Wilson vetoes student bill

In another setback for California State University students, Go v. Pete Wilson vetoed a bill Monday that would have increased student participation in the CSU Board of Trustees - the system's major policy - making body.

Assembly Bill 2113, sponsored by the California State Student Association, would have adde d one student trustee and one faculty trustee to the board and would have established an advisory committee to aid the governor in the selection of other voting members.

In his veto message, Wilson stated that the proposed reforms were unnecess ary and would only "slow down and politicize the appointment process," and "there is no evidence that the existing Board of Trustees' appointment process is not functioning effectively."

Assemblywoman Hilda Solis, who authored the bill, condemned th e governor's veto action. "It is clear from the governor's veto message that he either does not care or is unaware that our current CSU trustees are unresponsive to the constituents they are supposed to serve-students," Solis said.

"I am concerne d that this administration and those being appointed to the CSU Board of Trustees will continue to ignore students' concerns," Solis said, after listing her concerns about fee increases, the reduction of classes and financial aid.

Some CSU students agree with Solis that past trustees appointed by the governor have been known more for their expertise in business, than their interest in education.

In response to the governor's decision, Eric Mitchell of the Humboldt State Associated Students said that it was all about power.

"He vetoed the bill because it takes power away from him," Mitchell charged.

"Only once in the history of the CSU has a governor's appointment been rejected," Mitchell said, referring to a spring decision of th e state Senate that rejected the nomination of trustee candidate Rosemary Thaker, who received only 10 of the 27 votes needed for confirmation. "The governor always gets what he wants from the board," Mitchell added. "That sounds pretty political to m e."

The bill would have also pushed the board to reflect the state's diversity and require that appointed trustees are knowledgeable of the issues facing higher education. The veto ends a two-year struggle by students to restructure the board into a more inclusive and diverse body.

However, CSSA Representative Nicole Launder promised that her organization would continue the fight. "We will continue to press the issue that we appoint representatives of California who have knowledge of highe r education," Launder said.