California State University Office of the Chancellor in downtown Long Beach.
 
8:30am | Yesterday, the California State University (CSU) proffered a press release stating that the Board of Trustees meeting for this upcoming Monday is canceled. They made this decision “based upon our experience at the last board meeting where a large number of protestors attended, which is difficult to manage under the best of circumstances,” according to CSU Trustees Board Chair Dr. Herbert L. Carter.

As the Long Beach Post reported, havoc ensued on November 17 at the Chancellor’s Office, where the Trustees met to approve a 9% tuition hike — the third hike in this year alone. A clash between protestors and CSU police ending up causing a glass wall to buckle, sending the meeting itself into a ruckus where one officer was hospitalized and four demonstrators arrested.

This tuition hike vote was given confidence by a previous meeting of the Trustee’s Finance Committee on November 16, where a 4-3 vote approved the proposition, thereby passing it along to the full Board the following day, where it was passed 9-6.  Three members of the Committee were absent during the first vote, including the voting Student Trustee, Steve Dixon, who is appointed by the Governor to represent the student populace. Five members of the Board were absent during the vote on November 17.

Gregory Washington, president of the California State Student Association (CSSA), told the Long Beach Post, “It is disheartening to have so many members of the Finance Committee absent during a vote that will have such a long lasting impact on the future of our University system. It has been particularly hurtful for students to not have our Student Trustee present at the Board meeting because we essentially lost our voice on the issue that impacts us the most.”

Aissa Canchola, chair of CSSA, explained the her position clearly when she stated, “It’s particularly disappointing that, at two of the most important meetings where student representation was necessary, [Dixon] wasn’t there. As of right now, I do not believe the students’ voices are being represented on the Board of Trustees. If this type of behavior continues, then I believe the honorable thing to do is to step down as Student Trustee.”

Further, the November 17 meeting was convened to a different location due to the overwhelming volume of the demonstrators. Legally, the Board cites the Brown Act, which allows a public meeting to be convened in a different location if willfully disrupted to the point of being unable to continue the business of the meeting at hand.

However, access must be provided to the media at the new location, but in this case, the vote was taken entirely out of public view — including the media — which does not fall under the provisions of the Brown Act. “Nobody was purposely excluded from that session. It might have been better if it was done differently. Does that make it illegal?” asked CSU General Counsel Christine Helwick. “I don’t think so.”

This lack of attendance as well as the lack of public comment was duly noted by Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, who not only Tweeted that the vote was “wrong” on November 17, but had also written two letters to the Chancellor calling on him to put back the items on the now-cancelled December 5 agenda meeting.

“Due to the alarming manner in which the decision was made [at the meeting to increase tuition…] I respectfully request that you place these two items back on the agenda for the meeting scheduled on December 5, 2011. … While I understand the CSU leadership’s concerns regarding public safety, the spirit of open deliberations has been marred by the events of November 16, 2011. This issue is simply too important to not allow for a full and thorough discussion. Otherwise, we contribute to the perception that this process is anything less than open and transparent.”

The Board’s next meeting is scheduled for January 24 and 25.