SAAS Office to Close
The Student Academic Advancement Services, also known as SAAS, is a student support service for low income and first generation college students. The office is also known for opening doors to students who are not theirs as well.
"The purpose of SAAS is to increase retention and graduation rates of first generation college students, low income students, and students with disabilities." [1]
The program is mainly funded through the Federal TRIO program. As a branch of the TRIO program, SAAS provides "opportunities for academic development, assists students with basic college requirements, and serves to motivate students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary education" [2]
On July 30, 2009, after 30 successful years at UCI, the Dean of Undergraduate Education informed the SAAS Office to shut down due to university budget cuts. The office will cease to exist as of August 31, 2009.
1. SAAS. "Frequently Asked Questions: What is SAAS?" August 2009. University of California, Irvine. August 4, 2009. <http://www.saas.uci.edu>
2."Student Support Services Program." January 30, 2009. U.S. Department of Education. August 4, 2009. <http://www.ed.gov/programs/triostudsupp/index.html>
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Purpose of the Group
Our purpose here is to let the Undergraduate Education Department (Division of Undergraduate Education) know that their blind decision was unethical and unreasonable. Our program is not solely funded by the university, but mainly funded by the federal government. Shutting down SAAS will not pose a huge benefit in our university's "budget". WE ARE FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. Apologies for the capitalization, but the Division of Undergraduate Education does not understand that fact.
Shutting down SAAS will pose a huge threat to the diversity of UCI. The Dean of Undergraduate Education praises and encourages diversity at UCI, but alas this decision poses a huge threat. The elimination of SAAS means no support services for low income students, first generation college students, and students with disabilities. This poses a huge risk for graduation and retention rates.
Our goal is to let the Department of Undergraduate Education (Division of Undergraduate Education) and the Chancellor see the success of the program as well as the impact their decision threatens to impose. They THINK that students won't cause a protest because it is the summer time, but we will hold our ground and STAND FIRM. We will NOT BE SILENCED!
Update for Clarification
1) According to the UC Office of the President's Recommendation Report on July 15, 2009,
"Academic and staff employees whose included compensation as defined in the Plan is 100% funded from federal, state, other government or private contracts, grants or cooperative agreements, because salary savings from these employees must remain within the contract, grant, or cooperative agreement, and thus CANNOT contribute to increasing campus general fund resources."
Meaning: Our federal funds cannot be used to increase campus funding. Our professional staff is already paid for under the grant. Cutting our staff to absorb funds is not only against these recommendations.
Furthermore, our professional staff is paid for under the federal grant. Laying off the staff is NOT a resolution to the budget crisis because the funds CANNOT be absorbed by any other entity or necessity than what the grant was written for.
Question: Why not use the professional staff who have the expertise and success rate for the past 30 years to continue these support services that are already paid for until August 2010?
The funds cannot be legally absorbed by any other entity, or for any other necessity, than what the federal grant was proposed for. If "absorbed" it may cause a loss for the entire grant which will result in a loss for everyone because of a personal agenda.
2) Is SAAS entirely federally funded?
Answer: Yes
Reason: The university must adhere to a contract with the Department of Education to obtain TRIO funds. One requirement is to provide some funding to show support. [Yes, Dean Salinger there is some "state" funding involved] Counter point to "state funding", when the two funds are co-mingled, it ENTIRELY becomes federal funding and only federal funding.
We understand that the Dean needs to "restructure" the division to meet the demands of the university budget cuts, BUT the funding for SAAS had already been declared federal long before that. Ergo, it cannot be touched until August 2010 when a new proposal is to be made.
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