The CFA extended the voting deadline on whether or not to agree to furloughs according to a press release issued Friday. The voting will now end on Wednesday, a day after the California State University Board of Trustees will meet to determine what actions need to be taken in order to deal with the estimated $584 million deficit the CSU system is facing.
Erik Fallis, a representative of the chancellor’s office said no budget decisions can be made until the CFA decides whether or not to accept the furloughs. This sets up a stalemate between the board of trustees and the largest union in the CSU system.
The furloughs would save the CSU system an estimated (by the chancellor’s office) $275 million or about 47 percent of the budget.
The chancellor’s office has also proposed an additional 20 percent student fee increase on top of the 10 percent increase that it has already approved. The plans for an additional increase have sparked anger in some CSU students. Students for Quality Education is planning a 48 hour protest/vigil at the chancellor’s office in Long Beach starting Sunday up to the meeting on Tuesday.
James Refalo, a professor of finance and law at Cal State Los Angeles thinks that comparatively low student fees are the problem crippling the CSU system. In an analysis sent to CSU employees Refalo points out that California has the second lowest tuition of any state yet has the second highest cost of living of any state. In states that have a comparative cost of living California tuition is more than twice as much.