Governor Should Promptly Channel Funds to CSUCI

When Gov. Gray Davis proposed his budget earlier this year, he announced he was withholding funds for the California State University Channel Islands campus until university officials make more progress on development of another campus in Stockton.

Davis should earmark $10 million to CSUCI in this year’s budget, regardless of the status of the campus in Stockton.

As an elected federal official, I normally avoid publicly immersing myself in a state funding issue. However, this is an important issue for our community. As a father of four children--one of whom is a teacher--I know how important a university close to home is for all of us.

In addition, the university was a hot topic at a recent meeting with my Education Advisory Council, which includes local educators, because it is so vital to Ventura County’s education community.

CSUCI officials expected to receive the funding this year to allow them to search for new faculty and to develop campus curricula necessary to completely open the facility as expected in 2002.

Although the governor has repeatedly stated his commitment to provide funding for the Channel Islands campus, he is holding its funds hostage while the Stockton campus situation is resolved. Our students and our teachers are being punished over this, and the governor’s actions won’t resolve Stockton’s problems any faster.

University officials are not promoting Channel Islands over Stockton. As CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed has stated, Stockton has unique problems that need to be addressed. CSU has launched a study into the Stockton campus’ problems and possible solutions. The study is slated for completion this month.

Channel Islands, on the other hand, is ready to move forward. And it should. Without delay.

The Channel Islands campus will serve public schools and educators by providing continuing education to current and future Ventura County teachers. With annual student enrollments in California projected to grow at a steady rate of about 80,000 children per year, it is estimated that nearly 300,000 additional qualified teachers will be needed in our classrooms over the next 10 years. We need a fully functioning campus in Ventura County to help us meet teacher demand.

Those teachers will provide quality education to our children. Our children will then be better prepared to compete in an ever-changing economic environment.

In March, the state Senate budget subcommittee on education, under the direction of subcommittee Chairman Jack O’Connell (D-San Luis Obispo), again earmarked $10 million for CSU Channel Islands. If the earmark makes it through the Senate, it will once again land on Davis’ desk. I have written to the governor and urged him to support it.

But the governor shouldn’t wait for the Senate. Ventura County should not be held hostage because of problems with a campus in another part of the state, particularly since doing so will not change the situation in Stockton. Putting a hold on CSU Channel Islands for dubious reasons hurts our university system and the future of our teachers and students.

Education must be promoted whenever possible. It is too important to our children and our community to be used as a political pawn.

Davis should immediately include the $10 million for CSU Channel Islands in his budget and find more appropriate avenues to move Stockton toward fruition.

The Camarillo campus needs $10 million to prepare for 2002 opening. Problems elsewhere in system should not delay progress here.