Student Services

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Student Government

California State Student Association
The California State Student Association (CSSA) was established as a federation of presidents of Associated Students organizations in the California State Colleges around 1958, three years before the CSU system was established. Membership is voluntary. The group initially served as an informational forum among the student associations. In 1972, the Students Presidents Association sponsored legislation which authorized the expenditure of student body fees to fund a lobbyist for CSU students (Education Code 89300).

The CSSA is an advocacy group. Representatives are selected by campus associated students. Meetings are held monthly throughout the state. CSSA takes positions on issues affecting the CSU, its students, the Chancellor, the Board of Trustees, and the legislative officers of the state government.

Associated Students
Every student, by virtue of paying a mandatory membership fee, is a voting member of the campus Associated Students Incorporated (ASI), eligible to hold office in student government, serve on university and systemwide committees, and participate in campus club activities.

The ASI is an officially recognized auxiliary of the University and is involved with representing student interest on campus as well as providing a variety of services which may include a Children's Center that provides day care for children of students, faculty and staff, Learning Resource Centers, Intramural sports, and a multitude of cultural, educational and leisure activities.

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Qualifications for Student Office Holders

Minimum Academic Qualifications for Participation in Student Government
Given the representative, fiduciary, legal and other long-range policy-making responsibilities and influence of student office holders, it is the policy of the CSU that such persons have an obligation to demonstrate a reasonable degree of the academic involvement and achievement.

All student representatives must be enrolled and in good standing at the university, maintain a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) each term, and not be on probation of any kind. This requirement applies to the major student government offices defined below, minor student representative offices as defined by the campus, and student representatives to systemwide committees.

These requirements should be considered minimum qualifications. Campus presidents may establish additional requirements as determined locally.

Major Student Government Offices
Major student government offices include president, members of the student governing board or others with fiduciary responsibilities (e.g., other campus auxiliaries), and the campus representative to the (CSSA).

  • Incumbent Unit Load
    Undergraduate incumbents must earn 6 semester or 9 quarter units of credit per term while holding office. Graduate and credential students must earn 3 semester or 4 quarter units of credit per term while holding office. Students at quarter campuses must attend a minimum of two quarters during the academic year to maintain eligibility. However, year-round quarter campuses may require student office holders to be enrolled a minimum of three quarters during the calendar year to maintain eligibility.
  • Incumbent Maximum Allowable Units
    Undergraduate students are allowed to earn a maximum of 150 semester or (225 quarter) units or 125 percent of the units required for a specific baccalaureate degree objective, whichever is greater. Graduate and credential students are allowed to earn a maximum of 50 semester (or 75 quarter) units or 167 percent of the units required for the graduate or credential objective, whichever is greater. Students holding over that number of units will no longer be eligible for major student government office.
  • Candidate Unit Load
    Undergraduate candidates must maintain 6 semester or 9 quarter units per term while running for office. Graduate and credential student candidates must maintain 3 semester or 4 quarter units per term while running office.
  • Candidate Residency
    Undergraduate candidates for office must have been enrolled on the campus and have completed at least one semester or two quarters prior to the election, earning a total of 6 semester (9 quarter) units during that year. Graduate and credential candidates for office must earn 6 semester (or 9 quarter) units per term of continuous attendance as a new graduate or credential student to be eligible. Graduate and credential students who received a bachelor's degree or credential within the past three years from the same campus must have earned a total of 12 semester (18 quarter) units during their last year as an undergraduate to be eligible.
  • Year-round quarter campuses may establish a lower number of quarter units new graduate and credential students must earn to fulfill candidate residency requirements for major student government offices.

Minor Representative Officers
Minor student representative officers are defined by the campus.

Incumbent Unit Load
Undergraduate incumbents must earn 6 semester or 9 quarter units per term while holding office. Graduate incumbents must earn 3 semester or 4 quarter units per term while holding office.

Students at quarter campuses must attend a minimum of two quarters during the academic year to maintain eligibility. Undergraduate students are allowed to earn a maximum of 150 semester or (225 quarter) units or 125 percent of the units required for a specific baccalaureate degree objective, whichever is greater. Graduate and credential students are allowed to earn a maximum of 50 semester (or 75 quarter) units or 167 percent of the units required for the graduate or credential objective, whichever is greater. Students holding over that number of units will no longer be eligible for major student government office. Requirements regarding unit candidate unit load and candidate residency are determined by the campus president.

Systemwide Committee Appointees
All students who serve on regular or ad hoc systemwide committees must meet the following criteria.

  • Incumbent Unit Load
    Undergraduate student must earn a minimum of 6 semester or 9 quarter units per term while serving on a committee. Graduate and credential students must earn a minimum of 3 semester or 4 quarter units per term while serving. Students at quarter campuses must attend a minimum of two quarters during the academic year to maintain eligibility.
  • Candidate Residency
    Undergraduate nominatees for systemwide committee appointment must have been enrolled in the CSU system and have completed one semester or two quarters prior to the appointment, earning a minimum of 6 semester (9 quarter) units during that year. Graduate and credential nominatees must have 6 semester (or 9 quarter) units of continuous attendance as a new graduate or credential student to be eligible. Graduate and credential students who received a bachelor's degree or credential within the past three years from the same campus, must have earned a total of 12 (18 quarter) units during their last year as an undergraduate to be eligible.

Exceptions
Under extraordinary circumstances the campus president may make an exception to the requirements for unit load, maximum allowable units, residency, and GPA.

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Student Discipline

It is expected that all students are enrolled for serious educational pursuits and that their conduct will preserve an atmosphere of learning. Enrolled students are subject to university authority which includes the prerogative of dismissing students whose conduct is inimical to the aims of an institution of higher education.

Rules of student conduct are included in the California Code of Regulations, Title 5 beginning at Section 41301. A student who violates university policies or regulations is subject to disciplinary action which can result in a warning, reprimand, probation, suspension or expulsion. Procedures under which the university may take disciplinary action against a student are specified by the Chancellor of The California State University, Executive Order 628. These procedures are on file in the Office of Student Affairs or Dean of Students at the campuses.

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Student Trustees

CSU Board of Trustees - Student Representatives
Under the California Education Code, Section 66602, "there shall also be appointed by the Governor for a two-year term, a student from a California State University who shall have at least a junior standing at the institution he or she attends, and shall remain in good standing as a student for the two-year term. In the selection of a student as a member of the Board, the Governor shall appoint a student from the names of not more than five persons furnished by student representatives of each of the universities and colleges." (The California State Student Association)"

The term of office of the student member of the board of trustees shall commence on July 1 and expire on June 30 two years thereafter.

To inquire about applications for student trustee nominations, contact the CSSA located at 400 Golden Shore, Long Beach, California 90802 or (562)985-2944.

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Systemwide Committees

Student Representatives - CSU Systemwide Committees
During each fall semester, the Chancellor's office solicits nominations from the CSSA of eligible students willing to serve on systemwide committees. Selected students must meet the "Minimum Academic Qualifications for Student Office Holders." Following are the names and a brief description of the systemwide committees for which student representatives are selected.

Admission Advisory Council
The Admission Advisory Council advises the chancellor about admission issues by reviewing systemwide admission policy and practices to ensure compliance with Trustee policy.

Advisory Committee on Services to Students with Disabilities
The committee reviews, evaluates, and recommends systemwide educational and administrative policies that affect students with disabilities and advises the chancellor on needs and concerns of students with disabilities.

Commission on Learning Resources and Instructional Technology

The purpose of the commission is to develop and recommend policy guidelines to the chancellor to facilitate the effective uses of learning resources and instructional technologies throughout the CSU. Also, the commission is to identify and recommend goals and appropriate initiatives to be pursued by the campuses, individually and collectively, to ensure the successful implementation of these policy guidelines. The commission is to consider how the learning resources and associated instructional technologies can improve the teaching-learning processes, whether it be in the classroom on the main campus, at off campus centers, or at non-university locations via distance learning delivery mechanisms.

Commission on Technology, Infrastructure, and Partnerships

This commission will deal with the oversight of the Technology Infrastructure Initiative.

CSU Summer Arts Advisory Council

The Advisory Council shall provide recommendations and advice about the program's direction to the Office of Academic Affairs.

Educational Equity Advisory Council
The council reviews the effectiveness of CSU's existing educational equity programs and recommends policies and procedures that maximize the attraction, retention, and graduation of students who are disadvantaged educationally and economically.

Financial Aid Advisory Council
The council assists in the development of systemwide policy and guidelines for the administration of state and federal student financial aid, including reviews of the following types of issues: (1)What is the role of financial aid in the CSU system?; (2)How does the role support the CSU goal of increasing enrollment of students from underrepresented groups?; (3)How can we assist low-income, first-time students without the burden of student loans and student employment programs?; and , (4)What else can the CSU do to reduce Guaranteed Student Loan default rates?

General Education Advisory Committee
The committee is responsible for reviewing and proposing any necessary revisions in the objectives, requirements and implementation of system General Education-Breadth policy; and to study general education policies and practices inside and outside the system.

Grant Advisory Committee

The Grant Advisory Committee (GAC) advises the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) on program funding and policy issues related to the provisions of state administered grants and specialized programs for California students.

Institute for Teaching and Learning

The institute coordinates and facilitates the advancement of teaching and learning and faculty professional activities. Its primary mission is to provide assistance and resources in support of the highest standards of university teaching excellence and to provide support for faculty members to grow professionally.

Intersegmental Coordinating Committee(ICC)
The ICC is responsible for carrying out the mandate from the California Education Round Table for more effective intersegmental relations and for seeing that intersegmental problems are resolved in a timely manner. In addition to the general coordination of existing programs, the ICC serves to identify problems that need to be addressed, to receive issues raised by others, and to assign unresolved matters either to existing bodies or to ad hoc groups for resolution.

Loan Study Council

The mission of the Loan Study Council (proposed to be renamed the Loan Advisory Council by AB 2812) is to recommend to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) policies which will maximize the availability, delivery and servicing of high quality, effective student loans; encourage responsible borrower behavior and discourage unnecessary borrowing; expand services to all customers of the Student Aid Commission and maximize default prevention.

Remediation Education Committee

Oversees the implementation of the Board of Trustees' remedial policy

Subcommittee on Honorary Degrees
The Subcommittee on Honorary Degrees review nomination and forwards recommendations to the full Committee on Gifts and Public Affairs for individuals under consideration for receiving an honorary degree from the CSU.

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