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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2019 | VOL. 60 IS. 29 | FREE
You spoke, we listened. Now see who won! Students volunteer at free tax center Low-income community provided with tax services RAYCHEL STEWART
S ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH HOFSTEDT
CSU researchers silenced by Chancellor’s Office Task force allegedly prevented from presenting results GEOVANNI BOTTICELLA
A
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CSU task force created to review and recommend changes to the system’s math criteria were allegedly prevented from presenting their research by the CSU Chancellor’s Office, according to the task forces co-chair. “The Chancellor’s Office told us we weren’t allowed to present to (the deans) because if we presented to them, we would bias them in favor of our report,” said Katherine Stevenson, co-chair of the task force and math professor at CSUN. In February of 2016, the CSU system organized the Quantitative Reasoning Task Force to review the current standards for math and recommend changes to the curriculum. The recommendations made by the task force included an updated defi nition of quantitative reasoning and removal of intermediate algebra requirements, according to their report. At the same time, the CO was preparing to release Executive Order 1110, which would alter math programs system-wide. When the task force released their report in September of 2016 the CO told them not to present their fi ndings to any CSU campuses, according to Stevenson. “I think by the time we turned in that report they had already made up their minds and knew what they wanted to do, and the report was irrelevant,” Stevenson said.
Ken O’Donnell, who was the liaison between the task force and the CO, said in an email that he did not know about the CO denying the task force from presenting their research. However, O’Donnell left his position as liaison once the research was finished but before the task force began reporting on it. “I haven’t heard of cases where the task force was asked not to present its findings,” O’Donnell said. “As far as I know all the materials and final report were made public, and openly posted online.” While the report was sent out to colleges, the task force was unable to present their research at any conferences, to campus deans or provosts, according to Stevenson. “We were excluded from the CSUwide meetings and we were given no opportunity to present at campuses unless we happened to know people at the campuses who insisted on inviting us,” Stevenson said. “But there was notfacilitation done by the CSU to help us spread the word about the report.” Without presenting the report to the campuses, the campus deans were left to interpret the research themselves without members of the task force clarifying what the research meant. This also made it difficult to have a discussion about the recommendations with the CSU campuses, according to Stevenson. While some recommendations from the report were part of the chancellor’s new math plan, like removing an intermediate math prerequisite, some important aspects were left out, such
as creating a defi nition for quantitative reasoning to better guide the creation of math curriculum, according to Stevenson. “The only thing it did that followed our recommendation was to remove the intermediate algebra requirement,” Stevenson said. “But we said remove the requirement and have this defi nition. They created a vacuum. We didn’t say get rid of the remediation, we said make sure it’s serving the student’s pathway. Maybe that’s a stretch course, maybe that’s a co-req class, maybe for some students that is full-on remediation.” Toni Molle, the director of public affairs for the CO, said in an email that other elements of the task force were implemented outside of EO 1110. A Center for the Advancement of Instruction in Quantitative Reasoning has been created, and there have been discussions about requiring a fourth year of math in high school for admittance to the CSUs. Those were both recommended by the task force. Ultimately, Stevenson feels that the CO ignored the task force’s fi nding to avoid cooperation with faculty. “I think that they were afraid that if they engaged with the faculty through the task force or other organizations that their vision would get watered down,” Stevenson said. “They didn’t care about the faculty. If they had sat down with us they would have realized we might have been going in the same direction and asked us what we needed to bring the faculty on board. We could have gotten there.”
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tudents gain learning experiences in the taxation and accounting field while also providing cost-free tax services for low-income residents in the San Fernando Valley through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program at CSUN. The Bookstein Institute for Higher Education in Taxation offers three accounting classes and a paid position as an operations supervisor, where students can enroll based on experience level and volunteer for the CSUN VITA Clinic, which is a part of the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics. “This program hasn’t just impacted students, it’s impacted the community, it goes beyond CSUN,” said Rafi Efrat, the Bookstein Chair in Taxation. “The clinic is the largest free-tax preparation service in Los Angeles County and second largest in the state.” Beginning in 1970, the VITA Clinic now has 12 locations and over 400 student volunteers, and has serviced over 7,000 San Fernando Valley residents and filed over $8 million in tax returns in 2018. The clinic has assisted over 7,500 people, more than half of which were outside of CSUN, and is projected to increase 10% for 2019. Wells Fargo donated $50,000 and the Bank of Hope donated $20,000 to CSUN in 2018 to help expand VITA locations beyond the San Fernando Valley. A new initiative, called CSU 5, will expand the clinic to five state campuses and six community colleges across Southern California. “We have had a VITA program for the last 14 or so years,” said Sudha Krishnan, professor of accounting at CSU Long Beach, in an email. “But with the new CSU 5 VITA program, we have expanded the timing, locations and got additional funding through the grant to advertise and expand the program. As a result of this expansion, as of March 31, our site had filed 1692 state & federal tax returns with 78 volunteers.” Students from all majors are able to enroll in the first-level accounting courses and in the higher levels once volunteer hours are done in the prior year. Efrat said the class is offered to anyone who wants to learn about taxation. Students can provide assistance based on their area of education, such as Spanish and deaf studies majors who can interpret, and marketing majors can advertise the clinic. “I’ve been here with VITA for three years,” said Argin Yadgarian, supervisor at the clinic and a senior in accounting. “I’ve been able to have hands-on training and an understanding of what goes on in accounting because of (the clinic).” Students in the course do 32 hours of training at the beginning of the semester before starting volunteer hours. Volunteering hours vary based on class-level and based on schedule, and volunteers are placed at different locations. Students and residents that have made less than $54,000 the year prior qualify for no-cost income tax services. The program runs until April 15, which is the last day taxes can be filed. “I’ve been able to help families in the community save money,” said Yadgarian. “Which has been a very rewarding thing each year I’m here.”