As California grapples with a projected $55 billion deficit, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year puts higher education funding on the chopping block.
He suggested a nearly 8 percent cut to the California State University (CSU) system, which is comprised of 23 campuses and educates almost 500,000 students. CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia said in a statement that she’s disappointed.
“The impacts of such deep funding cuts will have significant real-world consequences, both in and out of the classroom,” she said. “Larger class sizes, fewer course offerings, and a reduced workforce will hinder students’ ability to graduate on time and weaken California’s ability to meet its increasing demands for a diverse and highly educated workforce.”
According to an operating budget request by the CSU, this nearly 8 percent cut will result in a loss of $397 million and leave the state university system’s budget in a “dire” situation. The projected loss would jeopardize long-term investments in academic programs, student support services, and infrastructure that the CSU has allocated $400 million to, according to the budget request.
“[This] has been strategically invested in several key areas, including academic preparation, enrollment management, student engagement and well-being, financial aid, data-driven decision-making, and the removal of administrative barriers,” the request states.
The CSU also expressed concerns over having to cut funding to its 2025 graduation initiative, which it says is pivotal for launching strategies to eliminate equity gaps, host reenrollment campaigns, expand credit opportunities, have digital degree planners, and support Black student success.
“The efforts to promote Black student success, including the newly established CSU Statewide Central Office for the Advancement of Black Excellence, would be jeopardized by the lack of financial support,” the request states. “Overall, reduced funding would have a lasting detrimental effect on student success, equity outcomes, and the CSU’s ability to serve as a critical engine for California’s economy.”
Cal Poly lecturer Cameron Jones, a political action and legislative rep for the campus’ chapter of the California Faculty Association, told New Times that this is essentially the definition of structural racism.
“The CSU is the most diverse system of all university systems in the country and as it’s become more diverse, the state has divested more, taken out more and more state funds,” he said. “So just as students of color are starting to take advantage of being able to go to university, the state all of a sudden can’t find money for it.”
Jones said he thinks Cal Poly won’t see the effects of the proposed budget cut as much as other universities within the CSU system due to its impending change to year-round operations, which aims to increase the university’s overall enrollment by using the summer term.
However, Jones said he’s concerned that this could lead to an overworked faculty. The campus might not necessarily see cuts to staff, but an increase in enrollment and a potential decrease in funding would mean the university won’t have the money to bring on new hires.
“This will most likely lead to probably not hiring a sufficient number of professors or staff to be able to deal with the influx of students,” he said. “So again, putting more pressure on the faculty and staff to cope with more work for the same or maybe even less pay.”
Jones said this would, in turn, have a negative effect on the students as professors won’t have the means to give students the same mentorship they are providing currently.
As a part-time faculty member with 195 students this quarter, he said it’s already hard enough to answer student emails in a timely manner and give them the attention they need. He’s worried the proposed cuts will exacerbate the problem.
He also fears that the 8 percent cut would mean faculty and staff won’t be able to bargain for raises, which could make it difficult for Cal Poly to retain professors as San Luis Obispo is already an expensive place to live.
“The cost of living is just increasing every year, so while Cal Poly is a great institution that students really want to go, we’re not going to retain the faculty because the pay doesn’t keep up with the price of living,” he said. “And with these cuts, it’s going to be difficult.”
The CSU Board of Trustees will hear an update on the CSU’s 2025-26 operating budget on Jan. 29 to help provide some initial analysis of the potential budget cuts, CSU Office of the Chancellor Senior Director of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs Amy Bentley-Smith told New Times. Δ
This article appears in Jan 16-26, 2025.