WHEREAS, Each Community College District has at least one student trustee who represents the students on the Board of Trustees and student trustees are expected to perform the same duties as elected board members, including attending meetings, reviewing policy proposals, and advocating for their constituents' interests, yet many serve without equitable compensation;
WHEREAS, Nine community college districts provide no compensation whatsoever to their student trustees for their service, despite the role’s responsibilities delineating duties similar to those of elected board members; while 25 community college districts provide only mileage reimbursement or a stipend as compensation for board service, creating an inconsistency that deters students from underrepresented or economically disadvantaged backgrounds from seeking the position of student trustee, ultimately limiting the diversity of student representation on governing boards;
WHEREAS, AB 1541 (Fong)[1] of the 23-24 legislature established rights for student trustees to be able to “cast an advisory vote immediately before votes are cast by the regular members of the governing board,” to “be seated with the members of the governing board and shall be recognized as a full member of the board at the meetings,” to “Make and second motions at the discretion of the governing board,” and to “Receive compensation, at the discretion of the governing board, up to the amount prescribed by Section 72024”; and
WHEREAS, The Student Senate for California Community Colleges passed S24.03.22 “Fair Student Trustee Pay” in 2024 [2], which advocated that all Community College Districts provide equitable compensation for Student Trustees in accordance with AB 1541 (Fong, 2023) and that a Student Trustee shall not get paid less than their elected board; however, the Student Senate has since learned at last years “A to Z on Student Trustees: Becoming the Most Powerful Voice On Campus” General Assembly workshop that some community college districts still do not comply with, or that student trustees are unaware of, certain guaranteed rights and privileges under AB 1541 (Fong, 2023); Now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges monitor Community College Districts compliance with California Education Code 72023.5 [3];
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community College work with the Chancellor’s Office to remind college districts who are not in compliance with the law of the requirement;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, if college districts continue to refuse to pay student trustees equitable pay, work with the Legislature to strengthen the law.
Citations:
[1]https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1541
[2] SSCCC Resolution S24.03.22 Fair Student Trustee Pay
[3] California Education Code 72023.5