By Gilbert Gutierrez III
Daily Titan Staff Writer

On Sunday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed Senate Bills 218 and 219, authored by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), which would have brought greater transparency and accountability to the state’s public higher education institutions.

SB 218, would have updated the California Public Records Act (CPRA) to include auxiliary organizations that perform government functions at the University of California (UC), the California State University (CSU), and the California community colleges.

SB 219 would have provided UC employees who report waste, fraud and abuse, with the same legal protections as other state employees.

“The Governor has failed to keep his promise of bringing greater sunshine to government agencies,” Yee stated in a press release.  “While he talks a lot about government waste, he vetoes the only bills to actually provide public oversight and accountability.  His vetoes are certain to allow further scandal at these public institutions and will only result in fewer philanthropic dollars at a time when they are needed more than ever.”

According to the CSU Chancellor’s Office, 20 percent of its $6.7 billion budget, or $1.34 billion, is held in auxiliaries and foundations, which is out of public view.
“We are outraged that the Governor vetoed SB 218,” said Lillian Taiz, president of the California Faculty Association. “It would appear that his public commitment to transparency and accountability is only lip-service.”

“Unfortunately, the governor has sent the wrong message to those who witness wrongdoing at UC,” said Yee. “Without legal protections, workers are certain to unfairly face retaliation for doing the right thing and many others will just stay silent.  The governor has not only let down UC workers, but all California taxpayers.”

Chapter President of the CFA at Cal State Fullerton, Mougo Nyaggah, said this bill was important for the CFA because it would have allowed taxpayers to know where their money is going. “Under the current law we cannot force the CSU system to open up their books to the public,” he said.

Nyaggah said he believes that funds that have been allocated to other auxiliaries should be used to hire more lectures and open more classes for students.

CSU Spokesperson Erik Fallis commented that the CSU has long been a leader in transparency and accountability in public higher education.

“Unfortunately, SB 218 inappropriately defines private auxiliary organizations as a state or local public agency for purposes of the California Public Records Act. This could have cost the CSU and its auxiliaries millions while reducing private-giving to our campuses at a time when they need it most. This diversion of funds and loss of charitable donations would hurt the ability of auxiliaries to support the university’s mission of quality, accessible higher education,” he said.

The CFA and the California Newspaper Publishers Association co-sponsored SB 218. It was also supported by the editorial boards of the Los Angeles Times, Riverside Press-Enterprise, Sacramento Bee and San Gabriel Valley Tribune, among others.

The CFA represents the 22,000 professors, librarians, coaches and counselors that teach at the 23 CSU campuses.

“It’s disappointing to see that the governor decided to take sides with campus executives instead of the taxpayers and students of California,” said Adam J. Keigwin spokesperson for Yee.
Keigwin added that Yee will re-evaluate the situation and over the next year will re-introduce the bills to the state at another capacity.