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AB 958

Trustees of the California State University: gubernatorial and faculty appointees.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Sabrina Cervantes and 3 co-sponsors

Expands the CSU Board from 25 to 27 by adding one gubernatorial appointee and one tenured faculty trustee, with staggered two-year terms chosen via the Academic Senate.

Ordered to inactive file at the request of Assembly Member Sharp-Collins.
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Bill Summary · AB 958

AB 958 — Trustees of the California State University: gubernatorial and faculty appointees

Author: Assembly Member Sharp‑Collins
Introduced: February 20, 2025
Status: Ordered to inactive file at author’s request (June 5, 2025)

Purpose / Intent

AB 958 would change the composition of the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees to increase lay and faculty representation. The bill’s primary intent is to expand the board from 25 to 27 members by adding one additional gubernatorial appointee and one additional faculty trustee, and to specify procedures and term timing for faculty appointments.

Key provisions

  • Board size: increases the Board of Trustees from 25 members to 27 members.
    • Current components preserved: five ex officio members (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Speaker of the Assembly, CSU Chancellor), one alumni representative, student trustees.
    • Appointive members: increases gubernatorial appointive members from 16 to 17 (subject to Senate confirmation).
    • Faculty trustees: increases faculty appointees from one to two.
  • Faculty appointee qualifications and terms:
    • Each faculty trustee must be tenured at the CSU campus where they teach.
    • Each faculty trustee would serve a two‑year term.
    • Terms are staggered: one faculty term begins July 1 of an odd‑numbered year; the other begins July 1 of an even‑numbered year.
    • If a successor is not appointed, a faculty member may remain in office for one additional year or until a successor is appointed.
  • Appointment process for faculty trustees:
    • The Governor must appoint each faculty trustee from a list furnished annually by the Academic Senate of the California State University.
    • Note on ambiguity in the bill text: the Legislative Counsel’s Digest and some bill documents refer to a list of “at least 4 names”; other lines in the bill text contain an inconsistent reference (“at least four two persons”). The public record therefore identifies both versions; the digest indicates “at least 4” names but the statute text needs clarification.
  • Other rules:
    • Faculty trustees appointed under this provision are specifically precluded from participating on any board subcommittee responsible for collective bargaining negotiations.
    • Existing student trustee provisions (two student trustees, staggered two‑year terms, tuition waiver, appointment from student organization lists) remain unchanged.

Who is affected

  • CSU governance: the Board of Trustees’ membership and internal representational balance would change (more gubernatorial and faculty representation).
  • CSU faculty: additional formal representation on the board, with appointment routed through the Academic Senate’s nominations.
  • Governor and Senate: Governor gains authority to appoint one more trustee (subject to Senate confirmation); Senate continues confirmation role.
  • CSU campuses and stakeholders: potential impacts to board deliberations, policy priorities, and governance dynamics.

Fiscal and procedural notes

  • Fiscal: bill flagged for fiscal committee review (Fiscal Committee: YES), but no appropriation is required (Appropriation: NO) per the digest.
  • Legislative actions (selected):
    • Referred to Higher Education Committee (April 21, 2025); amended in committee and passed Higher Education (Do pass, April 29 & May 23).
    • Referred to Assembly Appropriations; read second time and amended on May 1; set on suspense and re‑referred May 5; read a second time and ordered to third reading May 27.
    • June 5, 2025: ordered to inactive file at the request of the author (Sharp‑Collins).
  • Vote requirement: majority for passage in the Assembly per the digest.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Governance: adding a second faculty trustee increases faculty voice at the highest governance level but restricts those trustees from participating in collective bargaining subcommittees.
  • Representation: adding an additional gubernatorial appointee may shift the balance of appointed lay representation; the bill also explicitly staggers faculty terms to ensure continuity.
  • Implementation detail to resolve: the exact minimum number of names the Academic Senate must provide for each faculty vacancy is unclear in the text (2 vs. 4); final statutory language would need to clarify this point if the bill advances.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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