS
HINDERED BY BUREAUCRATIC
BARRIERS. WE EAGERLY ANTICIPATE
THE IMMINENT REMEDIES PROMISED
BY THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE
OF WEEKS. IN CLOSING. I WISH TO
AFFIRM OUR STEADFAST COMMITMENT
TO SUPPORTING CALIFORNIA
STUDENTS IN NAVIGATING THESE
CHALLENGING TIMES THE DEDICATED
PROFESSIONAL WITHIN OUR CAMPUS
FINANCIAL AID OFFICES ARE
FOCUSED ON GUIDING OUR STUDENTS
AND FAMILIES TOWARDS ACADEMIC
SUCCESS, ENSURING NOT ONLY
ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION BUT
ALSO EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
GRADUATION AND BEYOND. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THESE
CRITICAL MATTERS. I'M HAPPY TO
ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AT
THE APPROPRIATE TIME. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. UM, WE'RE GOING TO
MOVE TO QUESTIONS ON THIS AND
LET ME BEGIN WITH THE FEDERAL
STUDENT AID SIMPLIFICATION ACT,
AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS FAFSA,
AND LET ME BEGIN WITH THE
STUDENT AID COMMISSION AND ASK
WHAT'S THE UPDATE ON FILINGS?
JUST WHERE WE ARE IN GENERAL.
WELL UH, THANK YOU. CHAIR. LAIRD
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AT THIS
COMMITTEE. THIS IS AS OUR
COLLEAGUES, UH, SPOKE TO IN
THEIR OPENING COMMENTS REALLY?
ONE OF THE MOST CENTRAL ISSUES
WE'RE NAVIGATING RIGHT NOW
WITHIN HIGHER EDUCATION AND
CERTAINLY WITHIN FINANCIAL AID,
SO WE APPRECIATE THE CONCERN AND
FOCUS. UH, YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD
FROM MY FELLOW PANELISTS THAT
THERE ARE TWO REALLY CENTRAL
ISSUES HERE WITH THE ROLL OUT OF
THE FAFSA AS THE INITIATIVE IS
REFERRED TO ONE BEING OPPOSED TO
THE WORST FAST. I DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S UH, CALLED
THAT. YEAH YEAH, AND, UH, THERE
ARE BENEFITS TO THE
SIMPLIFICATION. LONGER TERM,
THEY'LL BE THE USE OF THIS IR S¼
DATA TO PREP POPULATE THE
APPLICATION. MANY STUDENTS ARE
BENEFITING FROM THAT. HOWEVER WE
KNOW AS AGAIN AS MY FELLOW
PANELISTS SPOKE TO OUR MIX.
FAMILIES ARE CURRENTLY UNABLE TO
SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR AID
DESPITE BEING LEGALLY ELIGIBLE
FOR FEDERAL AID BASED ON DATA
FROM 2223. WE AT THE STUDENT AID
COMMISSION HAVE IDENTIFIED AS
MANY AS 108,000 STUDENTS, WHO
HAD AT LEAST ONE PARENTAL
CONTRIBUTOR TO THEIR APPLICATION
, WHO DID NOT HAVE A SOCIAL
SECURITY NUMBER LISTED. SO THIS
IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT POPULATION
FOR US IN CALIFORNIA. WE AT THE
STUDENT AID COMMISSION HAVE BEEN
WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR
SEGMENTAL PARTNERS WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION AND MANY OTHERS
IN THE COMMUNITY TO DETERMINE
THE BEST PATH FORWARD TO SERVE
THESE STUDENTS AGAIN. AS AS YOU
HEARD RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
INDICATE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A
FIX FOR THESE STUDENTS LATER
THIS MONTH. HOWEVER WE'RE ALSO
PLANNING FOR, UM, FURTHER
DISRUPTION TO THE TIMELINES THAT
HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED. SO IF
THERE'S NOT A COMPLETE FIX FOR
THESE STUDENTS, WE'VE BEEN
PREPARING TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS
TO THE CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT
APPLICATION, WHICH IS OUR STATE
BASED APPLICATION FOR STATE AID
FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO
APPLY FOR FEDERAL AID. WE'RE
PREPARING THAT SO AS A
CONTINGENCY SO THAT IF THESE
STUDENTS CAN'T SUBMIT A FAFSA,
THEY CAN SUBMIT A CALIFORNIA
DREAM ACT APPLICATION TO LEARN
ABOUT THEIR FINANCIAL AID STATUS
BEFORE THE KEY UPCOMING
ENROLLMENT DEADLINES, THESE
STUDENTS WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO
LATER SUBMIT A FAFSA TO RECEIVE
THEIR FEDERAL AID. OF COURSE,
WE'RE HOPING TO AVOID HAVING TO
ASK TO SUBMIT MULTIPLE FORMS.
UM, THERE ARE OTHER GLITCHES IN
THE FAFSA PROCESS THAT CAN
COMPLICATE THE APPLICATION
EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS, BUT WE
KNOW THAT MANY ARE HAVING THIS
SIMPLIFIED EXPERIENCE AGAIN. AS
YOU ALREADY HEARD. THE OTHER
REALLY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IS WHAT
THIS IMPACTED TIMELINE HAS MET
FOR GETTING INFORMATION TO
STUDENTS. THE STUDENT AID
COMMISSION AND OUR CAMPUS
PARTNERS ARE NOT RECEIVING DATA
ON THE TIMELINE, WHICH WE
TYPICALLY RECEIVE WHAT'S
REFERRED TO AS THE INSTITUTIONAL
STUDENT INFORMATION RECORD. THE
IS, UM THAT'S WHAT THE FAA
RATES. THAT'S WHAT ALLOWS THE
COMMISSION OR CAMPUS PARTNERS
SEGMENT PARTNERS TO DETERMINE A
STUDENT'S, UH, ELIGIBILITY FOR
AID. THE DELAY IN TRANSMITTING
THESE RECORDS NOT ONLY
COMPLICATES HOW WE, UM ARE ABLE
TO INFORM STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR
ELIGIBILITY FOR AID. IT ALSO, UH
IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO
UNDERSTAND OUR PROGRESS IN
HELPING STUDENTS APPLY FOR
FINANCIAL AID. LAST YEAR, WE HAD
ACHIEVED HISTORIC LEVELS OF
FINANCIAL AID COMPLETION AS WE
WERE IN THE FIRST YEAR OF
IMPLEMENTING A B 469 ARE
UNIVERSAL FINANCIAL AID
COMPLETION LAW THAT WAS ENACTED
BACK IN 21. WE LED THE NATION IN
GROWTH OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR
APPLICATIONS. WE HAD MORE THAN
24,000 ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL AID
APPLICATIONS FROM THE GRADUATING
CLASS OF 2023 COMPARED TO THE
GRADUATING CLASS OF 2022. WE'RE
REALLY EAGER TO CONTINUE THAT
MOMENTUM. HOWEVER THE HEADWINDS
THAT WE'RE NAVIGATING WITH OUR
STUDENTS ARE, OF COURSE, A DRAG
ON HOW WE'RE ABLE TO HELP THEM
APPLY. SO WHILE WE'RE NOT
RECEIVING ANY STUDENT LEVEL
INFORMATION YET WE HOPE THAT IN
THE NEXT WEEK WE WILL START TO
RECEIVE SOME INITIAL DATA FROM
THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THE
NATIONAL COLLEGE ATTAINMENT
NETWORK HAS BEEN RECEIVING
AGGREGATE STATE LEVEL DATA THAT
THEY USE TO DEPICT HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR COMPLETION BASED ON AGE
PROXIES. SO IT'S NOT QUITE A ONE
FOR ONE MATCH WITH HOW WE WOULD
DEPICT DATA, WHICH IS BASED ON
DEPARTMENT OF ED, CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DATA AND
THE FINANCIAL AID APPLICATIONS
WE RECEIVE, BUT THIS IS REALLY
THE BEST THING THAT WE HAVE TO
WORK FROM RIGHT NOW. BASED ON
THAT DATA FROM THE NATIONAL
COLLEGE ATTAINMENT NETWORK FOR
APPLICATIONS RECEIVED THROUGH
FEBRUARY. 23 THERE HAVE BEEN
APPROXIMATELY 117,000,
CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
WHO HAVE COMPLETED A FAFSA SO
FAR THAT REPRESENTS
APPROXIMATELY 20 3% OF THE HIGH
SCHOOL SENIOR CLASS. AND THAT'S
A 50% DROP FROM WHERE WE WERE AT
THIS POINT LAST YEAR. THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT VOLUME OF
APPLICATIONS IS RECEIVED
IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO STATE
FINANCIAL AID DEADLINES. SO IN A
NORMAL YEAR, THE STATE FINANCIAL
AID DEADLINES MARCH SECOND WE
RECEIVED THE MOST APPLICATIONS
ON MARCH 1 AND FEBRUARY 28.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO
DISSEMINATE. SO WE DO HOPE THAT
WE WILL, AS WE APPROACH THE
DEADLINES THAT WE WILL START TO
SEE AN INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS
THAT WE WILL START TO HAVE THE
ABILITY FOR A MIXED STATUS
FAMILIES TO APPLY, BUT, UH,
WE'RE REALLY EAGER TO SEE WHAT
THESE FIXES ROLLED OUT BY THE
DEPARTMENT LOOK LIKE WE'VE BEEN,
UH, DISSEMINATING INFORMATION
WIDELY TO OUR LOCAL PARTNERS TO
ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE ALL THE
RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND THAT
WE'RE GETTING OUT INFORMATION.
IT'S REALLY CHANGING BY THE DAY
THAT WE'RE GETTING OUT
INFORMATION AS AGGRESSIVELY AS
WE CAN, THROUGH OUR ONLINE
PRESENCE, SOCIAL MEDIA AND
REGULAR UPDATES TO THE FIELDS
AND IN CLOSE CO ORDINATION WITH
OUR SEGMENT PARTNERS. WE HAVE
ALREADY HOSTED OVER 900 CASH FOR
COLLEGE WORKSHOPS. WE HAVE
ANOTHER 200 SCHEDULED. UM WE'RE
TRAINING COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND
WE'VE ALSO IMPLEMENTED
ENHANCEMENTS TO OUR CALIFORNIA
DREAM ACT APPLICATION TO TRY TO
PROVIDE A GREATER OR IMPROVED
USER EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE
STUDENTS WHO WILL NOT IN THE
FUTURE BENEFIT FROM THE FAFSA
SIMPLIFICATION THAT'S BEEN
UNDERWAY. SO HAPPY TO TAKE
FURTHER QUESTIONS HERE. BUT WE
KNOW WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO TO
HELP ALL OF OUR STUDENTS APPLY
AND TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT
THEIR FINANCIAL AID STATUS TO
MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION WITH
THEIR FAMILIES. I WANT TO ASK
EVERYBODY ABOUT THIS IN A MOMENT
, BUT I WANT TO ASK A FOLLOW UP
QUESTION FIRST, AND THAT IS AS
YOU YOU SORT OF HAD A BACKUP
PLAN FOR IF A FIX OR ADJUSTMENT
IS NOT THERE FOR FOS FOSSA AND
WHAT YOUR BACKUP PLAN IS, BUT
ARE YOU ALSO PLANNING TO HAVE
SOME INKLING OF WHAT TO FIX
MIGHT BE AND YOU'RE ALREADY
MOVING TO SITUATE YOURSELF WITH
THE RECIPIENTS IN A WAY THAT YOU
HAVE WHAT YOU NEED, AND YOU'RE
NOT STARTLED ON THE DAY IT'S
DONE AND HAVE TO START FROM
SCRATCH. I KNOW THAT'S A WONKY
QUESTION, BUT IT IT COULD WELL
HAPPEN. IT'S A WONKY QUESTION,
BUT A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION
HERE, LAIRD AND PART OF THE
CHALLENGE THAT I THINK WE HAVE
IS THAT WE KNOW THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS
REALLY WORKING TO CREATE THIS
FIX FOR MIXED STATUS FAMILIES.
WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THIS
WILL LOOK LIKE. OUR HOPE IS THAT
IT WILL LOOK JUST LIKE IT DOES
FOR OTHER STUDENTS WHO APPLY FOR
FEDERAL AID THROUGH THE FAFSA,
BUT THAT IS STILL NOT CLEAR.
WE'VE BEEN IN CLOSE
COMMUNICATION WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. AND
WITH SENIOR OFFICIALS THERE TO
TRY TO GET FURTHER INSIGHT INTO
WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE THEY,
OF COURSE, AS YOU'RE HEARING IN
TERMS OF JUST TRANSMITTING
STUDENT RECORDS FOR THE
APPLICATIONS ALREADY SUBMITTED.
THEY HAVE A LOT ON THEIR PLATE
AND MANY DELIVERABLES THAT
THEY'VE COMMITTED TO GETTING OUT
TO THE FIELD IN MARCH, SO WE'RE
VERY EAGERLY AWAITING FURTHER
INFORMATION. I THINK THAT THE
MAYBE, UH I THINK I READ IN THE
MATERIALS THAT THE TARGET DATE
FOR GETTING THE FIXES IN THE
FIRST HALF OF MARCH. UM AND YY.
YEAH, I'M FAMILIAR WITH FEDERAL
INSTITUTIONS. IT IT'S LIKE A
TARGET DATE ISN'T USUALLY
WRITTEN IN STONE. SO IT'S YOUR
HOPE THAT THAT HAPPENS. AND THEN
IF, IN FACT IT'S SIMILAR. YOU'RE
NOT HAVING TO RE INVENT THE
WHEEL. YOU'RE JUST GETTING
PEOPLE TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS AS
THEY WERE NORMALLY. THAT'S RIGHT
. THAT IS THE HAPPY PATH. THAT'S
THE PATH THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO
GO ON SO THAT STUDENTS WERE
BETTER AND WORSE WERE UNHAPPY
AND SAD. WE'RE REALLY DOING WELL
HERE. VERY EMOTIONAL TIME IN
FINANCIAL LAIRD, BUT, UM WE
REALLY WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE
CONSIDERED FOR ALL. THE
FINANCIAL AID FOR WHICH THEY CAN
QUALIFY. HOWEVER IF THERE ARE
ANY GLITCHES OR THERE'S AN ISSUE
WITH THE TIMELINE, WE STILL OF
COURSE, WANT THESE STUDENTS TO
HAVE THE BENEFIT OF KNOWING
ABOUT THEIR ELIGIBILITY AT A
MINIMUM FOR STATE BASED AID AND
TO LET OUR CAMPUS PARTNERS HAVE
ACCESS TO INFORMATION THAT MIGHT
ASSIST THEM IN THE PROCESS OF
DETERMINING IF THERE'S ALSO
CAMPUS BASED AID THAT COULD BE
AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND THAT'S
WHERE HAVING THIS CONTINGENCY
PLAN WITH OUR STATE BASED
APPLICATION COMES IN. WE'VE
IMPLEMENTED THE TECHNICAL
COMPONENTS, SO WE HAVE THE
SWITCH READY TO FLIP IF WE NEED
IT. WE'RE REALLY HOPING IT'S NOT
GOING TO COME TO THAT AND THAT
WE'LL BE ABLE TO JUST UTILIZE
THE FAFSA FORM BECAUSE THESE ARE
STUDENTS WHO ARE CITIZENS. THEY
QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL AID, AND
THERE'S MANY RESOURCES THAT WE
CAN'T GIVE THEM THROUGH THE
CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT ACT. AND DO
YOU SEE MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION
HAS SORT OF BEEN ADDRESSED,
ALTHOUGH THE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS
WISH TO SPEAK IS IF THERE'S
ANYTHING FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO
DO IN THIS IN OR SECONDARILY IF
THERE'S ANYTHING I MEAN, WHAT IS
IT THAT WOULD SOLVE THIS
PROBLEM? OR ARE THERE OTHER
AVENUES OR OTHER PROBLEMS AS
PART OF THIS THAT NEED TO BE
SOLVED IN A WAY THAT THAT WE CAN
BE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS
NOW AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE
ASKING THE SEGMENTS TO ON THEIR
OWN, HAVE SOME FALLBACK PLANS
FOR DIFFERENT OPTIONS IF CERTAIN
THINGS HAPPEN. I THINK IT WOULD
BE. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR MY
FELLOW PANELISTS. I THINK WE'RE
ALL PLANNING FOR CONTINGENCIES
AND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN
DISRUPTIONS TO THE TIMELINE. SO
WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO
NAVIGATE THAT AND ANY DECISIONS
WE MAKE IN THIS SPACE. WE WANT
TO DO IN CLOSE CO ORDINATION
WITH EVERYONE BECAUSE IT'S NOT
JUST ABOUT STUDENTS BEING
ELIGIBLE FOR AID. IT'S ALSO
ABOUT THEM RECEIVING INFORMATION
FROM OUR CAMPUSES SO THAT THEY
CAN MAKE THAT ENROLLMENT CHOICE.
OK WELL, LET ME ASK IF THE
SEGMENTS HAVE COMMENTS THEY'D
LIKE TO MAKE ON THIS. OK? IN
REGARDS TO THE JUST FOR THE
RECORD AGAIN, PLEASE. MY NAME IS
GINA BROWN. I'M WITH THE
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE, UM, IN
REGARDS TO THE MIXED STATUS
FAMILIES, THE LEGISLATURE CAN
HIGHLIGHT DOUBLE DOWN ON HOW
UNACCEPTABLE IT IS THAT CERTAIN
U S¼ CITIZENS CANNOT SUBMIT A
FAFSA AND IT'S I AM A PERSONALLY
OFFENDED BY IT. SO I THINK THAT
IS ONE THING THE LEGISLATURE CAN
DO, ALTHOUGH IT'S DANGEROUS IF
WE START TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE
PERSONALLY FEEL ABOUT THINGS
THAT ARE HEARING ME, I
UNDERSTAND. UM, FOR AS AS
REGARDS TO THE FSA PROCESSING
DELAYS. UM, WHILE THE MAJORITY
OF CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
STUDENTS ARE SUBJECT TO THE
SEPTEMBER 2ND CAL GRANT
COMMUNITY COLLEGE ENTITLEMENT
DEADLINE, EXTENDING THE CAL
GRANT DEADLINE TO AT LEAST MAY
2ND WILL BENEFIT CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY COLLEGES. TRANSFERRING
TO FOUR YEAR UNIVERSITIES, SO
EXTENDING THAT DEADLINE IS
PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST
IMPACTS YOU COULD HAVE. OK, I
APPRECIATE IT DO EITHER OF THE
OTHER SEGMENTS HAVE THINGS TO
ADD. UM NOELIA GONZALEZ FROM THE
èC S¼ U? YES WE WOULD AGREE
WITH THE EXTENSION OF THE CAL
GRANT DEADLINE FROM APRIL 2ND TO
MAY 2ND. UM I THINK THAT WOULD
BE A GREAT BENEFIT BECAUSE IT
WOULD GIVE OUR STUDENTS MORE
TIME TO SUBMIT THOSE
APPLICATIONS AND MORE TIME FOR
US TO HELP THEM SUBMIT THIS
APPLICATIONS. UM, AND THEN AGAIN
, THE OTHER PIECE WOULD BE
SUPPORT FOR ADVOCACY IN
WASHINGTON TO GET THOSE FIXES IN
PLACE FOR THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA STUDENTS, OK? UM AND
I WOULD JUST SAY SEAN BRICK FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. UM
WE ALSO WOULD SUPPORT SHIFTING
THE KRAN DEADLINE FROM APRIL 2ND
TO MAY 2ND AND WOULD FOLLOW SUIT
WITH OUR OWN FINANCIAL AID
DEADLINES. UM IN TERMS OF, YOU
KNOW, SORT OF PREPARING FOR
ALTERNATIVES. UM IF THE
CALIFORNIA STUDENT AID
COMMISSION DOES OPEN THE
CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT APPLICATION
UM, TO THESE FAMILIES. WE WOULD
USE THAT TO ESTIMATE THEIR AID.
UM, WE DO CONTINUE TO FEEL LIKE
THAT SHOULD BE A LAST RESORT
OPTION BECAUSE IT WOULD EITHER
BE ASKING THESE FAMILIES TO
SUBMIT TWO FORMS THE CALIFORNIA
DREAM ACT NOW AND A FAFSA LATER
OR FOREGO. UM ALL OF THAT, UH,
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, WHICH AT
WOULD BE $60 MILLION IN PELL
GRANT ALONE FOR OUR MIXED STATUS
FAMILIES. AND, UH, COMMUNITY
COLLEGE. UH, REPRESENTATIVE
BROUGHT UP THE, UH, THE DELAY IN
IN ESSENCE OF REGISTER. YOU HAVE
A STATEMENT OF INTENT TO
REGISTER. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU
WOULD CONSIDER DELAYING IF THIS
ISN'T RESOLVED OR IS RESOLVED IN
A WAY THAT THAT DOESN'T ALLOW
FOR RESOLUTION BY THE TIME OF
YOUR CURRENT DEADLINE? YES THE
èC S¼ U HAS ALREADY EXTENDED
OUR FROM MAY 1 TO NÓ EARLIER
THAN MAY 15TH, AND WE HAVE SOME
CAMPUSES THAT HAVE EXTENDED IT
FURTHER. OK? AND WERE YOU
SIMILARLY EXTENDED FROM END OF
MAY, 15. AND WHILE WE'RE
COMMITTED TO BEING FLEXIBLE IF
THINGS CONTINUE TO SLIP, UM AND
HAVE ALREADY COMMITTED THAT IF
INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES NEED
ADDITIONAL TIME, WE CERTAINLY
WILL ALSO CONSIDER THAT IN AND
BEFORE I MOVE TO A QUESTION ON
ANOTHER SUBJECT, I WAS FOCUSED
ON THE STUDENT AID COMMISSION
AND THE THREE SEGMENTS AND AT
LEAST ONCE I FELT SOME NODDING
COMING OVER FROM EITHER F OR THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST, DO YOU HAVE
ANY COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON
TO ANOTHER SUBJECT ON THIS? LISA
KING WITH THE L A Ó. WE THINK
THAT EXTENDING THE STATE
FINANCIAL AID DEADLINE IS WORTH
CONSIDERING BECAUSE IT ALLOWS
THE U S¼ DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
MORE TIME TO RESOLVE THESE
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WE'VE
BEEN DISCUSSING AND PARTICULARLY
FOR THOSE STUDENTS IN MIXED
STATUS FAMILIES WHO ARE
CURRENTLY UNABLE TO SUBMIT AN
APPLICATION. AS THE PANELISTS
HAVE POINTED OUT. THESE ARE
STUDENTS WHO ARE U S¼ CITIZENS
AND ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL
FINANCIAL AID. AND SO IT REALLY
IS PREFERABLE FOR THEM TO SUBMIT
A FAFSA RATHER THAN A DREAM ACT
APPLICATION. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE,
THE FSA QUALIFIES THEM FOR THE
MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF AID. ALLOWING
THESE STUDENTS TO THE FAFSA ALSO
AVOIDS UNNECESSARY COST
PRESSURES IN STATE AND
INSTITUTIONAL AID PROGRAMS. WE
HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THE MIDDLE
CLASS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM A
LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THIS ISSUE
. AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE LAST
DOLLAR PROGRAM, SO IT'S INTENDED
TO COVER COSTS THAT ARE NOT
COVERED BY OTHER FINANCIAL AID
PROGRAMS. IF STUDENTS WHO ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR PELL GRANTS ARE NOT
SUBMITTING THE FAFSA, THEN THAT
INCREASES THE COST PRESSURE IN
MIDDLE CLASS SCHOLARSHIP, THE
AMOUNT OF COST THAT WOULD NEED
TO BE COVERED BY THAT PROGRAM. I
UNDERSTAND THAT HAS A SIMILAR
PROGRAM THAT COVERS COSTS THAT
ARE NOT COVERED BY OTHER AID.
AND SO THEIR PROGRAM AS WELL MAY
EXPERIENCE THESE KINDS OF
PRESSURES. SO THAT'S JUST A
CONSIDERATION FOR, UM, EXTENDING
THE FINANCIAL AID DEADLINE. WE
WOULD POINT OUT THAT THERE IS
SOME PRACTICAL LIMITATION AS TO
HOW FAR YOU CAN EXTEND THAT
DEADLINE. BECAUSE OF THAT POINT,
YOU JUST RAISED ABOUT THE
DEADLINE FOR STUDENTS TO SUBMIT
THEIR STATEMENT OF INTENT TO
REGISTER. WHILE WE WANT TO ALLOW
STUDENTS AS MUCH TIME AS
POSSIBLE TO COMPLETE THE FAFSA,
THE PREFERABLE FORM FOR THEM TO
FILL OUT. WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO
EXTEND THE DEADLINE SO FAR THAT
THEY HAVE VERY LITTLE TIME TO
RECEIVE A FINANCIAL AID OFFER
AND WEIGH THAT AS THEY'RE MAKING
THEIR COLLEGE ENROLL. DECISION.
THERE IS A BIT OF A CHALLENGING
BALANCING ACT THERE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. UM, STUDENT AID
COMMISSION. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
LORD I JUST WANT TO OFFER ONE
OTHER POINT TO CONSIDER. THERE'S
ENOUGH THAT WE'RE NAVIGATING IN
THE SHORT TERM, UH, AROUND THESE
ISSUES FOR OUR MIXED STATUS
FAMILIES, BUT I WOULD BE REMISS
IF I DIDN'T UH, JUST SHARE. ONE
OTHER NOTE OF CAUTION FOR US AS
WE LOOK TO NEXT YEAR'S FINANCIAL
AID APPLICATION CYCLE, PART OF
THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE FACING
WITH OUR MIXED STATUS FAMILIES
IS THAT THERE'S BEEN A NEW
PROCESS FOR PARENTAL
CONTRIBUTORS TO CONFIRM THEIR
IDENTITY. AND IF YOU CAN'T HAVE
YOUR IDENTITY CONFIRMED BY
CONNECTING WITH IR S¼ DATA OR
THROUGH A PROCESS WITH
TRANSUNION, IN WHICH THEY'RE
ASKING IDENTITY BASED QUESTIONS,
UM THERE'S ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTATION THAT INDIVIDUALS
WITHOUT A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
ARE BEING ASKED TO PROVIDE TO A
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY. AS WE
THINK ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S
FINANCIAL AID CYCLE, WHICH I
BELIEVE WE ALL HOPE WILL START
IN OCTOBER RATHER THAN IN
JANUARY NEXT YEAR, UM DEPENDING
ON THE NATIONAL POLITICAL
ENVIRONMENT, THOSE 108,000
STUDENTS THAT I MENTIONED WHO
HAD A PARENT WITHOUT A SOCIAL
SECURITY NUMBER MAY HAVE SOME
ADDITIONAL CONCERN ABOUT SHARING
FAMILY MEMBERS INFORMATION WITH
A FEDERAL AGENCY AS THEY TRY TO
SEEK FINANCIAL AID. DON'T HAVE A
READY MADE SOLUTION FOR YOU
TODAY, BUT I JUST WANNA NOTE
THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE YOU KNOW,
OF COURSE, WON'T BE A BUDGET
HEARING PROCESS AT THAT POINT
FOR US TO NAVIGATE THESE ISSUES
TOGETHER. OK, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. AND, UM I DIDN'T SEE
FINANCE MOVING FORWARD. SO UH,
WELL, ACTUALLY, SOMEBODY FROM
FINANCE IS MOVING FORWARD. I
WILL, UH, CHRIS FERGUSON WITH
FINANCE, UM, TO THE EXTENT THE
LEGISLATURE WERE INTERESTED IN
EXTENDING THAT DEADLINE,
CERTAINLY THE ADMINISTRATION IS
LIKELY IN A POSITION TO SUPPORT
SUCH AN EXTENSION. UM I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT AND IT
WAS GOOD BEFORE I MOVED ON TO
ANOTHER SUBJECT. I WAS GONNA
MAKE A CLOSING COMMENT THAT THAT
IS TOTALLY, UH UH, IN SYNC WITH
AND THAT IS THIS IS OUR HEARING,
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THESE THINGS
WILL MOVE FAST AND IN DIFFERENT
WAYS OUTSIDE THE HEARING, AND I
WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO BE
IN TOUCH TO LET US KNOW. UH WHAT
SOME OF THESE DECISIONS ARE AND
SO THAT WE CAN BE SUPPORTIVE OF
THE RIGHT THING TO SORT OF
PROTECT THE STUDENTS AND DO THIS
ALL IN THE RIGHT PROCESS WAY, SO
I WOULD JUST ASK AS WE CLOSE OUT
THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, UM, THAT
WE UH, REMAIN IN TOUCH ABOUT IT
BECAUSE WE'LL WANT TO DO AND BE
SUPPORTIVE OF THINGS LIKE THAT,
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS
ARE BEST PROTECTED. UM AND YOU
TEED UP THE NEXT SUBJECT IN
DIFFERENT WAYS BECAUSE I WANTED
TO ASK ABOUT THE MIDDLE CLASS
SCHOLARSHIP, AND I THOUGHT WITH
I, I WOULD START WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION, UM, IN ASKING
ABOUT THE RATIONALE FOR
ELIMINATING THE PLANNED
AUGMENTATION IN THE FOR THE
MIDDLE CLASS SCHOLARSHIP AND
WHILE I GET THAT THAT'S A FISCAL
DECISION. WHAT'S THE IMPACT ON
SORT OF THE PROGRAM AND PEOPLE
IN THE PROGRAM BY THAT DECISION?
I'M IN SYNC FROM THE DEPARTMENT
OF FINANCE. DUE TO THE UNCERTAIN
ECONOMIC PICTURE WE'RE FACING
THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET IS
FOREGOING A PLANNED ONE TIME
INVESTMENT IN THE MIDDLE CLASS
SCHOLARSHIP IN THE AMOUNT OF
$289 MILLION THE GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET STILL PROVIDES THE MIDDLE
CLASS SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDENTS.
UM, BUT IT WILL BE AS YOU
POINTED OUT IN A LESS A SLIGHTLY
LESSER AMOUNT THAN WHAT IS IN
THE CURRENT YEAR. THE MIDDLE
CLASS SCHOLARSHIP WILL ACTUALLY
BE REACHING A GREATER NUMBER OF
PARTICIPANTS IN THE UPCOMING
ACADEMIC YEAR THAN IT DOES IN
THE CURRENT YEAR, AND THAT'S IN
THE AMOUNT OF ABOUT 18 MILLION
STUDENTS. THE ADMINISTRATION
REMAINS COMMITTED TO HELPING
STUDENTS WITH THE GREATEST
FINANCIAL NEED VIA THE CAL GRANT
PROGRAM. UM WE UNDERSTAND THAT
ALL STUDENT AID IS MEANINGFUL TO
THE STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE IT, BUT
JUST DUE TO THE ECONOMIC
LIMITATIONS AT THIS TIME, WERE
NOT ABLE TO AUGMENT THE MIDDLE
CLASS SCHOLARSHIP PACKAGE. AND I
APPRECIATE THAT. THE SECOND PART
OF THE QUESTION WAS SORT OF THE
IMPACT AND I GOT A KICK OUT OF
THE FACT THAT WE WOULD CUT A ONE
TIME AUGMENTATION AND MORE
PEOPLE WOULD RECEIVE IT, AND BY
THAT STANDARD, WE SHOULD BE
CUTTING IT DRAMATICALLY. SO WE
COVER EVERYBODY SO AND I KNOW
THAT ISN'T THE REAL NET IMPACT.
SO BY NOT HAVING THAT WHAT DO WE
SEE ON THE OUTCOME SIDE FOR
PEOPLE EITHER RECEIVING LESS IN
DOLLAR AMOUNTS OR LESS NUMBER OF
PEOPLE? I MEAN, WHAT'S THE
ACTUAL IMPACT OF THAT? NOT DOING
THAT? 259 MILLION AND CHRIS
FERGUSON? HAS MIRACULOUSLY MOVED
TO THE MIC. AND UH UH, I, I CAN
HELP A LITTLE BIT HERE. UM SO I
THINK THE NET IMPACT FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE IS YOU'D LIKELY SEE
STUDENTS TAKING ADDITIONAL LOANS
. UM ONE OF THE CORE TENANTS
WHEN WE PUT FORWARD THE MIDDLE
CLASS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, UM
AND WE, UH ALL AGREED TO INCLUDE
IT IN THE BUDGET WAS THAT IT
WOULD HELP OFFSET, UM, STUDENTS
NEED TO TAKE LOANS. UM SO LIKELY
WITH THAT REDUCTION, THAT WOULD
BE THE MORE PRACTICAL IMPACT YOU
WOULD LIKELY SEE. FOR STUDENTS.
OK THANK YOU. WHAT JUST FOR THE
RECORD, WE WOULDN'T LIKE TO HAVE
HAPPEN, BUT THE STUDENT AID
COMMISSION LOOKS POISED TO MAKE
A COMMENT. JUST FOR FURTHER
CONTEXT. CHAIR LAYER THE IMPACT
FOR STUDENTS. UH AND, UH, CHRIS
JUST SPOKE TO THIS. IT UM MEANS
A REDUCTION IN THE PER STUDENT
AWARD AMOUNT THAT THEY WOULD
RECEIVE. UH, IF THIS, UH
COMPARED TO WHETHER THIS ONGOING
APPROPRIATE OR ONE TIME
APPROPRIATION WERE MAINTAINED,
SO JUST FOR REFERENCE IN THIS
PAST OR THIS CURRENT YEAR FOR 20
, THREE 24. WE ESTIMATE A MIDDLE
CLASS SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS WILL
AVERAGE AT AROUND $5300. IN 2425
, BASED ON THE FUNDING LEVEL
PRESENTED IN THE GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET. WE'D ESTIMATE THAT THE
PER STUDENT AWARD AMOUNT WOULD
AVERAGE TO BE $3700. AND WHEN
THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT SAID THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE RECEIVING IT
WOULD IS GOING TO INCREASE, BUT
THIS REDUCTION OR NON FUNDING
PIECE WILL HAPPEN. THAT REALLY
MEANS THAT THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE
RECEIVING IT AT LESSER AMOUNT
THAN WOULD HAPPEN IF THIS WERE
IN THE BUDGET IS THAT CORRECT?
THAT'S CORRECT. I I TYPICALLY
DESCRIBE MIDDLE CLASS
SCHOLARSHIP AS A QUASI
ENTITLEMENT. IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE,
YOU'LL BE IN THE PROGRAM. IT'S
BASED ON THE FUNDING LEVEL, THE
TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN THE
PROGRAM AND THOSE OTHER SOURCES
OF AID THAT THEY RECEIVE THAT
INFORM THE UNMET NEED
CALCULATION WHERE WE THEN
IDENTIFY FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL
STUDENT THEIR SPECIFIC AWARD
AMOUNT, AND THIS MAY BE A SEGUE
INTO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM
SINCE THAT'S THE THING JUST TO
DRILL DOWN A LITTLE MORE. I IF
THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THERE
WILL BE A FEW MORE PEOPLE.
EVERYBODY GETTING LESS. IT
DOESN'T CHANGE YOUR
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS BECAUSE YOU
WILL STILL HAVE TO ADMINISTER.
UH, ACTUALLY MORE PEOPLE. AND SO
THERE'S NOT A REDUCTION IN
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. ANY
REDUCTION WOULD BE TAKEN TOTALLY
THROUGH THE GRANT AMOUNT. IS
THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, OK
AND IT AND IT IS DISCONCERTING
THAT PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO MOVE
TO LAWS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE TRYING NOT TO DO WITH OUR
STUDENT AID SYSTEM. I DON'T KNOW
IF ANY OF THE SEGMENTS HAVE ANY
COMMENTS. ON THIS. UM I'LL JUST
SAY YOU SEE, YEAH. UM UH, FROM U
èC. UM, THE WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THE IDEA AROUND
MIDDLE CLASS SCHOLARSHIP,
ADDRESSING THE TOTAL COST OF
ATTENDANCE WHEN YOU DO HAVE A
PROGRAM THAT DOES, WHICH IS OUR
OWN INSTITUTIONAL AID PROGRAM
DOES AS WELL. THAT MEANS IF YOU
ARE NOT CONSTANTLY INCREASING
THE SIZE OF THE PROGRAM. YOU'RE
FALLING BEHIND BECAUSE OUR
STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE FACING
INFLATION EVERY YEAR. REGARDLESS
SO I DO THINK, AS, UM THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE SAID. THAT
PROBABLY MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING
TO LOSE GROUND IN TRYING TO
ACHIEVE OUR DEBT FREE PACKAGE
FOR PACKAGES FOR ALL OF OUR
STUDENTS, AND I KNOW THE
ORIGINAL AUTHOR OF THE MIDDLE
CLASS. UH UH, SCHOLARSHIP
HAPPENS TO BE A MEMBER OF THE
BOARD OF REGENTS NOW, SO I
IMAGINE THERE'S SOME VIGILANCE
AT THAT LEVEL ABOUT THIS
PROGRAM. YES, THERE IS. YES.
GREAT. THANK YOU. UM AND I. I
THINK THAT SORT OF COVERED WHERE
, UH, I WANTED TO GO ON THAT
SUBJECT AND THEN LET'S GO. UM
THE LAST SUBJECT I WANT TO ASK
ABOUT WAS THE CAL GRANT EQUITY
FRAMEWORK, AND IT WAS SCHEDULED
TO REALLY KICK IN IN A LOT OF
WAYS AND, UH AND, UM OF THE
BUDGET YEAR AND SO MAYBE I WOULD
START WITH THE STUDENT AID AND I
HAVE TO SAY DESPITE MY WAR AND
ACRONYMS. CSC IS ALSO THE COUNTY
SUPERVISOR FOR COUNTY
ASSOCIATION, AND OCCASIONALLY I
SEE èC SAC IN THIS AGENDA, AND
I THINK, WHY DO THE COUNTIES
CARE ABOUT STUDENT AID? SO, UM
SO WHAT'S THE UPDATE ON THE
IMPLEMENTATION FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVE? YEAH, THANK YOU.
CHAIR LAIRD, AND I'LL PROVIDE AN
UPDATE ON THE CURRENT FISCAL
PROJECTIONS AND ESTIMATES THAT
WE HAVE ON STUDENT IMPACT. UH,
IMPLEMENTING èC. GRANT REFORM
REQUIRES ONE TIME COSTS. UH,
OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR YEARS
DUE TO THE GRANDFATHERING OF ANY
STUDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY
RECEIVING A èC GRANT UNDER THE
EXISTING MODEL FOR THE PROGRAM
ALONGSIDE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
CAL GRANT REFORM. IN THOSE
INITIAL YEARS, IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE CAL GRANT REFORM MODEL AS IT
RAMPS UP. THERE ARE THESE COSTS
THAT ARE BOTH ONE TIME IN NATURE
AND ONGOING IN NATURE. BASED ON
OUR, UH MOST RECENT ESTIMATES,
THIS WOULD REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL
, UH, ONGOING APPROPRIATION OF
$195 MILLION ANNUALLY WITH THOSE
ONE TIME COST BY YEAR OVER A
FOUR YEAR PERIOD. BUT I, UH,
PROJECTED $51 MILLION FOR THE
2425 YEAR. THESE NUMBERS ARE
LOWER THAN THE LAST AVAILABLE
NUMBERS PROVIDED WHEN THE MAY
REVISION WAS BEING CONSIDERED IN
2022, BECAUSE OUR MODELING AT
THE STUDENT AID COMMISSION IS
BASED ON THE LATEST ACTUAL DATA
AND STUDENTS APPLYING FOR AID,
AND WE'VE SEEN SOME CHANGES IN
THE NATURE OF, UH, FINANCIAL AID
APPLICATIONS AND WHO'S ACTUALLY
BEING PAID A COW GRANT AWARD?
UH, THE DROP THAT WE'VE SEEN IN
FINANCIAL AID APPLICANTS, UM,
HAS COME FROM A SPECIFIC STUDENT
POPULATION THAT'S REFERRED TO
OUR COMPETITIVE CAL GRANT
PROGRAM, WHICH YOU MIGHT RECALL
AS THE PROGRAM. IMPACTED IT'S A
LIMITED NUMBER OF AWARDS FOR
STUDENTS WHO DON'T MEET THE
CRITERIA OF OUR OTHER CAL GRANT
ENTITLEMENTS. SO SINCE THE
CREATION OF THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE CAL GRANT ENTITLEMENT.
THIS PROGRAM IS ONLY SERVED
STUDENTS FROM OUR FOUR YEAR
INSTITUTIONS WHERE THERE'S A
HIGHER PER STUDENT AWARD AMOUNT.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE SEEING.
THE COST CHANGE IS THAT THERE
ARE FEWER OF THESE STUDENTS IN
THE COMPETITIVE CAL GRANT
PROGRAM, WHO WOULD BE FUNDED
UNDER CAL GRANT REFORM, BUT WHO
ARE CURRENTLY OFTEN WHAT WE
WOULD REFER TO AS ELIGIBLE BUT
UNFUNDED DUE TO THE LIMITED
NATURE OF THE COMPETITIVE CAL
AWARDS. UH, THESE ESTIMATES I
HAVE TO THANK OUR COLLEAGUES AT
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE
FOR, UM, HELPING SUPPORT US. IN
THE PROCESS OF REFINING THESE
NUMBERS. THEY INCLUDE, OF COURSE
, THE PLANNED TUITION INCREASES
AT THE UNIVERSITIES AS WELL AS
REASONABLE ENROLMENT GROWTH
ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE'VE APPLIED
CONSISTENTLY FOR BOTH THE
EXISTING CAL GRANT MODEL AND CAL
GRANT REFORM SO THAT OVER THIS
FIVE YEAR PERIOD THAT WE'VE
FORECASTED OUR BUDGET YEAR PLUS
FIVE YOU'RE COMPARING APPLES TO
APPLES. TERMS OF STUDENT IMPACT.
UM THE TRENDS ARE VERY
CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE
DISCUSSED IN PRIOR YEARS BY
IMPLEMENTING AND FUNDING CAL
GRANT REFORM. WE'D OPEN THE
DOORS TO FINANCIAL AID FOR OVER
137,000 NEWLY ELIGIBLE STUDENTS
WHO ARE CURRENTLY LEFT OUT OF
THE EXISTING CAL GRANT PROGRAM.
AND THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE
CURRENTLY LEFT OUT OF CAL GRANT
NOT DUE TO THEIR FINANCIAL
STATUS, BUT DUE TO OTHER
RESTRICTIONS BASED ON GPA AT
COMMUNITY COLLEGE TIME SINCE
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION OR THEIR
AGE. AND THEN A FOLLOW UP TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. WHICH IS
THAT THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT ON
THE EQUITY FRAMEWORK SAID THAT
IT WOULD BE TRIGGERED IF THERE
WERE CERTAIN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT
YOU CALL IT. THE MONEY'S THERE.
UH UH UH, IN THE FUTURE YEARS,
AND IT APPEARS THAT THE MONEY
ISN'T THERE. UH UH. COULD YOU
COMMENT ON SORT OF WHAT THE
NATURE OF THE TRIGGER IS AND HOW
FAR WE MIGHT BE FROM IT. AND
JUST HOW YOU MAKE THAT
ASSESSMENT AT THIS POINT. I'M IN
SYNC FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. UH THE GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET DOES NOT PROPOSE ANY
CHANGES TO THAT ORIGINAL CAL
GRANT EQUITY FRAMEWORK. UM AS
FOR WHETHER THAT TRIGGER HAS
BEEN REACHED, THE ADMINISTRATION
REMAINS ATTENTIVE TO THE ISSUE
OF CAL GRANT REFORM. BUT GIVEN
THE CURRENT UM, ECONOMIC
SITUATION AND THE COST TO
IMPLEMENT THAT PROGRAM. IT DOES
NOT APPEAR THAT THAT TRIGGER HAS
BEEN REACHED AT THIS TIME, BUT
WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS THROUGHOUT THE
SPRING PROCESS. WE CAN SEE THAT.
YOUR COLLEAGUE STANDING UP AND
THE THING ABOUT IT IS I'M
INTERESTED IN YOU KNOW THE WONKY
QUESTION ABOUT ARE WE ANYWHERE
NEAR THE TRIGGER, OR ARE WE NOW
WAY FAR AWAY FROM THE TRIGGER?
UM I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT
YOU WERE STANDING UP TO TALK
ABOUT. I WAS, I THINK FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE. YOU KNOW THAT'S A
DECISION. I DON'T THINK WE CAN
SPEAK TO WHETHER YOU KNOW
RESOURCES ARE THERE ARE NOT
THERE AT THIS POINT. UM THE
AGREEMENT WAS IN LAW. IT SAYS
THE DECISION WOULD BE MADE IN
MAY, AND WE CONTINUE TO REAFFIRM
THAT THAT DECISION WOULD BE IN
MAY WITHOUT COMMENT ON YOU KNOW
WHETHER RESOURCES ARE THERE NOW
OR NOT? BUT I GUESS IT JUST GOES
WITHOUT SAYING HARD TO IMAGINE
THE RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE
THERE. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU YOU.
YOU WERE JUST DISTINCTLY NOT
TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT QUESTION,
BUT IT IT'S PRETTY HARD TO SEE
THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE THERE, YOU
KNOW? YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE
YOU'RE CORRECT IN THAT, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE HONORING THE
AGREEMENT. UM, BUT CERTAINLY
BASED ON THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET.
THERE WERE CERTAIN, UM FISCAL
CHALLENGES. UM THAT WE HAD TO
WORK THROUGH. THANK YOU. MHM AND
THEN LET ME ASK THE STUDENT AID
COMMISSION AND THE AND THE
DIFFERENT SEGMENTS ARE THERE.
ANY PIECES OF THIS THAT YOU
THINK YOU CAN START TO MOVE ON.
ABSENT. SORT OF TRIGGERING THIS,
UH, II. I JUST THAT'S A VERY
GENERIC QUESTION. I'LL START
WITH THE STUDENT AID COMMISSION
AND THEN SEE IF THERE'S ANY
RESPONSE FROM THE SEGMENTS. SURE
CHAIR LAD. IT IS A GENERIC, BUT
DEEP QUESTION AND ONE THAT, UM
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
RESPOND TO, AS YOU KNOW, FOR
MANY YEARS STUDENTS, EQUITY
ADVOCATES, POLICY MAKERS HAVE
ENVISIONED FINANCIAL AID THAT'S
SIMPLER, MORE TRANSPARENT. THAT
SERVES STUDENTS IN A WAY THAT
THE CURRENT CAL GRANT PROGRAM
DOES NOT. THAT VISION REMAINS
CENTRAL TO EFFORTS TO REBUILD
ENROLLMENT. PROVIDE ACCESS TO
HIGHER EDUCATION DESPITE THE
BUDGETARY CONTEXT, AND WE ALSO
RECOGNIZE THE CURRENT FISCAL
CLIMATE AND THAT ACHIEVING THE
FULL VISION FOR CAL GRANT
REFORM, AS ADOPTED IN 2022 MAY
REQUIRE A MULTI STEP PROCESS,
THOUGH AS I SPOKE TO YOU IN MY
EARLIER COMMENTS ABOUT THE COST
ESTIMATE, REALLY ONE TIME
INVESTMENTS WILL BE NECESSARY,
REALLY, REGARDLESS OF THE PATH
CHOSEN. IF YOU WANT TO MOVE
TOWARD RESTRUCTURING THE PROGRAM
, SO WE'RE PREPARED TO ADVISE
THE LEGISLATURE AND
ADMINISTRATION AND FINDING A
PATH THAT ACHIEVES GOALS. THOSE
FISCAL CONSTRAINTS. INITIAL
STEPS TO IMPLEMENT èC GRANT
REFORM CAN TAKE MULTIPLE SHAPES.
POLICYMAKERS HAVE OPTIONS TO
INCREASE OR DECREASE THE NUMBER
OF STUDENTS ELIGIBLE THROUGH
EXISTING RESTRICTIONS. AS I
SPOKE TO YOU ON INCOME GPA AGE
TIME SINCE HIGH SCHOOL OR
INCREASING DECREASING AWARD
AMOUNTS. EACH OF THESE OPTIONS,
OF COURSE, HAS ITS OWN COST AND
BENEFITS, ANY INCREASE IN
ELIGIBILITY OR AN AWARD SIZE TO
THE CURRENT CAL GRANT PROGRAM,
OF COURSE, REQUIRES ADDITIONAL
ONGOING FUNDING. ONE OPTION IN
THAT CATEGORY IS TO IS, UH, LOOK
AT AN INCREASE OR AN ANNUAL COST
OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR NON
TUITION AWARDS FOR COMMUNITY
COLLEGE STUDENTS. UNDER CAL
REFORM. THERE'S A PROVISION FOR
A COLA ON CALVERT TWO AWARDS FOR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS, AND
THAT'S TO ENSURE THAT ITS
PURCHASING POWER DOESN'T ERODE
OVER TIME AS WE SEE THOSE NON
TUITION COSTS INCREASE, UNLIKE
CALVER AWARDS AT PUBLIC
UNIVERSITIES, WHERE THERE'S A
COMPONENT TIED TO TUITION
INCREASES, CAL GRANT AWARDS FOR
NON TUITION COSTS CURRENTLY
REQUIRE BUDGET ACTION TO
INCREASE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO
GAPS IN CAL GRANT FUNDING
BETWEEN SEGMENTS RELATIVE TO THE
NUMBER IN THE FINANCIAL NEED OF
STUDENTS. THAT OPTION, OF COURSE
, DOESN'T ACHIEVE SIMPLIFICATION
THROUGH RESTRUCTURING OF THE CAL
GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE KNOW
POLICYMAKERS HAVE ENVISIONED AND
THAT WE UNDERSTAND IS SO
BENEFICIAL TO STUDENTS WITH THAT
TRANSPARENCY AND PREDICTABILITY.
AND UH, AN AWARD INCREASE NOW
FURTHER INCREASES THE FUTURE
COSTS OF COW GRANT REFORM AND
REQUIRES NEW, ONGOING FUNDING UP
FRONT. OTHER OPTIONS COULD BE
ACHIEVED THROUGH ONE TIME
INVESTMENTS AND THAT WOULD, UM,
SET UP FUTURE YEARS FOR
INVESTMENTS OF ONGOING FUNDING.
AND THAT WOULD BE DONE BY
RESTRUCTURING THE CAL GRANT
PROGRAM ALONG THE LINES ADOPTED
IN 2022 AND IN STATUTE, WHILE
MAINTAINING SOME OF THE EXISTING
ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS THAT
WOULD LIMIT THE ONGOING COSTS.
THIS RESTRUCTURING. UH, AS
SPEAKS TO IN YOUR AGENDA
STREAMLINES THE CURRENT EIGHT
DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF CAL
GRANT INTO TWO CAL GRANT TWO FOR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS AND A
CAL GRANT FOR STUDENTS AT FOUR
YEAR INSTITUTIONS AND ALIGNS
THOSE WITH THE INCOME
ELIGIBILITY. UH, WITH THAT FOR
THE FEDERAL PELL GRANT. SO UNDER
THE CURRENT CAL GRANT PROGRAM.
THERE IS A, UM LIMITATION FOR
GPA. FOR OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE
STUDENTS, THE 2.0 MINIMUM THAT
DOESN'T REALLY TRACK WITH THE
OPEN ACCESS NATURE OF THOSE
INSTITUTIONS AND, UM ONE OPTION
THAT THE LEGISLATURE COULD THE
GOVERNOR COULD CONSIDER WOULD BE
TO IMPLEMENT A èC GRANT IN 22
AND FOUR SYSTEM WHILE
MAINTAINING A 2.0 GPA
REQUIREMENT OF SOME KIND FOR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS THAT
LIMITS HOW MANY STUDENTS YOU
BRING IN PARTICULARLY OLDER AND
NONTRADITIONAL QUOTE UNQUOTE
STUDENTS WHO IN MANY INSTANCES
QUALIFY FOR THE LARGER SIX
DOLLARS. STUDENTS WITH DEPENDENT
CHILDREN GRANT AND, UM THE PIECE
. I WOULD NOTE HERE THAT YOU
COULD ALSO CONSIDER IN
MAINTAINING SOME KIND OF GPA
REQUIREMENT. CURRENT LAW
REQUIRES THAT STUDENTS COMPLETE
16 UNITS TO RE-ESTABLISH THEIR
GPA IF THEY DON'T COME IN WITH
THE HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT WITH
THE TWO POINT Ó GPA, YOU COULD
LOOK AT AN OPTION TO TRADE A,
UH, SOFTEN THAT REQUIREMENT AND
PERHAPS LOWER THE NUMBER OF
UNITS THAT A COMMUNITY COLLEGE
STUDENT WOULD NEED TO COMPLETE
IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH THAT TWO
POINT Ó GPA. ANOTHER OPTION. AS
I JUST SPOKE TO MANY OF THE
STUDENTS WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE
UNDER CAL GRANT REFORM ARE
STUDENT PARENTS. CURRENT STATUTE
REQUIRES THAT IF THERE'S NOT
SUFFICIENT FUNDING TO SUSTAIN
THE STUDENT WITH DEPENDENT
CHILDREN GRANTS MAXIMUM AWARD
THE $6000 THAT WE PROVIDE TO
ELIGIBLE STUDENT PARENTS FOR
THEIR ADDITIONAL COSTS IT PRO
RATES THE AWARDS DOWN SO YOU
COULD THINK OF IT IN A WAY LIKE
MIDDLE CLASS SCHOLARSHIP. UH
OVER 45,000 STUDENTS OF THE
137,000 STUDENTS THAT WE MAKE
ELIGIBLE THROUGH CAL GRANT
REFORM OUR STUDENT PARENTS, SO
ANOTHER OPTION YOU CAN CONSIDER
WOULD BE INSTITUTING CAL GRANT
TWO AND FOUR. FULLY ELIMINATING
THE GPA REQUIREMENT BUT ALLOWING
THOSE AWARDS TO FALL FOR
STUDENTS. UH STUDENT PARENTS,
UM, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE
SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE OF 3 TO
$4000 PER RECIPIENT. RIGHT NOW
THOSE 45,000 STUDENT PARENTS WHO
ARE OUT OF THE PROGRAM, THEY
RECEIVE $0 IN STATE AID THROUGH
THE CAL GRANT PROGRAM. SO THIS
WOULD, UM MEAN THAT THERE'S A
REDUCTION IN THE PER STUDENT
AWARD AMOUNT, BUT THERE WOULD BE
A BROADER BASE OF ACCESS FOR
STUDENT PARENTS INTO THE CAL
GRANT PROGRAM. BOTH OF THESE
OPTIONS ACHIEVE THE CAL GRANT TO
ENFORCE STRUCTURE AND SET UP
FUTURE INVESTMENT IN A CLEAR WAY
, THE LAST OPTION THAT I'LL NOTE
HERE WOULD BE UTILIZING LOWER
INCOME CEILINGS. UM, THIS WAS
CONSIDERED PREVIOUSLY BACK IN
2021 CAL GRANT LEGISLATION AT
THAT TIME FEATURED SLIGHTLY
LOWER INCOME CEILINGS FOR THE
CAL GRANT FOUR PROGRAM. AND OF
COURSE, SINCE THEN, WE'VE SEEN
MORE INVESTMENT TOWARD THE
MIDDLE CLASS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
THAT SUPPORTS OUR U èC AND èC
S¼ U STUDENTS. AND, OF COURSE,
THE TRADE OFF THAT YOU WEIGH
THERE IS THAT WE WOULD THEN SEE
FEWER OF OUR FOUR YEAR STUDENTS
RECEIVING A CAL GRANT THAN THEY
WOULD UNDER THE CURRENT
STATUTORY FRAMEWORK THAT WAS
ADOPTED BACK IN 2022. SO UM,
THERE ARE TRADEOFFS WITH ALL OF
THESE OPTIONS AS YOU CAN HEAR.
WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA PREPARED
YET. WE'VE BEEN, UM, RESPONDING
TO THE REQUEST FROM THE
COMMITTEE AND FROM THE ASSEMBLY
AS WELL TO FIND THAT AND ARE
HAPPY TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH
THE LEGISLATURE AND
ADMINISTRATION TO NOT ONLY
ASSESS THE BROADER FISCAL
LANDSCAPE, BUT IF, UH ANY OF
THESE OPTIONS SHOULD BE
ENTERTAINED FOR ADOPTION AND
THIS YEAR OR IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ARE
THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM ANY OF
THE SEGMENTS ON THIS? GINA BROWN
, CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE. CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY COLLEGES NOT WAVERED
IN OUR SUPPORT TO HAVE FUNDING
FOR CAL GRANT REFORM INCLUDED IN
THE 2425 BUDGET, HOWEVER. WE ARE
SUPPORTIVE. WE WOULD BE
SUPPORTIVE OF A PHASED IN
APPROACH THAT INCORPORATED THE
CAL GRANT TWO COMPONENTS OR MANY
OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT JAKE ARE
THE OPTIONS THAT HE OUTLINED
THAT I HE COULD BAR FAR BETTER
ARTICULATE THAN I COULD. THAT IS
HOW WE SUPPORT THE
IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS A PHASED
IN IMPLEMENTATION. OK? I DON'T
SEE PEOPLE REACHING FOR THE MIC.
THIS. I THIS IS SEAN BRICK FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SO
I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO REVIEW
SOME OF THESE ALTERNATIVE PHASE
IN PROPOSALS TO UNDERSTAND THE
IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS. UM UH,
SO IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO COMMENT
ON ON THE THESE PROPOSALS.
SPECIFICALLY UM, GIVEN ALL OF
THE CHURN AND CHAOS THIS YEAR,
UM OUR PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO
TALK ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO IN
2526 WITH A FULL CAL GRANT
REFORM. THE CAL GRANT REFORM
WOULD BENEFIT STUDENTS AND WE DO
APPRECIATE DEFINITELY THE
SIMPLIFICATION, UM, GIVEN ALL OF
THE CHAOS THIS YEAR RIGHT NOW, A
CHANGE IN POLICY AFTER WE'VE
TRIED TO ESTIMATE WHO IS
QUALIFYING FOR CAL GRANTS WOULD
BE VERY CHALLENGING. I THINK FOR
OUR CAMPUSES AND FOR OUR
STUDENTS AND I THINK CSU IS
REACHING FOR THE MIC NÓ GONZALEZ
AGAIN FOR THE èC S¼ U AGREE
WITH THE U èC THAT WITH ALL THE
CHAOS AND ALL THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE'VE HAD THIS YEAR, I
THINK IT WOULD NOT SIMPLIFY THE
PROCESS FOR 2425, BUT TO LOOK
FOR IT FOR IN THE 2526 YEAR. IF
WE DO A PHASE IN FOR THIS
CURRENT YEAR I WOULD HATE TO SEE
A REDUCTION TO THE INCOME
CEILINGS BECAUSE THAT, COUPLED
WITH THE REDUCTION IN MIDDLE
CLASS SCHOLARSHIP WOULD GREATLY
AFFECT OUR LOW MIDDLE INCOME AND
MIDDLE INCOME STUDENTS WHERE
THEY WOULD NOW SEE A SIGNIFICANT
REDUCTION OF THEIR AID, UM OF
AID AVAILABLE TO THEM FOR THE
2425 YEAR. OK? THE LAST COMMENTS
ON THIS SUBJECT. THEN. UM, LET
ME MAKE AN OVERALL. COMMENT ON
THIS ITEM BECAUSE I THINK THAT
COMPLETES THE QUESTIONS THAT I
HAVE AND IT WHEN WE WORKED HARD
ON THE ISSUE OF REFORM, AND TO
SOME EXTENT, EXPANSION IN THE
2021 AND THEN 2022 BUDGET
PROCESSES. UM, THE IDEA WAS THAT
IN IN MANY WAYS THE SYSTEM UP
UNTIL THAT TIME HAD JUST BEEN
LIMITED IN MONEY AND USED ALL
THESE DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE
SYSTEM TO LIMIT WHO GOT IT JUST
BASED ON THE FACT THAT THERE WAS
A LIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND
IT WAS OUR GOAL TO TRY TO
REVERSE THIS AND GET TO THE
POINT THAT WE WERE TRYING TO
LOOK AT THE NEED AND ADDRESS IT
WITH FUNDING AND MOVE PAST FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME,
WHERE WE HAD BEEN WITH THE
STUDENT AID SYSTEM AND WE MADE
GREAT PROGRESS AND THEN ALSO HAD
THE EQUITY FRAMEWORK SCHEDULED
TO KICK IN, AND WE'RE NOW FACING
ALL THESE DIFFERENT REALITIES.
SOME OF THEM ARE PROCESSED
REALITIES THAT WE TALK TO ABOUT,
UH, FAFSA, SOME IS THE REDUCTION
OF OR THE NOT FUNDING THE ONE
TIME THING FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS?
UH, A SCHOLARSHIP. AND WE'RE
FACING THIS HORRIBLE SITUATION
WHICH PUTS US BACK TO WHERE WE
WERE PRIOR TO 2021 AND 2022,
WHICH IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
DIFFERENT WAYS THAT MIGHT LIMIT
WHAT GOES OUT TO MATCH THE
RESOURCES THAT WERE AVAILABLE,
AND I RECOGNIZE THAT WE MAY HAVE
TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, GIVEN
THE REAL BUDGET SHORTFALL, BUT I
DON'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE
FACT THAT WE MADE ALL THAT
PROGRESS AND WE TRIED TO REVERSE
WHAT OUR ETHIC WAS. SORT OF FUND
THE NEED. WE DIDN'T. TO BE
HONEST, WE MADE GREAT PROGRESS,
BUT THERE WERE STILL LOTS OF
THINGS BESIDES THE EQUITY
FRAMEWORK THAT THAT WE WEREN'T
ABLE TO DO. WE WEREN'T ABLE TO
DO SOME THINGS INTO THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE REALM THAT
THAT EXISTED FOR THE OTHER
SEGMENTS. AND SO I WOULD JUST
SORT OF NOTE WHERE WE ARE, UH UM
BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET SHORTFALL,
BUT WHERE WE WANT TO BE POLICY
WISE AND WHERE WE WANT TO BE
WITH REGARD TO THE MONEY THAT WE
PUT INTO IT. THE LAST THING I
WANT TO HEAR IS SOME ACTION
WE'RE TAKING IS GONNA CAUSE
PEOPLE TO HAVE TO TAKE STUDENT
LOANS AND THAT WE WILL DELAY THE
EQUITY FRAMEWORK BECAUSE WE JUST
DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO TRIGGER
IT. AND SO I JUST THOUGHT IN
SOME I WOULD OFFER THOSE
COMMENTS AND THEN WE WILL WORK
WITH YOU ON THE SHORT TERM
THINGS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN SUCH AS
WHAT MR FERGUSON SAID WHEN HE
WAS, UH AT THE MIC ABOUT A
PREVIOUS SUBJECT AND THEN TRY TO
DO OUR BEST TO TRIAGE, HIS BEST
AS POSSIBLE IN WHATEVER HAPPENS
WITH THE BUDGET, GIVEN WHEREVER
THE DEFICIT IS AT THAT POINT, SO
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE
COULD HAVE A THOUGHTFUL
CONVERSATION HERE TODAY AND WE
WILL JUST MOVE FORWARD WITHIN
THOSE REALITIES. AND THANK YOU
FOR ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU. FOR ALL OF YOU FOR
BEING PREPARED. IT WAS CLEAR YOU
ANTICIPATED SOME OF THE
QUESTIONS A, AND SO THAT WAS
GREAT, AND WE WILL JUST MOVE
FORWARD AS I WANT AND TRY TO DO
OUR BEST IN THE BUDGET YEAR. SO
THANK YOU. UH UH, FOR BEING HERE
TODAY, AND I'M CONFIDENT WHEN WE
GET TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE
END OF THE THIRD ITEM, THERE
WILL BE PEOPLE ADDRESSING THIS
ISSUE. SO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE
TO ISSUE NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS
COLLEGE OF THE LAW. UH, WE HAVE
GOVER. WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE THE LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST'S OFFICE. AND UH UM THE
CHANCELLOR AND DEAN. I BELIEVE
HERE, UH, TO PRESENT TO US AND
HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. SO
WELCOME TO, UH THE COMMITTEE.
AND WE, UM WE WILL BEGIN WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND
THEN GO TO THE LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST. IS MOVING TO GIVE
BALANCE TO THE, UH YEAH. HOW WE
FACE THE PANELISTS HERE AND THEN
WE'LL GO TO THE A CHANCELLOR AND
DEAN AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER HERE
FROM, UH FROM THE SCHOOL AS WELL
, TOO, TO DO BACKUP QUESTIONS IN
CASE THERE'S ANY REALLY WONKY
BUDGET STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE
ANSWERED. SO WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE. UM GOOD MORNING CHAIR
. UM GABRIELA CHÁVEZ WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE THE
COLLEGE OF THE LAW. SAN
FRANCISCO IS AFFILIATED WITH THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SYSTEM
BUT IS GOVERNED BY ITS
INDEPENDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THE COLLEGE PRIMARILY ENROLLS
STUDENTS SEEKING A JURY DOCTOR J
Dð. BUT IT ALSO OFFERS THREE LAW
RELATED MASTER'S PROGRAM,
INCLUDING A JOINT HEALTH POLICY
AND LOVE PROGRAM WITH U, èC SAN
FRANCISCO. CULTURE OF THE LAST
SAN FRANCISCO EXPECTS TO ENROLL
APPROXIMATELY 1050 THREE
RESIDENT STUDENTS IN 2024 25.
988 WOULD BE Kò Dð STUDENTS THE
TOTAL RATIONS FEES FOR THE J Tð
PROGRAM IN 2024 25 IS 5625. THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET INCLUDES AN
INCREASE OF 2.2 MILLION IN
ONGOING GENERAL FUND TO SUPPORT
OPERATING COSTS. THIS REPRESENTS
A 3% INCREASE IN BA
AUGMENTATION. HAPPY TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. CHAIR.
I INCLINE WITH THE L A Ó. AS
MENTIONED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET
INCLUDES A $2.2 MILLION GENERAL
FUND BASED AUGMENTATION, GIVEN
THE BUDGET SITUATION FACING THE
STATE. WE RECOMMEND THAT THE
LEGISLATURE REJECT THIS PROPOSAL
NOW, UNLIKE U èC AND èC S¼ U,
WHICH HAD THEIR PROPOSED BASE
AUGMENTATIONS DEFERRED IN THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET. IT WAS
EXPLAINED TO US THAT THE COLLEGE
OF THE LAW WAS PROVIDED WITH A
BASE AUGMENTATION. AS THAT
COLLEGE IS A SMALLER AGENCY WITH
LESS ACCESS TO BORROWING AND
SMALLER RESERVES. HOWEVER EVEN
WITHOUT A BASE AUGMENTATION, THE
SCHOOL WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO,
UH, COVER SOME COMPONENTS OF
THEIR 2425 SPENDING PLAN FROM
OTHER REVENUE GENERATED FROM
OTHER SOURCES, PRIMARILY FROM
TUITION FEE REVENUE. AH, WITH
THAT, I CONCLUDE, AND I'M HAPPY
TO ANSWER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND NOW
WE'LL MOVE. TO THE COLLEGE OF
THE LAW. WELCOME. THANK YOU. UH,
GOOD MORNING. UH, THE COMMITTEE.
THERE WE GO. I AM DAVID FEN, THE
CHANCELLOR AND DEAN OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COLLEGE
OF THE LAW OF SAN FRANCISCO. IT
WAS ON. UH, LET ME BEGIN BY
EXPRESSING MY DEEP GRATITUDE TO
THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE AND
THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THE
STRONG SUPPORT WE'VE RECEIVED.
OVER THE YEARS I HAVE BEEN A
FACULTY MEMBER AT U èC SAN
FRANCISCO FORMER U èC HASTINGS
SINCE 1987 AND DEAN SINCE 2016.
THE STATE HAS BEEN EXTRAORDINARY
SUPPORTER INDEED, PARTNER OF OUR
INSTITUTION THROUGHOUT MY TIME
AT THE SCHOOL. I HOPE THAT STATE
HAS APPRECIATED WHAT WE'VE
ACCOMPLISHED WITH THAT SUPPORT
FOR OVER 50 YEARS, WE'VE HAD A
ROBUST ADMISSIONS POLICY OF
ENSURING ACCESS TO
UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS,
INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE
OVERCOME SYSTEMIC DISADVANTAGES
AND THOSE THAT ARE FIRST
GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS.
THAT WORK HAS BEEN LED BY OUR
LEGAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY
PROGRAM BEGUN IN 1970 THROUGH
WHICH APPROXIMATELY 20% OF OUR
CLASSES DEDICATED TO STUDENTS
WHO ARE SUCCESSFULLY OVERCOME
SEVERE ADVANTAGES. OVER THE LAST
FIVE YEARS, WE'VE EXPANDED THAT
COMMITMENT TO OUR FIRST GEN
PROGRAM, AND NOW ABOUT 24% OF
OUR CLASS WERE THE FIRST IN
THEIR FAMILIES TO GO TO COLLEGE.
IN ADDITION, SINCE I BECAME DEAN
IN 2016, WE HAVE INITIATED AN
EXPANSION OF OUR FOOTPRINT IN
THE HEART OF SAN FRANCISCO,
WHICH HAS PRIMARILY INVOLVED THE
BUILDING OF STUDENT HOUSING. IN
AUGUST OF 2023. WE OPENED OUR
NEW 14 STORY BUILDING WITH 656
UNITS OF HOUSING THAT IS NOT
JUST FOR U èC LAW STUDENTS BUT
IS OPEN TO GRADUATE STUDENTS
FROM BAY AREA PROGRAMS,
INCLUDING A THIRD DEDICATED TO U
, S¼, F, WARNERS AND ADDITIONAL
UNITS OCCUPIED BY GRADUATE
STUDENTS FROM OTHER INSTITUTIONS
OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE BAY
AREA. IN SHORT, WE ARE THANKFUL
FOR THE STATE'S SUPPORT
THROUGHOUT OUR 146 YEAR HISTORY
AND FULLY ENDORSE THE GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET RECOMMENDATION FOR THE
COLLEGE THIS YEAR. WE WELL
UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET CHALLENGES
FACED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
AND APPRECIATE THE L A Ó S¼
RECOMMENDATION SEEKING AVENUES
TO REDUCE SPENDING, INCLUDING
IDENTIFYING THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN
FOR UC LAW. THIS YEAR, HOWEVER,
THE Ó A Ó ITSELF EXPLAINS WHY
ITS RECOMMENDATION ISN'T VIABLE
FOR LAW. QUOTE THE GOVERNOR DOES
NOT PROPOSE TO DEFER THE SPACE
AUGMENTATION AS HE DOES WITH THE
U èC AND èC S¼ U BASED
AUGMENTATION. THE ADMINISTRATION
INDICATES IT TOOK A DIFFERENT
APPROACH FOR LAW BECAUSE IT IT
IS A SMALL AGENCY WITH LESS
ACCESS TO BORROWING. I WANT TO
ALSO NOTE THAT WE DO NOT EXPECT
DECLINING J Dð ENROLLMENTS THIS
YEAR LAST YEAR WAS AN UNUSUAL
YEAR BECAUSE OF ANOTHER SCHOOL'S
BERATED DECISION TO ADMIT A
LARGER CLASS, WHICH NEGATIVELY
AFFECTED OUR YIELD WEIGHT IN THE
YEAR. OUR TARGET THIS YEAR IS
THE SAME AS IT WAS LAST YEAR,
AND WE HAVE NÓ REASON TO EXPECT
A REPEAT OF WHAT OCCURRED LAST
AUGUST. FINALLY AS NOTED BY THE
Ó, OUR TUITION IS LOWER THAN
OUR SISTER USED TO LAW SCHOOLS,
WHICH IS, OF COURSE, A POSITIVE
FACTOR FOR A SCHOOL THAT SEEK
SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST, WE
LIKELY WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO
INCREASE TUITION OVER TIME, BUT
THE PROVISION OF AN AFFORDABLE
LEGAL EDUCATION REPRESENTS A
CORE INSTITUTIONAL VALUE IN
SUMMARY, WE RUN A FIRST RATE LAW
SCHOOL LELY IN TERMS OF STAFFING
AND COMPENSATION IN A WAY THAT
SPECIFICALLY ADVANCES THE
STATE'S INTEREST IN DIVERSIFYING
THE LEGAL PROFESSION, BUT WE
DEPEND ON STATE SUPPORT TO
ACHIEVE OUR PUBLIC MISSION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, ALL THREE OF YOU. WELL ALL
FOUR OF YOU FOR BEING HERE. UH
I'VE JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS
AND A LOT OF IT GOT COVERED, BUT
FIRST, UH UH UH, LET ME ASK THE
DEAN I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU
ABOUT THE STATUS OF YOUR HOUSING
PROJECTS. BUT YOU ANSWERED THAT
IN YOUR STATEMENT DOES
IMPLEMENTING THE HOUSING IN ANY
WAY DEPEND IS IT RELATED TO THE
AUGMENTATION THAT'S IN YOUR
BUDGET? OR IS THAT INDEPENDENT
AND ANYTHING WITH IT CAN MOVE
AHEAD. UNRELATED TO THE YES,
IT'S INDEPENDENT, UH, CHAIR
WHERE THE, UM AUGMENTATION WOULD
BE COVERING OPERATING COSTS IN
PARTICULAR. INFLATIONARY COSTS,
AND, UH WE ARE GOING INTO
NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR UNIONS.
ASK ME AND A F Tð, UH AND SO WE
EXPECT TO NEED TO INCREASE
COMPENSATION AS MUCH AS 3% OVER
THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. AND THEN
WHEN I READ THE MATERIALS, UH,
YOU HAVE A SECURITY COST OR
THEIR SECURITY BECAUSE OF YOUR
LOCATION. UH HOW MUCH IS THAT?
AND HOW DOES THAT WORK? UH I'LL
TALK ABOUT THE SUBSTANCE, BUT
I'LL DEFER TO MY èC F Ó ON THE
ACTUAL DETAILS. UH, WE CONTRACT
WITH URBAN ALCHEMY, WHICH IS A
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT
EMPLOYS FORMALLY INCARCERATED
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN
TRAINED TO BE STREET
AMBASSADORS. UH AND THEY DO
TRULY A FANTASTIC JOB OF, UH,
KEEPING, UH, THE FRONTAGE OF OUR
CAMPUS SECURE. UH, THEY'VE BEEN
VERY INVOLVED IN INTEGRATED INTO
OUR COMMUNITY. THEY'VE GOTTEN TO
KNOW OUR STUDENTS OR STAFF AND
OUR FACULTY. UH AND SO THEY'VE
REALLY MADE IT QUITE A
DIFFERENCE IN A IN A VERY
CHALLENGING AND DIFFICULT
NEIGHBORHOOD. UH, THE TENDERLOIN
IN PARTICULAR. UH AS OF LATE HAS
HAD SOME, UH, UNFORTUNATE, UM,
INS INSTANCES UH, INCLUDING SOME
OF OUR STUDENTS. UH, THERE'S
OPEN AIR DRUG DEALING. WE HAVE
HAD, UH, CONTINUOUS EFFORTS WITH
THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN
FRANCISCO, UH, TO MEAT AND
ACHIEVE TRUE SYSTEMIC REFORM IN
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, BUT IT'S
VERY EXPENSIVE AND I LEAVE IT TO
DAVID SEWARD TO TALK ABOUT THOSE
DETAILS. THE CHANCELLOR AND DEAN
HAS BEEN VERY, UM DIPLOMATIC IN
HIS DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY'S,
UH, CHALLENGES IN THEIR
INABILITY TO RECTIFY SOME OF THE
PROFITS ON THE STREET WITH THE
OPEN AIR DRUG MARKETS AND THE
VIOLENCE. SO CURRENTLY IT
ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, SENATOR
WE SPEND 2.5 MILLION, UH,
EXCLUSIVELY FOR URBAN ALCHEMY.
UH, THAT IS ON TOP OF THE ONE
POINT THREE 1.4 WE SPEND WITH U
èC S¼ F TO SORT OF MAN FIXED
POST STATIONS AT THE BUILDING
ENTRANCES. SO S¼ F UNDER
CONTRACT, UH, COVERS THE, UH,
THE FIXED POSTS. AND URBAN
OUTCOME. WE SORT OF LACK OF A
BETTER WORD PROTECTS THE
PERIMETER WITH THEIR SIDEWALK
SAFETY SERVICES. UH, THAT IS A
SIGNIFICANT COST. IT IS ONE THAT
IS, UM ESSENTIAL FOR OUR
OPERATIONS. AND IT HAS THE
COLLATERAL BENEFIT OF PROVIDING
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR A
REALLY FIRST RATE GROUP OF
FELLOWS AND MEN AND WOMEN WHO
YOU KNOW HAVE BEEN, UM
PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED. THANK
YOU. UH UH, JUST SORRY TO HEAR
THAT THAT'S NECESSARY AT THAT
LEVEL. RIGHT. AND THEN, UH, LAST
QUESTION, UM, IN THE LAST COUPLE
OF YEARS, WE'VE DISCUSSED THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NAME
CHANGE. IS THERE ANYTHING
OUTSTANDING WITH THAT EITHER?
OPERATIONALLY OR BUDGETARILY? UM
YES, OPERATIONALLY AND AGAIN.
I'LL READ THE BUDGET TO MY èC F
Ó, UH, WE CONTINUE TO BE ADDING
NAMES AND REPLACING THE OLD NAME
SO HE HAD A VERY LARGE SEALS
WITH THE UNIVERSE OF CALIFORNIA.
HASTINGS COLLEGE OF THE LAW, UH,
THAT HAVE NOW HAD TO BE REPLACED
AT CONSIDERABLE COST. UM AS THE
SENATOR KNOWS, UH, WE DID NOT
RECEIVE AN AUGMENTATION TO COVER
THOSE COSTS OUT OF POCKET COSTS
AND SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO
ABSORB THEM. UH AND THEN. ALSO
THERE ARE INHERENT COSTS, WHICH
ARE MORE IN TERMS OF EMAILS AND
BRANDING, UH, TO GET IT TO BE
KNOWN FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
AS WELL AS FACULTY OF OTHER
SCHOOLS, UH ARE NAME UH, SO THAT
THEY ASSOCIATE UH, OUR GREAT LAW
SCHOOL WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF THE LAW AT
SAN FRANCISCO. OK THANK YOU. YES
UNFUNDED STATE MANDATE OR
LARGELY UNFUNDED STATE MANDATE
HAS BEEN A BUDGET. WE HAVE SPENT
TO DATE $2.4 MILLION. THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA HAS PROVIDED
885,000. UH IN THE BUDGET ACT OF
THE PRIOR YEAR, SO YOU WOULD
ACTUALLY CORRECT YOURSELF AND
CALL THAT A PARTIALLY FUNDED
STATEMENT. HARSHLY FUNDED. YES,
YES, OK, JUST CHECKING, UM
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE LOOKS
POISED TO MAKE A COMMENT. AH NÓ
NÓ COMING, SIR. OK? IT HAS BEEN
A BUDGETARY PRESSURE POINT FOR
US. YES, OK. ALTHOUGH THAT
COMPLETES THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
ARE THERE ANY FINAL COMMENTS ON
THIS BEFORE WE MOVE ON? I WOULD
MAKE THE GLOBAL COMMENT THAT UH
UH I APPRECIATE THE EXCHANGE ON
THE AUGMENTATION OR THE INCREASE
IN, UH I APPRECIATE THE REASONS
FOR IT. I JUST YOU SHOULD
APPRECIATE HOW UNIQUE YOU ARE
COMPARED TO EVERY OTHER SEGMENT
AND WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH
AUGMENTATION? THERE'S ALSO A
UNIQUENESS IN THAT YOURS IS, I
DON'T KNOW. 348 MILLION LESS
THAN THE U S¼ DEFERRED. INCREASE
SO THE MATTER OF SCALE IS
IRRELEVANT THING, BUT, UH IF THE
DEFICIT IS 70 THREE BILLION
DOLLARS, I WOULDN'T BANK IT AT
THIS POINT. UH UH, WE WON'T BE
LOOKING AT EVERYTHING WHEN IT
GETS TO THAT POINT, BUT THANK
YOU. THIS WAS A VERY CIVILIZED
DISCUSSION. AND I APPRECIATE THE
FACT THAT YOU THANK YOU,
SENATOR. THANK YOU. WE ARE GOING
TO MOVE TO OUR THIRD AND FINAL
ITEM BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT,
WHICH IS THE CALIFORNIA STATE
LIBRARY. AND WE HAVE THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE AND
THE DEPUTY STATE LIBRARIAN, UH,
THAT ARE HERE. MAKE SOME
COMMENTS. AND I THINK THAT I
WOULD LIKE TO GO ONCE THERE.
READY IN THE ORDER OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST, AND, UH UH,
THE STATE LIBRARIAN. SO, UM
WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU AND UM
WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE. LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR COMMENTS. BEGIN
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE.
THIS IS ON. YES, OK. BUT FOR NOW
IT IS. OK? UM GOOD MORNING. UM
MR CHAIR DEVIN, MENTIONED WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PROPOSES
PULLING BACK 131 POINT 3,000,001
TIME GENERAL FUND OF THE 439
MILLION. UM IN ONE TIME GENERAL
FUND SUPPORT PROVIDED FOR THE
LOCAL LIBRARY INFRASTRUCTURE
GRANT PROGRAM IN THE 2021 BUDGET
ACT. THE BUDGET ALSO FORGO
PLANNED ONE TIME GENERAL FUND
INVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT THE
PROGRAM OF 33 MILLION IN 2024
2530. THREE MILLION IN 2025, 26
AND 34 MILLION IN 2026 27.
ADDITIONALLY DUE TO LOW
PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM.
THE BUDGET ALSO WITHDRAWS 34
MILLION OF THE 35 MILLION
APPROPRIATED IN THE 2021 BUDGET
ACT TO EXPAND BROADBAND ACCESS
TO ISOLATED, UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE
CALIFORNIA COLLABORATIVE
CONNECTIVITY GRANT A PARTNERSHIP
OF LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES AND
REGIONAL LIBRARIES. 29 MILLION,
UM, IS BEING REVERTED AS SAVINGS
AND 5 MILLION WILL BE REDIRECTED
TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION, UM FOR THE BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT, ALSO KNOWN
AS THE BIG PROGRAM. UM
ADDITIONALLY, THE DEPARTMENT IS
RECEIVING POSITION AUTHORITY FOR
A TRIBAL AND RURAL LIBRARIES
FOCUSED LIBRARY PROGRAMS
CONSULTANT THAT WOULD BE
SUPPORTED BY FEDERAL FUNDS FROM
THE U S¼ INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND
LIBRARY SERVICES. UM THANK YOU.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL YIELD TO
OTHERS ON THE PANEL, AND I'M
READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT
THE APPROPRIATE TIME. THANK YOU.
UH, WE'LL MOVE TO THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. MR. CHAIR IAN KLEIN
WITH THE L A Ó. UM FIRST
COMMENTS ARE THAT WE'VE REVIEWED
THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS AND
AGREE WITH SCOOP IN WHAT IS
AVAILABLE TO BE PULLED BACK. UH,
HOWEVER, THE GOVERNORS BUDGET
IDENTIFIES ROUGHLY $131 MILLION
IN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT FUNDING
THAT COULD BE REVERTED. HOWEVER
THE STATE LIBRARY REPORTS THAT
ONLY 4.8 MILLION REMAINS
UNENCUMBERED AT THIS TIME. WE
ALSO HAVE NÓ MAJOR CONCERNS WITH
THE REDIRECTION OF FEDERAL
MONIES FOR THE TRIBAL CONSULTANT
POSITION. THIS POSITION WILL,
AMONG OTHER TASKS BE RESPONSIBLE
FOR ASSISTING EXISTING TRIBAL
STAFF AND SUBMITTING FEDERAL
GRANT APPLICATIONS, WHICH HAS
THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE
ADDITIONAL FEDERAL MONEY FOR
THESE POPULATIONS THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY BE INTO THE MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS. BEYOND THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET. THE LAO ALSO
LOOKED THROUGH PREVIOUS BUDGETS,
BEGINNING WITH THE 2122 BUDGET
ACT TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL ONE
TIME FUNDING THAT HAD BEEN
PROVIDED. STATE LIBRARY HAS BEEN
PROVIDED WITH AN, UH AN
ADDITIONAL 200 MILLION IN ONE
TIME FUNDING FOR VARIOUS
INITIATIVES, OF WHICH ROUGHLY 68
MILLION REMAINS UNENCUMBERED AS
OF JANUARY 1ST OF THIS YEAR. WE
RECOMMEND THAT THIS FUNDING ALSO
BE PULLED BACK, GIVEN THE
PROJECTED BUDGET DEFICIT. WITH
THAT. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. NOW WE'LL MOVE TO THE
STATE LIBRARY. WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU,
CHAIR LAIRD, AND IT'S A PLEASURE
TO BE WITH YOU HERE THIS
MORNING. I JUST WANT TO SPEAK
ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC
LIBRARIES AS WE KNOW THEY SERVE
AS YOU SHOULD IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
OH, I'M SORRY. REBECCA WENT
DEPUTY STATE LIBRARIAN. I GUESS
I JUST ASSUMED PEOPLE KNOW WHO I
AM, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. ONE
PERSON BACK HERE. THAT'S HERE
FOR STUDENT AID THAT DIDN'T KNOW
. SO KEEP GOING, SO I'D LIKE TO
SPEAK TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
WORK THAT THE STATE LIBRARY DOES
WITH, UH, BOTH PUBLIC LIBRARIES
AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE
INVOLVED WITH, AS WE KNOW. LIKE
LIBRARY SERVE AS A SOCIAL SAFETY
NET IN SOME RESPECTS AND AS ALSO
AS A CONNECTOR TO INFORMATION
FOR PEOPLE AND A LIFELONG
LEARNING OPPORTUNITY, AND WE
HAVE BEEN VERY PLEASED AND HAPPY
TO BE PARTICIPATING IN THE
INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM
THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN,
UM UH, SUPPORTIVE OF IN THE IN
THE PAST, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
ASSIST WITH 278 LOCAL LIBRARIES,
FULFILLING CRITICAL MAINTENANCE,
UM, NEEDS AND HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO REPLACE UP TO
SEVEN LIBRARIES. AND THESE ARE,
UM, PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN
DEFERRED. AND AS WE KNOW SO MANY
PEOPLE USE LIBRARIES. IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT THEY WALK INTO
SAFE BUILDINGS, BOTH FOR THE
COMMUNITY AND FOR STAFF MEMBERS,
SO PROJECTS HAVE INCLUDED ROOF
REPLACEMENTS, WINDOW
REPLACEMENTS AND SAFETY AND
SECURITY. MEASURES AS WELL AS
OTHER PROJECTS. MOVING ON TO THE
, UH, BROADBAND. UM YES, INDEED,
IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO HAVE
THE PROJECTS COME TO THE
APPLICATION STAGE AS THESE ARE
INDEED. MANY, UM PARTNERS MUST
BE FILLING OUT PAPERWORK IN THE
FEDERAL CYCLE IS ONLY ANNUALLY.
SO THAT IS INDEED TRUE. THERE
HAVE NOT BEEN ANY LARGE, UM,
APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE GONE
FORWARD AND THEN FOR THE TRIBAL
CONSULTANT, WE AGREE THAT IT
WOULD BE BRINGING IN LOTS OF
OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRIBAL AND
RURAL LIBRARIES. AND WE ARE
EAGER TO CONTINUE THAT WORK AND
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. UM HE HE I. I HAVE
ONE. SIGNIFICANT QUESTION AND
THEN A RANDOM COMMENT AND THE
QUESTION IS, IS, UH PEOPLE WERE
TALKING ABOUT MONEY COMING BACK
AND PULLING IT BACK. HAS ANY OF
THE MONEY ACTUALLY BEEN AWARDED
AND IS THEN SO EXPLAIN THAT TO
ME, WE HAVE HAD TWO ROUNDS OF
AWARDS THERE HAVE BEEN HAS BEEN
MONIES FROM A COUPLE OF
DIFFERENT FISCAL YEARS. THE
FIRST ROUND WAS, UM, WELL OVER A
YEAR AGO, UM AND THEN THE REST
OF THE MONEY THAT HAD WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT HAVING BEEN
AWARDED WAS INDEED, UM, IN
OCTOBER OF 2023. WE ANNOUNCED
THE REMAINING GRANTS OF 100 AND
72. MILLION TO BE GOING OUT TO
THE FIELD. UM, AT THAT POINT,
THE LIBRARY FINISHED THEIR
PAPERWORK, AND ALL OF THE FUNDS
WERE ENCUMBERED, SO THEY HAVE
RECEIVED THE FIRST ROUND OF
MONEY. UM NONE OF THE PROJECTS
THAT ARE STILL IN PROJECT IN
PROGRESS HAVE RECEIVED ALL OF
THE MONEY BECAUSE WE ASKED FOR
PROJECT REPORTS ALONG THE WAY SO
THAT THEY DON'T GET THE LUMP SUM
. BUT THEY ARE MAKING SURE THAT
THEY HAVE PROGRESS. LET ME
UNDERSTAND THE PRACTICALITY OF
THAT, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, AND I
ADMINISTERED BILLIONS OF BOND
DOLLARS. IN MY PREVIOUS
INCARNATION, UM IF SOMEBODY IS
AWARDED A GRANT AND IT'S
ENCUMBERED. AND IT COMES TO THEM
IN PHASES. ARE THEY DOING SOME
KIND OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
WHERE THEY'VE ACTUALLY COMMITTED
IT, AND WE'RE PULLING THE RUG
OUT FROM UNDER HIM THROUGH AND
THEN BACK PART OF THE
CONSTRUCTION. IN MANY CASES,
THAT WOULD BE THE CASE IF WE
ASKED TO RETURN SOME OF THE
FUNDS? YES. I. I WOULD JUST SAY
AND BELIEVE ME, I'M THE ONE
THAT'S GIVING THE SPEECH IN THE
ENTIRE HEARING ABOUT OUR BUDGET
DEFICIT, BUT THAT'S VERY
CONCERNING IF SOMEBODY RELIED ON
US AND ENTERED INTO A PROJECT
AND IS CONSTRUCTED PART OF IT,
AND WE'RE SAYING SORRY THAT JUST
IS VERY CONCERNING. I THINK THAT
WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT IF YOU
ARE AT THAT LEVEL TO ABSORB THAT
, AND SO, UM I WOULD HOPE AND
ONCE AGAIN I HAVE THE CAVEAT
THAT IF THE BUDGET DEFICIT 70
THREE BILLION. EVERYTHING IS ON
THE TABLE, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD.
STATISTICALLY HAVE IN FRONT OF
THE COMMITTEE. WHERE THAT'S THE
CASE AND NOT JUST HAVE THIS
GLOBAL. HERE'S THE MONEY THAT'S
BEING SWEPT. IT'S LIKE HERE'S
WHERE IT IS IN THE SECOND PART
OF A GRANT AWARD THAT WAS MADE
INCUMBRANCE HAS HAPPENED.
CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN BE REALLY
GOOD TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE RIGHT
NOW IT'S JUST SORT OF THIS
ANTISEPTIC GLOBAL NUMBER, WITH
NONE OF THAT INFORMATION
UNDERNEATH IT, AND I WOULD FIND
IT REALLY HARD TO DO THAT. THAT
THAT THAT IT PARTICULARLY
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE
MAKING GRANTS TO ARE HANGING BY
THREAD ECONOMICALLY, AND IT
REALLY PUTS THEM OUT THERE FOR
THAT REMAINING PART. I KNOW MR
FERGUSON. DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT?
YEAH, I JUST SAY AS WE GET TO
THE MAVI, WE'LL CERTAINLY LOOK
AT WHAT WAS, UM WHAT IS OR IS
NOT AVAILABLE TO BE PULLED BACK.
I THINK WE SHARE SOME OF THOSE
SAME CONCERNS. OUR ESTIMATE WAS
POINT IN TIME. UM, AND I BELIEVE
IT WAS JUST BEFORE THAT SECOND
ROUND OF AWARDS HAD BEEN MADE.
SO CERTAINLY WHEN WE GET TO MAY
YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE PROPOSING A
UH, CERTAINLY A DIFFERENT AMOUNT
. UM OUR INTENT, UH, IN PULLING
BACK FUNDS WAS TO PULL BACK ON
AWARDED ON ALLOCATED FUNDS SO
THAT WE WOULD NOT RUN INTO THOSE
ISSUES THAT YOU SPEAK TO, WHICH
DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT'S THE
CASE HERE, SO YOU WOULD
CERTAINLY SEE US, YOU KNOW,
POTENTIALLY MAKING AN ADJUSTMENT
COME THE MAY PROVISION. OK? I
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN
MY RANDOM COMMENT. IT IS MY OWN
DISTRICT. AND THAT IS THAT I
VISITED. A YEAR AGO, THE CITY OF
PARKFIELD I SAY CITY. IT'S NOT
INCORPORATED. IT'S THE
EARTHQUAKE CAPITAL. IT'S WHERE
EARTHQUAKES HAPPEN EVERY 22
YEARS AND, UH AND SO I VISITED
IT. AS THE EDUCATION BUDGET SUB.
CARE. AND THERE'S 18 PEOPLE. AND
I VISITED THE Kò THROUGH EIGHT
SCHOOL, WHICH HAS NINE STUDENTS.
AND THE TEACHER LIVES THERE
BECAUSE THERE'S WHAT'S KNOWN AS
THE TEACHER, WHICH IS THE
EQUIVALENT OF A PARSONAGE. THEY
HAVE A HOUSE AT THE SIDE OF THE
SCHOOL PLAYGROUND THAT ALLOWS
AND I MET THE SCHOOL BOARD
PRESIDENT AND THE SCHOOL BOARD
PRESIDENT IS THE LIBRARIAN, AND
THERE IS A BUS DRIVER THAT
DRIVES THE FIVE HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS IN THE SAN LUIS OBISPO
COUNTY PICKS UP THE LUNCHES,
BRINGS THEM BACK AND THEN GOES
BACK AND GETS THE HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS AND THE BUS DRIVER IS
THE DAUGHTER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD
PRESIDENT AND THEN I WENT ACROSS
THE STREET TO THE EARTHQUAKE
CAFE AND THE WAITRESS WAS THE
DAUGHTER OF THE TEACHER. AND SO
THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU
HAVE A LIBRARY, WHICH IS THE
COMMUNITY CENTER IN THE MIDDLE
OF A PLACE WITH 18 PEOPLE. AND
MAYBE IT GETS UP TO 50 WITH THE
WRENCHES AROUND IT, AND THEY
RELY ON THESE BECAUSE THEY DO
NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL. UH UH,
ABILITY TO CONNECT TO THE
OUTSIDE WORLD TOTALLY ON THEIR
OWN AND GRANTS AND DIFFERENT
SUPPORT TO THE LIBRARY SYSTEM
MAKES A FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE
TO COMMUNITIES LIKE THAT. SO
JUST UH UH, THAT THAT I'M SURE
THEY'RE AWARE THERE'S A 70 THREE
BILLION DOLLARS DEFICIT THERE,
BUT NEVERTHELESS, I JUST CALL
ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THAT
THERE ARE REAL PEOPLE BEHIND
THESE PROGRAMS AND REAL PLACES
THAT THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE. UM
OK. THE BIG THING WAS THE
REDUCTIONS IN GETTING TO THE
HEART OF IT. IS THERE. DO ANY OF
YOU HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT
ANYTHING? WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT
THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE WE
CONSIDER BEFORE WE MOVE FROM
THIS ITEM. YOU'RE VERY QUICKLY
JUST FOR THE RECORD. IT WAS
CHRIS FERGUSON WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. COOL. I'M
VERY GLAD FOR THAT
CLARIFICATION. YEAH AND I HAD
THE ASSUREDNESS THAT IT WAS NOT
A RANDOM PERSON SITTING AT THE
AT AT THE TABLE TESTIFYING IN
FRONT OF US. WELL THANK YOU. WE
REALLY APPRECIATE THIS, AND WE
UNDERSTAND WHAT IS IN FRONT OF
US AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING A
HOW SOME OF THESE ISSUES ARE
ADDRESSED IN THE MAY REVISE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US
TODAY. UM THAT COMPLETES OUR
THREE ITEMS, AND WE'RE GOING TO
MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT, AND I'M
GONNA TAKE AN INFORMAL SURVEY OF
HAND SHOW OF HANDS TO SEE HOW
MANY PEOPLE WISH TO SPEAK IN
PUBLIC COMMENT. LET ME UH 567 89
1011 12, OK? I'M SURE SOME
PEOPLE MIGHT BE MOVED. A. AH BUT
IF THERE'S 12, THEN WE'LL DO UP
TO TWO MINUTES EACH, SO YOU CAN
LINE UP AND WE'LL JUST GO AND
SEQUENCE OF WHOEVER LINES UP AND
TAKE YOU AT THE MICROPHONE.
BECAUSE STATE YOUR NAME AND ANY
ORGANIZATION YOU'RE WITH AND YOU
HAVE UP TO TWO MINUTES TO
ADDRESS THE ISSUES WE'VE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT TODAY. WELCOME TO
THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S DEO, I'M THE
LI, LOBBYIST FOR THE CALIFORNIA
LIBRARY ASSOCIATION AND WOULD
LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG
CONCERNS, WHICH WERE JUST, UH,
DISCUSSED HERE REGARDING THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL TO PULL BACK
THE LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION GRANTS
UNDER THE STATE LIBRARY, A $131
MILLION IN GENERAL FUND DOLLARS
OF THESE PROJECTS AS YOU'VE
HEARD, ARE ALREADY COMMITTED IN
LOCAL COMMUNITIES. AND AS YOU
KNOW, UH, THIS SUBCOMITTEE IN
PARTICULAR WAS A STRONG
SUPPORTER OF THOSE DOLLARS, AS
WAS A CHEER SKINNER AND, UH,
SENATOR ATKINS. OF COURSE, THESE
ARE HEALTH AND SAFETY
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. THESE ADA
COMPLIANCE PROJECTS. UH AND
THESE ARE EXPANSIONS OF
CHILDREN'S SPACES AND CREATING
NURSING ROOMS IN LIBRARIES. UH
WE'RE VERY SYMPATHETIC TO THE
STATE'S FISCAL CHALLENGES, OF
COURSE, BUT WE'D LIKE TO
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU AND
COME UP WITH THAT DOCUMENT THAT
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHERE THESE
PROJECTS FALL IN LINE IN TERMS
OF, UH, THERE'S EXPENDITURES
RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE'D BE VERY
CONCERNED. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS. UH, WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE. HØI KIMBERLY SANCHEZ
WITH NEXT IN CALIFORNIA, ALSO AS
UM AS A MEMBER OF THE CAL GRANT
REFORM COALITION, WHICH
ADVOCATES FOR OUR MOST
VULNERABLE LOW INCOME STUDENTS
AND FAMILIES TO ACCESS HIGHER
EDUCATION. WE THINK THE
LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR, UM
FOR INCLUDING THE CAL GRANT
REFORM ACT IN THE 2022 BUDGET.
ONCE IMPLEMENTED, CGT REFORM
WILL OPEN THE DOORS TO HIGHER
EDUCATION TO MORE THAN 13. THIS
IS A BIG NUMBER, UH, LOW INCOME
CALIFORNIANS AS DISCUSSED IN
TODAY'S HEARINGS. WE TOO,
RECOGNIZE A TOUGH BUDGET
LANDSCAPE FACING THE STATE YEAR
AS AS SUCH, WE RESPECTFULLY URGE
THE LEGISLATURE TO ADVANCE CAL
REFORM IN THE 2024 AND 2025
STATE BUDGET BY MAKING A
MEANINGFUL FIRST STEP TOWARDS
FULL IMPLEMENTATION. AND I THINK
YOU RE LAIRD FOR YOUR COMMENTS
ON WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN THE
PROGRESS. UM I MADE IN FINANCIAL
AID, AND YOU REMIND HER NOT TO
LOSE SIGHT OF WHERE WE WANT TO
BE, INCLUDING REDUCING THE NEED
FOR STUDENT LOANS AND THE CGT
REFORM. WE UNDERSTAND WE'RE
OPERATING IN A CONSTRAINED
BUDGET LANDSCAPE AND ARE
CURRENTLY EXPLORING OTHER POLICY
OPTIONS AND LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE
GOVERNOR. I MEAN, WITH THE
LEGISLATURE ON HOW TO MOVE CGT
AND FOR FORWARD IN THIS YEAR'S
BUDGET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. UH,
WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE. THANK
YOU, TIFFANY MARK, UH,
REPRESENTING èC F Tð, A UNION
OF EDUCATORS AND CLASSIFIED
PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING THOSE
WHO SERVE STUDENTS AT UCS AND
COMMUNITY COLLEGES. THANK YOU
FOR THIS ROBUST DISCUSSION AND
FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON THE FAFSA
ISSUES THAT OUR STATE AND OTHER
ARE FACING AS THE LEGISLATURE
WORKS ON SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT
STUDENTS AND PROTECT MIXED
STATUS FAMILIES. WE WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT THE U èC COMPACT
DOES SUPPORT GOALS TO INCREASE
DEBT FREE FINANCIAL AID. IS THAT
THE PROPOSED DEFERRAL IS A
HAIRCUT IN OUR MIND, AND THAT
ANY FURTHER SHAVING OF THE HAIR
WOULD AMOUNT TO A CUT, WHICH WE
WOULD OPPOSE. IT'S REALLY A
DANGEROUS ANALOGY WITH THE CHAIR
. SO UH UH, YOU MIGHT PICK
ANOTHER ONE. WELL TO BE FRANK,
WE WOULD OPPOSE ANY CUTS TO THE
$500 MILLION. REGARDLESS OF ANY
HAIRCUTS YOU SEE IN THE COMPACT
FUNDING FURTHER. WE WANTED TO
ECHO SUPPORT FOR THE 2.2 MILLION
AUGMENTATION FOR THE U èC
COLLEGE OF LAW. FINALLY WE
SUPPORT THE ELIMINATION OF TAX
CREDITS. IF ANYONE'S LOOKING AT
THOSE AND NEW SOURCES OF FOR RE
INCREASING REVENUES THROUGH
TAXATION, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE. GOOD MORNING CHAIR
AND COMEDY. MY NAME IS CHANEL W
WITH THE STUDENT CENTER OF
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES
REPRESENTING OVER 2 MILLION
COMMUNITY COLLEGES, STUDENTS. WE
ARE A PROUD MEMBER OF THE CAR
COALITION AND WE ARE VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF THE CORN EQUITY
FRAME MARKET. WE STRONGLY
SUPPORT THE CORE REFORM ACT AND
ITS TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON LOW
INCOME BY PARK AND PARENT
STUDENTS TO MAKE COLLEGE A
REALITY. WE RECOGNIZE THE Tð
BUDGET LANDSCAPE FACING THE
STATE THIS YEAR, HOWEVER, WE
WANT TO EMPHASIZE ON THE
COMMITMENT TOWARDS EQUITABLE
HIGHER EDUCATION AND REFORM. THE
LEGISLATURE'S PROMISE TO US OUR
GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT NONE OF
MY PEERS AND THE STUDENTS I LEFT
BEHIND WHO COME FROM DIFFERENT
WALKS OF LIFE AND IN THE STATE
AID PROGRAMS TO THE GPA AND AGE
REQUIREMENTS. THIS WILL PROMPT
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY,
WHICH WILL SOLVE THE BUDGET
ISSUE AS WELL. THEREFORE WE
RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COMMITTEE
TO EVEN KN REFORM IN THE 2024 TO
2025 BUDGET AND MAKE A
MEANINGFUL FIRST STEP TOWARDS
IMPLEMENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. WELCOME GOOD
MORNING CHAIR LAIRD AND ALVARADO
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA EDGE
COALITION AND ALSO A MEMBER OF
THE, UM Kò GRA REFORM COALITION
AND HERE TO REALLY SUPPORT
STUDENT FINANCIAL AID ACCESS. WE
SEE CAL GRANT AS A KEY LEVER TO
ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR STUDENTS,
UM, ALSO WANT TO UPLIFT THAT
THAT GPA VERIFICATION HUGE, HUGE
BARRIER FOR OPPORTUNITY. YOUTH
ADULT LEARNERS WHO HAVE BEEN
DISCONNECTED FROM OUR EDUCATION
AND WORKFORCE SYSTEM, SO
DEFINITELY APPRECIATE IT. CACS
COMMENTS ON SOME OF THE THAT
THEY'RE TAKING A LOOK AT, UM SO
WE REALLY URGE THE COMMITTEE TO
PRIORITIZE CALM REFORM AS BUDGET
BUDGET DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE, UM
AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, ALEX
GRAVES WITH THE ICC REPRESENTING
90 PRIVATE NONPROFIT COLLEGES IN
THE STATE FIRST ON BEHALF OF THE
FINANCIAL AID ADMINISTRATORS IN
OUR SECTOR, I WOULD JUST SAY
DITTO TO BASICALLY EVERYTHING
THAT WAS SHARED BY THE PANEL
EARLIER. UH, I THINK ALL
FINANCIAL AID ADMINISTRATORS
DESERVE A MEDAL WHEN THEY GET
THROUGH THIS YEAR. UH, SECOND
WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT WE AS A
SECTOR ARE ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF
CAL GRANT REFORM AND THANK THE
LEGISLATURE AND ADVOCATES FOR
ALL THEIR WORK ON THAT. AND, UM
AS WE TALK ABOUT, UH INCREMENTAL
PROGRESS IN A PHASED IN
APPROACH. WE ARE VERY INTERESTED
AND SUPPORTIVE OF, UM WHAT IS
NOTED, I BELIEVE ON PAGE THREE
OF YOUR ANALYSIS REGARDING
FUNDING THE EXPANSION OF
PORTABILITY FOR THOSE
NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS WHO ARE
NOW ELIGIBLE FOR ENTITLEMENT
AWARDS AT COMMUNITY COLLEGE. UH,
THE POLICY CHANGE TO ENSURE THEY
HAVE THAT REMAINING ELIGIBILITY
AVAILABLE TO THEM IF THEY
TRANSFER TO ONE OF OUR
INSTITUTIONS WAS MADE LAST YEAR,
BUT IT IS CONTINGENT ON FUNDING.
WE BELIEVE THAT THAT LARGELY
AGREES WITH THE FRAMEWORK AND
PHILOSOPHY OF CAL GRANT REFORM.
UH, AND THEN, LASTLY, WE WOULD
ALSO JUST NOTE UM, AS WE THINK
ABOUT, UH, HOW TO INCREASE THE
PURCHASING POWER OF THESE AWARDS
FOR STUDENTS? WE WOULD NOTE THAT
, UM, EVEN WITH SEVERAL MINOR
AUGMENTATIONS IN RECENT YEARS,
THE CAL GRAN AWARD IS NOT
STATUTORILY GUARANTEED AT ANY
AMOUNT FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING
OUR INSTITUTIONS, AND WE'RE
STILL RUNNING ABOUT THREE $150
BELOW WHAT IT WAS IN 2001, AND
CERTAINLY THE COST OF GOING TO
COLLEGE HAS INCREASED SINCE
THEN. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUING THOSE CONVERSATIONS
AS WELL. TO KEEP THOSE TOP OF
MIND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE. UH,
THANK YOU, CHAIR LAIRD, MARK
MCDONALD ON BEHALF OF THE LOS
ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DISTRICT, SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY
COLLEGE DISTRICT SOUTHWESTER
COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT, SAN
BERNARDINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DISTRICT AND NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
AND I WOULD JUST URGE THE FULL
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CAL GRAT
EQUITY FRAMEWORK AS YOU KNOW, IT
WOULD HELP COMMUNITY COLLEGE
STUDENTS THE MOST THE MOST THAT
ARE OLDER STUDENTS OUT OF HIGH
SCHOOL, THE LONGEST HAVE THE GPA
ISSUES. UM I WOULD ALSO ON
BEHALF OF NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
ECHO THE COMMENTS OF A I èC èC
U ON THE AGREEMENT THAT'S
ALREADY BEEN MADE AND NEEDS TO
BE FUNDED FOR INDEPENDENT
INSTITUTIONS AND TRANSFER
STUDENTS COMING FROM COMMUNITY
COLLEGES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE. MR
CHAIR MEM MEMBERS STAFF AND
CATHY VAN AUSTEN, REPRESENTING
JOHN BURTON. ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH
. UH AS YOU MAY KNOW, UH, THEY,
UH, ONE OF THE AREAS WE FOCUS ON
, UM, OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE
FOSTER YOUTH, FORMER FOSTER
YOUTH AND THOSE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS. AND OUR MESSAGE
TODAY IS, UM, WE JUST URGE THE
COMMITTEE TO TAKE THE STEPS
TOWARDS THE CAL GRANT REFORM.
UH, THESE POPULATIONS ARE THE
ONES THAT WERE REALLY TRULY
BENEFIT FROM THAT. AND SO WE
APPLAUD THE EFFORTS TO ADVANCE
THAT AND CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE YOU
TO TAKE THOSE STEPS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELCOME TO
THE COMMITTEE, A SKY SPEAKING ON
BEHALF OF THE U èC STUDENT
ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS THE
OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE BODY FOR
OVER 230,000, U èC UNDERGRADS.
UH STUDENTS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY
THIS YEAR IS FUNDING FOR CAL
GRANT REFORM, AS MY COLLEAGUES
IN THE COALITION NOTED èC GR
WOULD EXPAND CAL GRANT TO 100
AND 30,000 ADDITIONAL
CALIFORNIANS THAT ARE CURRENTLY
INELIGIBLE. BUT THIS FRAMEWORK
ALSO FOCUSES ON OUR MOST NEEDY
AND VULNERABLE STUDENTS
EXPANDING ACCESS TO 13,000
ADDITIONAL BLACK STUDENTS,
98,000 LATINO STUDENTS AND
93001ST GENERATION STUDENTS.
STUDENTS ALSO CONTINUALLY
TESTIFY TO THIS BODY AS WELL AS
OTHERS, UM IN THE LEGISLATURE.
UM TO THE IMPORTANCE OF
RECEIVING A COW GRANT AND HOW
THEY WOULD LIKELY WOULD NOT HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO GO TO OR A COMPLETE
COLLEGE WITHOUT THIS VITAL
FINANCIAL AID. THIS INVESTMENT
NOT ONLY BENEFITS STUDENTS, BUT
BENEFITS CALIFORNIA AS A WHOLE
AS THE STATE WOULD SEE. AFORE
DOLLAR 50 CENT RETURN IN
INVESTMENT FOR EVERY $1 THAT
THEY INVEST IN STUDENTS
FINANCIAL AID, AND WE ALSO KNOW
THAT THE PROVEN TOP REASON
STUDENTS CHOOSE NOT TO PURSUE
HIGHER EDUCATION IS DUE TO THE
FINANCIAL COST, AND THE
LEGISLATURE HAS VOICED THEIR
CONCERNS OVER THE GROWING NUMBER
OF CALIFORNIANS CHOOSING NOT TO
PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION. WOULD
ADDRESS THAT TOO. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WELCOME. THANK YOU. CHAIR LAIRD
AND MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MEREDITH
CURRY. NUNEZ AND I'M WITH THE
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF
PROMISE, UH, COALITION. IT'S A
NETWORK OF OVER 60 ORGANIZATIONS
SUPPORTING OVER 250,000 STUDENTS
FROM SACRAMENTO TO THE CENTRAL
VALLEY. WE'RE ALSO A MEMBER OF
THE CAL GRANT REFORM COALITION.
WE THANK THE LEGISLATURE AND THE
GOVERNOR FOR INCLUDING THE CAL
GRANT REFORM ACT IN THE 2022
BUDGET BECAUSE, AS SHARED BY MY
COLLEAGUES ONCE IMPLEMENTED, IT
WILL OPEN THE DOORS TO HIGHER
EDUCATION FOR MORE THAN 130,000
LOW INCOME. WE RESPECTFULLY URGE
THE LEGISLATOR AND THE SENATE
BUDGET SUB-COMMITTEE TO ADVANCE
èC GRANT REFORM IN THE 2024 25
STATE BUDGET BY MAKING A
MEANINGFUL FIRST STEP TOWARDS
FULL IMPLEMENTATION STUDENTS
FROM FAMILIES MAKING LESS THAN
30,000 PER YEAR SPEND MORE THAN
HALF OF THEIR ANNUAL INCOME ON
COLLEGE EXPENSES, EVEN AFTER
ACCOUNTING FOR AVAILABLE FEDERAL
, STATE AND INSTITUTIONAL GRANT
AID. THE DATA CLEARLY SHOWS THAT
A COLLEGE DEGREE OR CREDENTIAL
PROMOTES ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
MOBILITY COLLEGE GRADUATES
ACROSS OUR 13 COUNTY FOOTPRINT.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA OR AN
AVERAGE OF $36,000 MORE PER
YEAR. WHEN THEY GO TO COLLEGE.
WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE CAL CAL
GRANT REFORM ACT AND ITS
TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON LOW
INCOME AND BY PARK STUDENTS TO
MAKE COLLEGE A REALITY. EVERY
COLLEGE STUDENT, REGARDLESS OF
THEIR INCOME STATUS, DESERVES
ACCESS TO A HIGHER EDUCATION. IF
THEY SO CHOOSE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M
CHAIR LAIRD AND MEMBERS. MY NAME
IS DENISE LUNA, SPEAKING ON
BEHALF OF THE EDUCATION TRUST
WEST, A RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY
ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO
ADVANCING POLICIES THAT
DISMANTLE THE RACIAL AND
ECONOMIC BARRIERS EMBEDDED IN
CALIFORNIA'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM,
AND WE ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF CAL
GRANT REFORM COALITION IN NCC,
èC P COALITION AND FINANCIAL
AID FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS HAS NOT
KEPT PACE WITH THE COST OF CALL
TENANT WITH HIGH INFLATION AT
THE HIGH SKY AND IN CONSEQUENCES
ONCE AGAIN CONTINUE TO HIT
STUDENTS LIVING IN POVERTY. THE
HARDEST EDUCATION NORTHWEST IS
PROUD TO SUPPORT THE CAL GRAND
REFORM PROGRAM AND APPRECIATE
THE LEGISLATURES FOR ENACTING
THIS HISTORICAL FORM THROUGH THE
2022 BUDGET ACT, BUT WITHOUT A
PLAN FOR FULL IMPLEMENTATION AND
IMPLEMENTING THIS REFORM, THIS
IS GONNA BE AN AMOUNTS TO A
PROMISE YET FULFILLED CAN REFORM
CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE MOST
COMPELLING STRATEGIES TO HELP
STUDENTS ENROLL AND SUCCEED IN
COLLEGE CAR FORM WILL MAKE
COLLEGE MORE AFFORDABLE AND
ACCESSIBLE FOR OVER 100 AND
30,000 LOW INCOME STUDENTS, MANY
OF WHOM ARE STUDENT. AND
STUDENTS OF COLOR WHILE WE
RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGES THAT
THIS BUDGET YEAR LANDSCAPE THE
STATE IS FACING THIS YEAR, WE
RESPECTFULLY ASK THE LEGISLATURE
TO PRIORITIZE CAL REFORM AND
MAKE MEANINGFUL FIRST STEP
TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION.
ADDITIONALLY GIVEN OUR FOCUS ON
FINANCIAL AID, ACCESS, AND
CURRENTLY THE CHALLENGES FACING
MANY OF OUR MIXED STATUS,
FAMILIES AND UNDOCUMENTED
STUDENTS, THE EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCING WITH THE BETTER
FASTBALL ROLL OUT, WE NEED TO
ENSURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE
SUFFICIENT TIME TO APPLY FOR
FAFA, AND WE RESPECTFULLY ASK
THE LEGISLATURE TO FURTHER DELAY
THE FAST WHEN THE CALIFORNIA
DREAM X SUBMISSION PRIORITY
DEADLINE TO MAY 2ND AS DISCUSSED
TODAY, AND WE APPRECIATE THE
HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
FLEXIBILITY ON DELAY. THE
ACCEPTANCE SENTENCE DEADLINE. WE
RESPECTFULLY ASKED THIS TO BE
MOVED AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE. HØI UM MY NAME IS
TUNISIA. JONES AND I AM A FORMER
FOSTER YOUTH AND I ATTEND. UM
SACRAMENTO STATE. UM THE CAL
GRANT HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCE IN MY SITUATION DUE
TO ME BEING IN FOSTER CARE SINCE
I WAS NINE AND ALWAYS HAVING THE
PLAN TO CONTINUE MY EDUCATION,
UM, ALSO SPEAKING ON THE MIDDLE
CLASS SCHOLARSHIP. IT HAS NOT
ONLY BEEN HELPFUL TO ME JUST
BECAUSE OF RISK OF LOANS, BUT
HAVING THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF
LIVING AND JUST CONTINUING TO
FURTHER MY EDUCATION. I AM A
FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT
IN MY FAMILY, AND I DO IT ALL BY
MYSELF WITHOUT SUPPORT. SO UM, I
URGE THE COMMITTEE TO TAKE AN
IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS THE CAL
GRANT REFORM THIS YEAR, SO THAT
OTHER FORMER FOSTER YOUTH MYSELF
AND OTHER COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY. UM TO CONTINUE
THEIR EDUCATION WITH THE SUPPORT
OF HAVE HAVE YOU EVER TESTIFIED
IN FRONT OF A LEGISLATIVE
COMMITTEE BEFORE I HAVE. OH WELL
, WELL, YOU DID VERY WELL. SO
HERE'S ONE TO SAY THANK YOU THAT
WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
YES, THANK YOU. WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS CODY VAN VELDEN. I AM
HERE TO ASK THE COMMITTEE TO
TAKE MEANINGFUL STEP TOWARDS
IMPLEMENTING THE CAL GRANT
REFORM. I RE-ENTERED CARE WHEN I
WAS 16 YEARS OLD WHEN I ENTERED
COLLEGE, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH
TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE COW
GRANT. BUT I KNOW MANY OF MY
PEERS ARE NOT THE CAL GRANT
COULD NOT SAVE ME FROM HOUSING
OR FOOD INSTABILITY, BUT IT WAS
ABLE TO HELP ME IN SOME WAYS,
WHICH IS WHY I UNDERSTAND THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE ACCESS TO THE
CAL GRANT FOR MY PEERS AND
MYSELF. IT WASN'T UNTIL I
ENTERED COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHEN
MY GPA BEGAN TO SUFFER. AND PUT
ME AT RISK FOR BEING AN ELIGIBLE
FOR THE èC GRANT. I HAD GONE
THROUGH FINANCIAL AID APPEALS
PROCESS TWICE. WHEN I WAS IN
COMMUNITY COLLEGE, I WAS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS,
MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND
ABUSE. WHILE IN MY FIRST FEW
SEMESTERS OF COLLEGE, I AM NOW
ON TRACK TO GRADUATE AND I WANT
TO SEE THIS POSSIBLE FOR MORE OF
MY PEERS. EVERY YOUTH IN
CALIFORNIA SHOULD HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE HIGHER
EDUCATION WITHOUT THE CAL GRANT.
I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT AS FAR
AS I HAVE TO DAY. I RESPECTFULLY
URGE THE COMMITTEE TO ADVANCE A
COW GRANT REFORM IN THIS YEAR'S
BUDGET. THANK YOU. MUCH. WE
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS CHRIS
HERNANDEZ, AND I AM HERE AS BOTH
A FORMER FOSTER YOUTH AND A
STUDENT TO RESPECTFULLY URGE THE
COMMITTEE. AND REFORMING THE CAL
GRANT. I SPENT MY LATER
CHILDHOOD IN FOSTER CARE,
OPENING MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN
EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE WITH THE
èC GRANT. I AM ABLE TO ATTEND U
èC DAVIS TO STUDY BIOLOGY,
FINDING MYSELF IN A SCHOLARS
PROGRAM FOR RESEARCH. BUT AS I
ENTERED COLLEGE, MY EXISTING
HEALTH DISABILITY CIR A TURN FOR
THE WORSE. I STRUGGLED TO
BALANCE MY EDUCATIONAL DUTIES
WHILE MAINTAINING MY HEALTH
TRYING TO KEEP MY GPA ABOVE THE
Kò GRANT REQUIREMENT. MY
DISABILITIES CAN PREVENT ME FROM
FUNCTIONING SOME DAYS HINDERING
MY ABILITY TO WORK. THE GRANT
HELPS ME WITH HOUSING AND
TUITION, MAKING COLLEGE AN
OPTION FOR MY FUTURE. WITHOUT
IT, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PUT
AS MUCH WORK. AND JUST EXCUSE ME
, NOT BE ABLE TO PUT AS MUCH
TIME INTO SCHOOL WORK AND
DOCTORS APPOINTMENTS. I SUPPORT
THIS REFORM AS IT COULD HELP
OTHER STUDENTS LIKE ME. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING, UM, MARS WITH
YOU ASPIRE HOPES UP A LITTLE
BIT. UM PART WOULD YOU ASPIRE AS
WELL AS HERE, UH, AS A PART OF
THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COLLEGE
PRO COALITION, UH, AND THE
FINANCIAL AID FOR ALL COALITION,
UH, HERE TO SPEAK, UH, ECHO? UH,
THE COMMENT THAT, UH, MANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES AND STUDENTS TODAY
SHARE AND SUPPORT OF, UH,
PRIORITIZING FUNDING FOR CAL
GRANT. UH THIS YEAR. THIS IS A
VERY TOUGH YEAR BUDGET YEAR WE
GET IT, BUT, UH UH, THE CAL
BRAND REFORM SINGLE HANDEDLY.
CHANGE. PEOPLE'S LIVES HAVE
PROVEN METHOD. AND SO WE WOULD
LOVE TO HAVE THAT BE PRIORITIZED
AND SECONDARILY, UH, WANT TO
ALSO THANK THE COMMITTEE, UH, AS
WELL AS THE PANEL OF EXPERTS
EARLIER, UH, FOR THE DISCUSSION,
THE ROBUST DISCUSSION THAT WAS
THERE AROUND, UH, THE FINANCIAL
AID DEADLINES AND WHAT'S GOING
ON THERE? WE APPRECIATED THE
INSTITUTIONS, UH, FOR MOVING
BACK THERE, UH, DECIDE DAY TO
MAY 15TH AND EXPRESSING
WILLINGNESS TO PUSH IT EVEN
FURTHER BACK, BUT, UH, WE CAN'T
WAIT FOR THOSE FOR ADVOCATE. AND
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO
PROPERLY SPREAD THE MESSAGE AND
COMMUNICATE THAT WITH FAMILIES
AND STUDENTS. WE NEED TO MAKE
DECISIONS NOW, SO WE WANT TO
SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF, UH, THE
COMMITTEE'S DISCUSSION AROUND,
UH, MOVING BACK THE FLINE, UH,
TO MAY 2ND AS WELL AS ECHOING
THAT OUR INSTITUTIONS REALLY
NEED TO MAKE THAT DECISION NOW
TO ALSO PUSH BACK TO DECIDE AND
WE'RE GOING, UH, CALLING FOR
THAT DECISION DAY TO BE PUSHED
BACK TO 15. SO UH, TO THE EXTENT
THAT WE CAN DO THAT WE'D
APPRECIATE THAT. AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. WELCOME YOU WERE FANNING
YOURSELF EARLIER. DID YOU RUN
OVER HERE? YES CHAIR. I RAN OVER
FROM SENATOR HOTEL BECAUSE I
NEEDED TO GET HERE AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE. WE'RE VERY HAPPY. YOU
MADE IT. WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE. WE'RE ANXIOUS FOR
YOUR COMMENTS BE RODRIGUEZ ON
BEHALF OF Tð S¼, AS WELL AS A
MEMBER OF THE CAL GRANT REFORM
COALITION. ALSO WANNA SAY THAT
OUR PARTNERS AT THE CAL STATE
STUDENT ASSOCIATION COULDN'T
MAKE IT TODAY, SO THEY ASKED ME
TO, UH, DO A PLUS ONE FOR THEM.
WE STRONGLY SUPPORT AND BELIEVE
IN THE TRANSFORMATIVE NATURE OF
THE HOW GRANT REFORM. UM AS TIS
LAID OUT IN OUR MOST RECENT
REPORT THAT WAS PUBLISHED
YESTERDAY. UM THIS IS A CRITICAL
LEVER WHEN IT COMES TO, UH,
EQUITY AFFORDABILITY ACCESS FOR
NOT ONLY BIPOC COMMUNITIES BUT
ALSO LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES. UH,
SO WE ASKED THE COMMITTEE TO
TAKE A MEANINGFUL FIRST STEP
TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION AS èC S¼
A LAID OUT IN THAT FIRST PANEL
WITH NUMEROUS OPTIONS. UM ON
BEHALF OF TIS WE ALSO SUPPORT
THE IDEA OF CALIFORNIA EXTENDING
THE CAL GRANT DEADLINE TO MAY
2ND WE DO. THAT THIS IS MADE IN
TANDEM WITH MOVING THAT
REGISTRATION DEADLINE. UH BASED
ON THE FLEXIBILITY OUR
INSTITUTIONS TALKED ABOUT IN
THAT FIRST PANEL. WE THINK THIS
IS CRITICAL FOR US STUDENTS TO
KNOW HOW MUCH AID THEY HAVE AND
WHERE THEY CAN GO. UM, LASTLY,
WE APPRECIATE èC SAC EXPLORING
AN ALTERNATIVE IF A FEDERAL FIX
IS NOT READY FOR MIXED STATUS
FAMILIES BY MIXED BY MID MARCH,
UH, WE WANT STUDENTS TO ACCESS
FEDERAL ENTITLEMENTS. BUT IF A
PLAN B IS NEEDED, LET'S MAKE
SURE THAT STUDENTS CAN AT LEAST
GET STATE AND INSTITUTIONAL THAT
IS A LAST OPTION AS I BELIEVE
SEAN BROOKS MENTIONED. SO UH,
LET'S YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT
AH, THIS SITUATION COULD BE
EXACERBATED DEPENDING ON WHAT
HAPPENS WITH THE FEDERAL
ELECTION AS WELL. SO WANT TO
KEEP THAT ON THE TABLE. SO THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE. GOOD
AFTERNOON. CHAIR AJ. JOHNSON
WITH CALIFORNIA COMPETES HIGHER
EDUCATION FOR A STRONG ECONOMY.
WE ARE PART OF THE CAL GRANT
REFORM COALITION AND WILL ECHO
THOSE COMMENTS WILL ALSO PART OF
THE COALITION FOR AFFORDABLE
STUDENT HOUSING. AND UH, WE
BELIEVE BOTH OF THESE EFFORTS
ARE NECESSARY TO MAKE A COLLEGE
AFFORDABLE, PARTICULARLY FOR
CALIFORNIA STUDENT PARENTS.
THERE ARE 400,000 STUDENT
PARENTS IN COLLEGE TODAY IN
CALIFORNIA. COSTS ARE MUCH
HIGHER THAN THEIR NON PARENTING
PEERS. UM, AND ON AVERAGE, THEY
TAKE OUT 75% MORE DEBT OR LOANS
TO COMPLETE THEIR BACHELOR'S
DEGREE. UM SO WE DO NEED TO
ADVANCE MEANINGFUL STEPS TOWARDS
, UH, REFORM AND FINANCING,
PARTICULARLY FOR THAT POPULATION
TO MAKE THE CALIFORNIA DREAM
AVAILABLE TO THEM. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WELCOME I WAS GONNA SAY YOU WERE
OUR LAST SPEAKER. BUT YOU APPEAR
TO BE OUR NEXT TO LAST SPEAKER.
SO UH, WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE.
UH, MOLLY MCGUIRE WITH THE
CAMPAIGN FOR COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY
. UM I ECHO MANNY AND AJ S¼
COMMENTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
CAL GRANT EQUITY. UM WE WOULD
JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE
UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET
CONSTRAINTS AND WE HOPE THAT THE
LEGISLATURE PRIORITIZES, YOU
KNOW, A PHASED IN APPROACH AND
MAKING A MEANINGFUL KIND OF
FIRST STEP TOWARDS, UH, CAL
GRANT FUNDING. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. THIS IS OUR LAST
SPEAKER. WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE. I UM MY NAME IS
AMELIA. DULY AND I'M
REPRESENTING THE ASSOCIATED
STUDENTS OF GLENDALE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE. AS MY FELLOW STUDENTS
AND I DROVE SIX HOURS TO BE HERE
TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT
THE CAL GRANT REFORM AS IT WILL
HELP OUR NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS
FIND MORE FIND MORE SUCCESS AT
DIFFERENT AVENUES IN THEIR LIFE.
THANK YOU. AND ARE YOU GONNA
HAVE TO DRIVE SIX HOURS BACK?
YES. OH, YOU UNDER, UH,
REPRESENTED YOURSELF. YOU WERE
ON A 12 HOUR ROUND TRIP 12 HOUR
ROUND TRIP. SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR MAKING THE EFFORT. WE
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
AH THAT COMPLETES, UH, OUR
PUBLIC COMMENT AND COMPLETES OUR
HEARING AND LET ME JUST SAY IN
SUMMARY AT THE END, I SORT OF
SUMMARIZED EACH OF THE ISSUES AS
WE DID IT, BUT, UH, WE HAVE VERY
DIFFICULT CHOICES OF FACING US.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT, UM,
THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET INTO THEM
IN DEPTH IN FRONT OF YOU ALL. SO
YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND THE
DIFFICULT THINGS THAT THAT WE
ARE FACING AND UNDERSTAND WHAT
WE THINK ARE THE PRIORITIES AND
TO DO OUR BEST IN A LIMITED
BUDGET BUDGET TIME TO ADDRESS
THOSE PRIORITIES, SO, UM AND AS
I SAID AT THE END OF THIS ISSUE,
ONE THINGS ARE CHANGING SO
RAPIDLY THAT THAT WE WON'T BE
HAVING ANOTHER HEARING ON THIS.
WE DON'T EXPECT BEFORE THE
REVISED BUDGET IN MAY, BUT THERE
WILL BE SO MANY CHANGES THAT WE
WILL TRY TO STAY ON THEM AND DO
WHATEVER IS APPROPRIATE IN
RELATION TO WHAT THOSE CHANGES
ARE, AS WE FIND OUT ABOUT THEM.
SO NEXT WEEK AT THIS TIME AND
PLACE, WE'LL DO THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA, THE CAL STATE
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, AND WITH THAT
WE'VE COMPLETED OUR BUSINESS AND
BUDGET SUBCOMITTEE NUMBER ONE ON
EDUCATION STANDS ADJOURNED.