Academic Affairs Budget Update

The recent Academic Senate retreat focused on the 2010-11 budget and presented the framework that academic colleges are using in planning for 2010-11 budget reductions.

• For several reasons, the framework assumes that furloughs do not continue. Furloughs cannot be a campus-level decision; they require agreement between the Chancellors’s Office and the unions. Current agreements expire at the end of the current fiscal year. A renewal of faculty furloughs would probably require another system-wide vote and we cannot anticipate the outcome. For these reasons, we cannot count on furloughs for a second year as a solution.

• Our framework is based on two key facts. First, we are and will remain driven by an enrollment target. Second, we have few under-enrolled programs (in fact, our courses have about an average 90% fill rate, very high). These facts lead to a key conclusion: little budget savings can be achieved by eliminating academic programs because lost enrollment would have to be reproduced in another program. As a result, we should not focus on eliminating academic programs; we need other solutions. Those other solutions serve as the basis of the planning framework.

• Our priorities are clear. The president articulated our top priority -- protecting the success of our students -- in a presentation to the Resource Planning Process Committee (the campus budget committee). Additional guidance regarding priorities comes from our mission, vision, values and core purpose statements.

• College deans are currently organizing discussions of budget plans for 2010-11. Colleges are asked to work with the Academic Affairs framework and identify the likely consequences of handling reductions within that framework. In addition, colleges may suggest alternative approaches. The division will support college priorities that are consistent with campus priorities. Deans will report the conclusions of their discussions on Nov. 18th to the provost. The provost will report to the RPP committee in early December.

• Summer school will move to self-support for next year. The pay scale for faculty will remain the same as summer 2009. There will not be college enrollment targets for summer school. We have an opportunity to expand summer offerings as much as we can fill classes. The College of Continuing and Professional Education, Academic Affairs and the Chancellor’s Office have been closely working together to finalize the details of summer session 2010. A summer planning memo will be distributed shortly to guide chairs and associate deans and an FAQ will be available.

• President Alexander informed the campus of some good news from the budget front. The campus has been notified that we will receive a one-time allocation of $1.8 million from additional federal stimulus funding for the principal purpose of supporting added classes. The academic colleges are currently in the process of reducing spring schedules in line with our budget and enrollment realities. These new funds will mean that colleges will not need to eliminate as many classes in spring 2010 due to budget cuts. Also, because the overall intent of the funding is to assist efficient progress to degree, a small portion will be used to ensure adequate academic advising for our students. Details have already been discussed with the college deans.

• Additionally, due to a recent settlement, the campus will receive another $44,000 to be used for spring classes. These funds will be used to divide large sections into smaller ones.

These are difficult times but we have robust planning going. We remain mindful of the need to be realistic, focused, transparent, and participatory and especially to promote teamwork and support morale. Our success depends upon our people.

An end of the recession was recently announced “officially.” Although it will take some time for economic improvements to translate into funding for the CSU, the campus will eventually move past this fiscal storm. We expect to emerge a little worse for wear, but intact, and to continue our institutional excellence.