The CSU Board of Trustees convened Tuesday and Wednesday for its first of six meetings this year, during which it unanimously adopted a new policy that places a limit on executive compensation.

The policy states “the initial base salary, paid with public funds, to the successor president, shall not exceed 10 percent of the previous incumbent’s pay,” or a maximum of $325,000. The CSU will also take into consideration comparison surveys, continuing to evaluate fair compensation for its employees.

“I’m proposing that the salaries of newly appointed presidents in this system not exceed the maximum of $325,000 in general fund support that is consistent with the proposal submitted by Senate,” said Chair Herbert L. Carter.

State Sen. Ted Lieu was in attendance at the Wednesday meeting and commended the committee’s decision to put a cap on salaries.

“I’m confident that we can work together to resolve issues. I love the (CSU) and I believe higher education is the key to California’s future, and I think it’s important that you take this step to put this behind you and look forward to working together, to working on important issues,” said Lieu.

During the open forum, the board was confronted by various speakers about the student protester and police force clash that occurred at the Nov. 15 meeting when the board voted to increase tuition by 9 percent. The speakers critiqued how the situation was handled and claimed it was a repression of free speech to cancel the meeting and later continue the vote in a closed session.

“It seems that there is a growing trend amongst leaders, specifically those who hold positions of power, to repress free speech,” said David Inga, member and organizer of Students for Quality Education at Cal State Fullerton.

Tessy Reese, a CSU Employees Union Unit Two member, spoke out against the prevention of protests.

“My concern is for these bright, young stars who want to speak and protest. We should not silence their voice. They are our future leaders, and if we squash their spirits now, they will not shine,” said Reese.

With increased security at the entrance, there were no disturbances to the meeting. Carter discussed that measures were being taken to review the procedures followed by Long Beach police during the Nov. 15 meeting.

“I have asked the chancellor and his staff to carefully review all of the procedures that were followed by members of our staff, by all the law enforcement officers that were here from Long Beach and not members of our staff over which we have no control, about setting up relationships with them to tell them what our procedures are with respect to dealing with these kinds of issues,” Carter said. “We have not been absolutely ignorant with trying to deal with some of the outcomes of that problem. This was a situation that got out of control.”