TURLOCK – At its July 21st meeting, the CSU Board of Trustees finalized a plan to manage the $584 million system-wide cut that includes furloughs, student fee increases, and enrollment reductions.
As a result of the state budget cut to the CSU system, California State University, Stanislaus will have to reduce its 2009-10 budget by an additional $5 – $9 million. In addition, employees will furlough 24 days between August 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010, student fees will increase 20 percent for Fall 2009, and admissions are closed for the 2010 Winter and Spring terms.
Dr. Hamid Shirvani, President of CSU Stanislaus, said, “It is impossible to define the enormity of this economic meltdown and its devastating impact on higher education. For California State University, Stanislaus, we are talking about decreasing access in an area where higher education is the key to economic development and prosperity.”
CSU Stanislaus’ share of the system-wide cut is about $14 million. That amount has been reduced to somewhere between $8 and $9 million as a result of the additional fee increases and the approved management and staff furloughs that seek to preserve jobs. If the California Faculty Association agrees to the furloughs with similar terms as negotiated by CSUEU, the budget shortfall for 09-10 will reduce to between $5 and $6 million.
Fall 2009 fees for CSU Stanislaus students will increase 20 percent to between $3,148 and $4,840 annually for undergraduate students, depending on how many units they take. One-third of the revenue will be set aside for financial aid.
Consistent with CSU system policy, CSU Stanislaus recently announced that it must close admission for the 2010 Winter and Spring terms in an effort to bring student enrollment in line with decreased state funding.
After the furloughs, fee increases, and enrollment reductions, CSU Stanislaus is still left with a $5-$9 million shortfall for 2009-10. College deans and the vice presidents have been meeting with President Shirvani on a frequent basis to discuss options and develop proposals. A variety of budget documents and options are being reviewed as part of the planning process before CSU Stanislaus submits a proposal for achieving its share of the cuts to the CSU Chancellor. President Shirvani is engaged with students through student government, and students are represented on various campus committees. Ideas and proposals also are being solicited from the campus community.
Dr. Herman Lujan, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at CSU Stanislaus, said, “All programs must be reviewed and carefully scrutinized in order to identify cost reductions that will enable us to act quickly and responsibly. It will be a painful, but necessary, process.”
Shirvani said, “We only exist to serve students, and our top priority will continue to be quality instruction and service to students. As a public university, we are accountable to the public and to our students and, therefore, must make responsible decisions in the face of these challenging economic times.”