The $79 increase to the Student Excellence Fee that Cal State Long Beach students paid this semester alone generated nearly $2.8 million in additional funds, which are being used to fund library subscriptions, hire new technology staff and purchase equipment throughout campus.
The Student Excellence Fee was created in summer 2011 by former CSULB President F. King Alexander and set at $94 per semester. In May 2013, Alexander approved a $79 increase before he left to lead the Louisiana State University System. The increase began in spring 2014, bringing the total to $173 per semester.
Funds generated by the SEF are split into two categories: baseline, which totaled $1.49 million for this semester, and proposal, which totaled $1.15 million. Baseline funds are given to a college or department based on need, whereas proposal funds are awarded through a competitive process. Each college and department received both kinds of funds.
Interim Director of Academic Facilities Michael Blazey said that dividing the funds into two categories was necessary to ensure “that every college got a piece of the pie.”
“The reality is that if everybody was confined to proposals that were judged by merit, it’s conceivable that a college or a couple of colleges might get shortchanged,” Blazey said. “In order to ensure that every college has a share of the Student Excellence Fund, every college was apportioned a number of dollars.”
Of the nearly $2.8 million in additional funding, Academic Technology Services received the most, $498,500, followed by the College of Engineering, which received $393,500.
Several colleges are using their funds from the SEF to purchase or upgrade equipment.
For instance, a portion of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics’ funds are being used to purchase microscopes, replace computers and pay for new software. The College of Health and Human Services is installing projectors in 11 classrooms and updating kinesiology labs with part of its funds.
Additionally, the College of the Arts used some of its funds to purchase tools for several Art and Design Department programs and new cinematography equipment for the Film and Electronic Arts Department.
Another portion of the funds is being used to acquire university-wide site licenses for technologies such as Adobe suite, according to University Library Associate Dean Tracey Mayfield. The funds are also being used to upgrade 200 computers in the Spidell Technology Center and renew subscriptions to research databases, such as Academic Search Complete.
Blazey helped organize proposals for both categories of SEF funds and consulted with student representatives and campus administrators during the allocation process.
Before passing the proposals to Interim President Donald Para for final approval, Blazey said he met with Associated Students Inc. President John Haberstroh, two associate vice presidents for academic affairs, and Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs David Dowell.
“The protocol requires the colleges to review the proposal with an in-house committee with faculty and student input,” he said. “It was very consultative along the way.”
Each college and department was also required to show how it would spend both its baseline and proposal money.
“[SEF] funds are not general fund dollars,” Blazey said. “If they’ve asked for it for a particular purpose, they have to purchase or spend it out on that particular thing. They don’t just get a pot of money that they can spend as they see fit.”
Blazey said that the highest consideration was given to instructional technology, or “ technology that touches students.” However, not all proposals that were funded fit within the standard definition of technology.
“We’re kind of in an age where we think of technology as ‘high-tech,’ which tends to be computer driven,” he said. “But the reality is that technology is broadly defined. The adjective ‘instructional’ is key here.”
“These things would probably not be available given the current budget situation,” he said. “The reality is if it weren’t for the Student Excellence Funds, students would probably still be using technology that is probably out of date.”