Use your student voice to raise awareness about the issues all CSU students face.
The CSU system is a part of public higher education. There are about 3.1M California students enrolled in public higher education.
The Cal State Student Association (CSSA) recognizes that higher education plays a pivotal role in creating civically engaged students, and life long voters.
The goal of the College Involvement and Values Impacting Communities (CIVIC) challenge, aims to increase student participation that leads to amplifying the student voice through legislation, and advocacy that impacts higher education and our communities.
This allows students to influence the way our representatives vote. The CIVIC challenge also has many activities that students can participate in that increases CSSA awareness. This year Fresno State is partnered with CSU Stanislaus.
In establishing the competition, each campus has a specific teammate and legislators that are assigned to them. For CIVIC, or any other CSSA activities, your legislator assignments are the members you are responsible for engaging with. Throughout the year you will be able to collect and log points for CIVIC activities – including Surprise Challenges that will be emailed out periodically.
Forms of CIVIC Activities:
– A –
1 point
Post on social media about legislation that CSSA has a position on and use the hashtag #CSSACIVIC and tag @csustudents.
– B –
1 point
Have any student call, write, or email your elected officials to share why our legislation and budget ask are important.
– C –
5 points
Create a call to action on your campus to encourage students at large to post on social media using our hashtags, call, write, or email your elected officials about our legislation.
CSSA Call to Action: Housing Cost of Attendance Act
– D –
5 points
Create and send a brief campus update or flyer to your elected officials, highlighting the contributions students are making.
– E –
10 points
Have your campus President or mascot post on social media supporting CSSA priorities.
– F –
10 points
Create an on-campus advocacy campaign to highlight particular legislation and garner support or develop a petition.
– G –
15 points
Actively participate in the Secretary of State’s Ballot Bowl. Double points for the team with the most students registered to vote.
– H –
20 points
Attend a federal advocacy event and/or meeting.
– I –
20 points
Meet with staff from your elected officials’ district offices to talk about priorities, funding, and legislation. Make sure to take and post a photo on social media.
– J –
25 points
Have a staffer from your elected official’s office come to your campus to talk about priorities, funding, and legislation. Make sure to take and post a photo on social media.
– K –
50 points
Meet with one of your elected officials in their district office. Make sure to take and post a photo on social media.
– L –
50 points
Attend a Board of Trustees Meeting and make, or submit, public comment.
– M –
75 points
Have one of your elected officials visit your campus to talk with students. Make sure to take and post a photo on social media. Double points if you bring them to your campuses Plenary to talk in Legislative Affairs Committee.
– N –
100 points
Attend CHESS and the following day of advocacy at the Capitol. Must participate in the rally, meet with elected officials, wear designated shirts, and post on social media.
– O –
125 points
Attend the Spring Advocacy Day and meet with your elected officials.
– P –
150 points
Bring students to the Capitol when our legislation is being heard in a committee, wearing the designated CSSA shirts. Must post on social media.
– Q –
200 points
Complete at least 5 Surprise Challenges.
EXAMPLE OF A SURPRISE CHALLENGE: CALL TO ACTION
CSSA’s sponsored legislation, AB 710 (Cervantes) – the Housing Cost of Attendance Act, is currently scheduled to be heard in Senate Appropriations Committee on August 12th. While the bill currently has no formal opposition, we have been made aware that several of the institutions are telling members on the committee that they are concerned about the cost. That’s where you all come in!
For each person on your campus that fills out and submits this Call to Action, you will earn 10 points. So for example, if you get 10 people to fill it out you would earn 100 points.
Add yourself to the EMAIL LIST online & submit your points here: https://calstatestudents.org/civic/
For more information, contact Elizabeth Rocha Zuniga, ASI VP of External Affairs, at asi_vpextaffairs@mail.fresnostate.edu.