Senate Resolution #22

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Presented to the Senate floor on April, 12, 2012.

Authored by: MILLER

Co-authored by: Hsu, Ozedirne

Introduced by: Crisologo-Smith

Referred to: Academic Affairs Commission

External Affairs Commission

Recommendation: Academic Affairs Commission Do Pass as Amended, 9-0-0, on April 16, 2012.

Yes: Burke, Izdebska, Jaswal, Johnson, Menorske, Poon, Sifferman, Stone.

Abstain: Wold.

External Affairs Commission Do Pass as Amended, 8-0-1, on April 17, 2012.

Yes: Coe, Eeo, Ong, Gerhart, Kasliwal. Sandstrom, Weber.

Abstain: Bronstein, Coy.

Senate Resolution #22

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An ASUCD Senate Resolution in support of California Senate Bill #1053, introduced by California State Senators Elaine Alquist and President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg.
WHEREAS, the cost of attending California’s public colleges and universities has skyrocketed in recent years; and,

WHEREAS, fees often tend to be the most visible cost, other costs not related to tuition, such as the cost of textbooks, significantly burden both students and their families; and,

WHEREAS, the average annual student budget for textbooks at California’s community colleges can be almost 150 percent of the cost of tuition such that many students forgo purchasing textbooks due to cost; and,

WHEREAS, existing law urges textbook publishers to take specified actions aimed at reducing the amounts that students pay for textbooks, including providing to faculty and departments considering textbook orders a list of all the different products the publisher sells; and,

WHEREAS, existing law requires the Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and requests the Regents of the University of California, to take specific actions with their respective Academic Senates, college and university bookstores, and faculty to promote the selection of textbooks that will result in cost savings to students; and,

WHEREAS, Senate Bill #1053 (SB 1053) would establish the California Digital Open Source Library, under the joint administration of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, for the purpose of housing open source materials while providing a web-based way for students, faculty, and staff to easily find, adopt, utilize, or modify course materials for little or no cost; and,

WHEREAS, these textbooks and related materials will be offered at no cost online or for an estimated $20 per textbook in hardcopy; and,

WHEREAS, SB 1053 would require the bill to become operative only if SB 1052 becomes operative on or before January 1, 2013, and establishes the California Open Education Resources Council.

THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED THAT, the Associated Students, University of California, Davis (ASUCD) supports the equitable access to education through affordable textbooks, and urges the University of California Board of Regents to adopt the identical practices in order to maintain the quality of public higher education in California; and,

THEREFORE LET IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, ASUCD supports the premises and the functions of SB 1053 and encourages its speedy passage through the California State Legislature; and,

THEREFORE LET IT BE FINALLY RESOLVED THAT, copies of this resolution shall be sent to Governor Jerry Brown; California State Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg; California State Senate Majority Leader Ellen Corbett; Speaker of the Assembly John Pérez; California State Senator Leland Yee; California Assembly Member Anthony Portantino; California Assembly Member Marty Block; UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi; the UC office of the President, Mark Yudolf; the UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau; the UC Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake; the UC Los Angeles Chancellor Gene Block; the UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Henry Yang; the UC Riverside Chancellor Timothy White; the UC San Francisco Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann; the UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne Fox; the UC Santa Cruz Chancellor George Blumenthal; the UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland; the University of California Board of Regents; California State University Board of Trustees; KDVS 90.3 FM; AggieTV; San Francisco Chronicle; The California Aggie; The Davis Enterprise; and The Sacramento Bee.

Finance: No Appropriation: None Vote: Majority

DO PASS AS AMENDED, 12-0-0, BY A ROLL CALL VOTE OF THE ASUCD SENATE ON APRIL 19, 2012.

YES: ANGUIANO, BOTTOMS, CRISOLOGO-SMITH, GILBERT, GOSS, HAN, KAPUR, KIMBALL, MIN, PADGETT, SHEEHAN, ZOKAIE

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Rebecca Sterling Date

ASUCD President