For Immediate Release

May 14, 2015

916.712.9854

Contact: Maria L. Lopez

916.651.4039 or

Block on May Revise: To help our

students and grow our economy we
must invest in a more efficient CSU
Senator Marty Block (D-39) today issued the following statement following Gov. Jerry Browns
release of the May Revise:
I applaud Gov. Jerry Brown for moving forward to mend the torn safety net for the most
vulnerable among us who suffered so much during the recent economic crisis. The Earned
Income Tax Credit is a good start.
The governors revised spending plan also maintains a flat tuition rate for the states higher
education students which is critical to the states future. This reinvestment in the University
of California and our community colleges is welcome news to already financially overburdened
California students. Unfortunately our California State University (CSU) system does not fare as
well.
CSU is the go to system that generates more than half the states bachelors degrees and onethird of the states masters degrees. In ten years, we will need another million adults with
bachelors degrees. We must do more, not less, to ensure that students have the classes and
support they need to graduate in four years. Higher education investment creates a talented,
stable and more productive workforce that also incubates new technologies and advances in the
sciences benefiting all in the state and nation.
The CSU is the underfunded, underappreciated Cinderella of our state higher education
system. Gov. Brown bemoans CSUs self-report that only about 19 percent of its incoming
freshmen graduate in four years. He is rightfully concerned about time to graduation. But he fails
to provide funding needed to correct the problem.
My bill, SB 15, will invigorate the CSU system while addressing the governors concerns about
efficiencies. SB 15 calls for additional funding for core classes to ensure students get the courses
they need when they need them. It also urges increases in the number of counselors and support
staff to help students successfully navigate their degree programs. It will provide more financial
aid, including incentives to motivate all students to get four year degrees in four years."

"As students graduate more quickly, more slots will be created for incoming high school
graduates and community college transfers. At the same time, on-time graduation will transform
dependent college students into independent tax payers helping to drive Californias economy.
And, with proper financial support, our Cinderella system will transform into an efficient model
of educational success."
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Solana Beach, and Coronado