[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Garamendi also calls for UC and CSU meetings to be scheduled on different days to allow for full participation by ex-officio members

By Frank D. Russo

Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi sent a strongly worded letter yesterday to California State University (CSU) Chancellor Charles Reed and Board of Trustees Chair Roberta Achtenberg opposing any executive pay raises.

He communicated by letter because he could not simultaneously attend tomorrow's CSU Trustee's meeting and that of the University of California Board of Regents, part of an ongoing scheduling conflict where these two bodies frequently meet on the same day in opposite ends of the state. Garamendi is an ex-officio member of both boards (by reason of his election as Lieutenant Governor) as is the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Speaker of the Assembly, and the Governor. He has taken an active role in both the CSU and UC meetings and wants to attend both to participate in person and vote on important issues impacting higher education in California.

In his letter, he outlines seven reasons why CSU should not to proceed with a pay increase and urges his fellow board members to vote against any such proposals. He states: