As you probably know, California lawmakers have approved a state budget and the governor signed it yesterday. The state's systems of higher education will absorb severe cuts under this budget. For the California State University, the reduction will be at least $650 million, and possibly more if anticipated revenue does not materialize. Overall CSU funding will be about $2.1 billion, its lowest level since 1998, despite the fact that we now serve 90,000 more students. As CSU Chancellor Reed put it, what was once unprecedented has become normal. This is the second time in three years that the CSU budget is being reduced by more than $500 million, which is absolutely heartbreaking. The impact will be felt most immediately by our students, but I have no doubt that there will be a long-term negative consequences for the economy and quality of life in California. We should be investing in higher education to pull ourselves out of this recession and to be competitive long-term. The CSU system and the campuses have already planned for a $500 million reduction, and at its July 12 meeting, the CSU Board of Trustees will address the additional reductions. To protect student access, student services and program quality, the Chancellor will recommend an additional 12 percent tuition fee increase, or $294 per semester, to be effective this fall. All of these means higher tuition cost which leads to a decrease in the the volume of enrollment. Without the load of being a full-time student it is hard to support and make something of yourself. I speak not only for California State University students, but college students alike. If we have to pay for our education we should have the options to the degree we want. This is our future you are robbing from Governor Brown and other California Lawmakers. Are you trying to cause a deeper depression? You might as well just cut the majority of the programs and assign us a future in K-12, because you are taking away our choices and our rights.