Records requests · Management growth
The CSU said the public could see these. We’re asking.
In 2018 the CSU told the State Auditor that every new management position would be justified in writing, kept for three years, and made available to the public on request. Since then, executives and managers grew by 441. This page holds the request, the follow-ups, and what comes back.
Why these records
The State Auditor’s 2017 review found that CSU campuses could explain why they hired new managers but often not how many they needed. It recommended a written justification for every new management position, kept on file and available to stakeholders.
On March 27, 2018, the Chancellor’s Office issued Human Resources Letter 2018-04. In its report to the Auditor, it said the letter requires written justifications for both the purpose and the number of new management positions, sets a minimum three-year retention period, and directs that the justifications be made publicly available on request. The Auditor marked the recommendation resolved.
From fall 2018 to fall 2025, CSU executives and managers grew from 4,266 to 4,707 while instructional faculty fell from 27,134 to 26,517. If the policy works, the justifications for that growth exist on paper. If they don’t exist, that is a finding too.
How the request is built
Two offices. The Chancellor’s Office holds the policy, its own justifications, systemwide monitoring, and systemwide data. Each campus holds its own justifications. We start with the Chancellor’s Office and CSU Dominguez Hills; the campus version works for any CSU campus.
Since January 2023. The policy requires keeping justifications for at least three years, so that window should be complete. Monitoring records are requested back to 2018.
Positions, not people. The request asks for justifications and position data, not anyone’s personnel file. Names may be redacted, which removes the most common reason to withhold.
The law’s clock. An agency must make a determination within 10 days of receiving a request, extendable by up to 14 days in unusual circumstances. Records held electronically should be provided electronically. Agencies must help requesters narrow or clarify a request rather than reject it.
Request to the Chancellor’s Office
Send to [email protected]. Subject: California Public Records Act request: HR Letter 2018-04 management position justifications.
Request to CSU Dominguez Hills (works for any campus)
CSUDH’s Division of Administration and Finance handles public records requests; use the contact on its public records page. For another campus, change the campus name and send it to that campus’s records office.
Follow-ups
Sources
- California State Auditor. (2017–2023). Report 2016-122: All recommendation responses. https://information.auditor.ca.gov/reports/responses/2016-122/all
- California State University, Office of General Counsel. (n.d.). Access to CSU records. https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/administration/general-counsel/Pages/access-csu-records.aspx
- California State University, Dominguez Hills. (n.d.). Public records request. https://csudh.edu/admin-finance/public-records-request
- California Government Code §§ 7920.000 et seq., 7922.535, 7922.570, 7922.600 (California Public Records Act).
- California State University. (2020–2026). Employee profiles and facts about the CSU: Employees. https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/about-the-csu/facts-about-the-csu/Pages/employees.aspx
This page is not legal advice.