The California State Student Association (CSSA) held a virtual meeting in September, covering a wide range of issues affecting students across the CSU system. Here's a breakdown of what CSSA is and what topics were discussed.
CSSA is the governing body representing all undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the California State University (CSU) system. It serves as a platform for students to advocate for their interests and concerns on a system-wide level. CSSA works closely with the CSU Chancellor's Office and the Board of Trustees to ensure that student voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes.
The AS President and Commissioner of Legislative Affairs attend these meetings to represent California State University, Chico. In the event they cannot, the Commissioner of Student Engagement and Advocacy attends as proxy.
CSSA Plenary | September 2026
Systemwide Affairs
Many CSU campuses expressed their experiences with Flock and Axon cameras on their campuses and license plate readers near campus. Some also reported ICE presence and are worried about campus safety.
Gender-neutral bathrooms were also discussed as some campuses do not have many to offer and wish to expand to support their students.
Legislative Affairs
The 2026 Student Housing Law (AB 2766) has been signed to guarantee priority housing and financial protections for foster and homeless youth in public higher education.
The committee expressed the desire for more students to vote for the midterm election coming this November.
Finance Committee
This committee discussed the Student Involvement and Representation Fee (SIRF), which is a $2 fee per term paid by CSU students. This funds the CSSA and is automatically added to student accounts but is something that students can voluntarily opt out of in their portal.
This fee also goes to administration, where campuses have seen a large amount of opt-outs being done on that side. This can impact the revenue of CSSA while operational costs increase at the same time.
Internal Affairs
The 22 CSU campuses are currently split into three regional representations, the North, Central, and South regions. Some campuses expressed a desire to change their regions, so the appointed Region Engagement Officer position well represent them accurately.
Trustee Committee
Student trustee applications are open November-January. The student trustees are students who serve a two-year term and will be responsible for adopting rules, regulations, and policies that govern the CSU as a board member. They also serve as a liaison to CSSA.
Board of Directors
The CSU system awarded $5500 microgrants to 11 campuses to support pregnant and parenting students during the 2026-27 academic year.
The next plenary meeting will be held October 17-18, 2026 in-person here at Chico State. Plenary meetings are open to the public in accordance with Gloria Romero Open Meetings Act of 2000. Meetings take place monthly (with the exception December and June). The agenda for regularly scheduled meetings are posted no later than three (3) days prior to the meeting date. For more information or to voice your concerns, please reach out to your elected student representatives.
Madi Sunderman is the current Commissioner of Legislative Affairs for the Associated Students. To reach out to Madi, email her at as-legaffairs@csuchico.edu.
