CSU | Academic Senate | Resolutions | AS-2535-01/AA

Support for Library Funding

AS-2535-01/AA - May 10-11, 2001

RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate of the California State University support and applaud the current budget provisions that include augmentations to campus library base budgets of $3 million as part of the partnership compact between the CSU and the Governor; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate CSU urge each campus library receive its full allocation as an addition to its base budget; and be it further

RESOLVED: That copies of this resolution be sent to the Chancellor, each campus president, each campus senate chair, and each campus library director.

RATIONALE: In 1998, the Academic Senate CSU adopted resolution AS-2429-98/AA (attached) in support of the findings of the systemwide Task Force on Library Collections. The report of the task force found that serious degradation in the quality of CSU library collections occurred as the result of funding cuts beginning in the early 1990s. A funding gap for library collections was identified by the task force, a gap which is now estimated to be $12 million annually. This funding shortfall has been recognized by the CSU and the State as a structural budget deficiency in need of correction. The current, four-year "Partnership" agreement between the CSU and the governor provides for an additional 1% increase to the State General Fund base to phase in full funding to eliminate the annual budgetary shortfalls for libraries as well as building maintenance, instructional equipment, and instructional technology between 1999-00 and 2002-03. That agreement yielded an increase of $3 million of base budget funding for systemwide electronic information resources in 2000-01. An additional $4 million is budgeted for 2001-02 bringing the total addition to the base budget for libraries to $7 million.

In 2001-02, $3 million of the Partnership funding will be allocated directly to campuses for library collections. Allocations will be made on the basis of campus FTES. To close the funding gap, it is critical that each library receive its full allocation as an addition to its base budget.

APPROVED WITHOUT DISSENT - May 10-11, 2001