WHEREAS, The Reimagining Chico State Academic Affairs initiative is a major restructuring initiative that will significantly impact the academic structure, faculty roles, and student experience at Chico State, students have voiced frustration, confusion, and uncertainty in this process, for the administration has not demonstrated the benefits to students; and
WHEREAS, the principles of shared governance, as outlined in the Statement on Shared Governance and Consultation at Chico State states “shared governance benefits from a process of joint decision-making, consultation, and a spirit of collegiality wherein mutual respect and mutual responsibility are essential”, students feel that this level of shared governance is not happening and have expressed their desire for Chico State to act in good faith; and
WHEREAS, transparency in the decision-making process is essential for maintaining trust and ensuring accountability to the students of Chico State, but students have expressed concerns about not feeling heard; and
WHEREAS, the Chico State promotes data-driven decision-making, students have shared concerns that no public evidence has been provided to demonstrate that the Reimagining Chico State Academic Affairs initiative will lead to improved student outcomes or preserve academic quality; and
WHEREAS, the Chico State Administration, including the President and Provost have not provided a clear and definitive answer for what is the driving factor behind the initiative. Initial statements insisted this was not budget driven. However, statements made at the Academic Affairs Reimagining Expos Round 2, Student Only Session, indicate the initiative is “becoming more and more about the budget”; and
WHEREAS, regarding the budget and The Reimagining Chico State Academic Affairs initiative, several different projections of budgetary savings have been presented, but continue to fluctuate by significant margins; and
WHEREAS, the messaging surrounding The Reimagining Chico State Academic Affairs initiative, has shifted to be significantly budget-focused, yet the potential yearly savings is a fractional portion of the expected budget deficit; and
WHEREAS, the Chico State Administration has yet to present students with any plan to address the majority of the expected budget deficit, and are only sharing changes to Academic Affairs with students.
WHEREAS, students have expressed concerns about faculty workload, job security, and resource allocation, and students feel that the administration has not provided clear assurances or a plan to mitigate these impacts; and
WHEREAS, faculty, staff, and student feedback in the Special Action Team (SAT) report and related surveys indicate a lack of clarity, insufficient consultation, and skepticism about the necessity and execution of The Reimagining Chico State Academic Affairs initiative; and
WHEREAS, the Chico State Academic Senate serves as the primary consultative body in shared governance, yet student representation in the decision-making process is not highlighted within Senate structures, limiting the impact of student input; and
WHEREAS, CSU’s Time, Place, and Manner (TPM) policy governs student demonstrations, but raises concerns about potential restrictions that may conflict with Chico State’s stated commitments to transparency, consultation, and student engagement; and
WHEREAS, the University has framed this process as one of shared governance through the University Budget Committee (UBC), yet concerns remain about transparency in the implementation of cuts and restructuring, and the absence of student representation being meaningfully heard at many levels of decision-making; and
WHEREAS, campus metrics—such as student-to-faculty ratio, cost per FTES, and total expenditures—have been publicly shared, yet students have not been meaningfully included in interpreting or shaping how these figures are used to inform restructuring decisions; and
WHEREAS, the Government Affairs Committee serves the students of Chico State by raising the level of consciousness and amplifying the student voice on pertinent issues.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that although the Associated Students Government Affair Committee of Chico State is not the decision-making body, nor do we make any decision on behalf of Chico State, we formally call upon the administration to publicly disclose all decision-making processes, policies, and criteria used in shaping The Reimagining Chico State Academic Affairs initiative, in alignment with the University’s stated commitments to shared governance and transparency; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, we demand a formalized and non-pejorative student role in all major decisions relating to The Reimagining Chico State Academic Affairs initiative, to uphold shared governance and ensure meaningful consultation as outlined in Chico State’s Statement on Shared Governance and Consultation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the administration must provide transparent, data-driven justifications for The Reimagining Chico State Academic Affairs initiative, including how enrollment trends, faculty ratios, and expenditure benchmarks are being used to guide changes, and how student input is being incorporated at each stage; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Associated Students Government Affair Committee of Chico State calls for guaranteed and meaningful student representation, with steps taken to highlight and showcase student voices, not only on the University Budget Committee (UBC), but also on all division-level planning groups or advisory bodies tasked with implementing changes associated with The Reimagining Chico State Academic Affairs initiative; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, we support the Student Academic Senate acting as an oversight committee to monitor The Reimagining Chico State Academic Affairs initiative implementation, ensuring continuous student involvement, transparency, and accountability. The Student Academic Senate, or the Chair of Student Academic Senate, should remain inconstant consultation with the Academic Senate, faculty, administration, and have the autonomy to monitor any administrative actions that may suppress student advocacy; an
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the administration to provide formal commitments to safeguard faculty and staff from the negative impacts of restructuring, including job losses, increased workload, and resource depletion, as a matter of transparency and ethical responsibility; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge all students concerned about transparency and shared governance in The Reimagining Chico State Academic Affairs initiative to attend the Government Affairs Committee meetings and voice their concerns during public opinion; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Associated Students Government Affairs Committee of Chico State, will hold the administration accountable to these demands and expand advocacy efforts if transparency and shared governance are not upheld.
