Budget
cuts to impact CSULB
By
Samantha Britland
On-line
Forty-Niner
Due
to the $38 billion state deficit, all schools
in the Cal State University system will
be feeling a much tighter belt. The governor
signed a new CSU budget into effect on Aug.
2, which through combined program cuts,
new revenues and other strategies should
improve the deficit over some years.
CSULB
is experiencing the largest cut in history,
a total net reduction of $304 million, which
includes a $30 million cut to the General
Fund budget. Enrollment funding was cut
from 7 percent to 4.3 percent, meaning more
students want to attend CSULB than the school
can provide resources for. According to
Armando Contreras, executive assistant to
the president, the plan is to protect the
instructional program, which puts limits
on new admissions. Contreras said that the
school will maintain its enrollment figures
without adding or subtracting courses if
possible.
Students
expecting to be admitted to CSULB may receive
a rude awakening starting next year. The
school's admission standards will be stricter
in order to regulate campus growth.
It
is the school's goal to maintain the quality
of education, while protecting the current
students progress with their degree. President
Maxson said he believes, "these actions
are critical" for current students in order
to finish their degree within a reasonable
timeframe. Although Maxson said he would
like to admit all qualifying CSU students
that apply to CSULB, the cuts don't allow
for a larger student body. Enrollment figures
are expected to stay constant through 2005.
In
an effort to offset the impact of the cuts,
the Board of Trustees approved a 30 percent
fee hike for the fall semester. The fee
increase will not compensate enough to counter
the state cuts.
Dean
of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics,
Laura Kingsford stated that the cuts are
directed at operational expenses, rather
than education costs. The normal process
of eliminating courses containing low enrollment
will be scrutinized more seriously than
in the past, although it should not affect
a student's education. Kingsford also mentioned
that so many changes this year make it difficult
to foresee how the cuts will effect her
department. Normally, estimates and enrollment
figures could be determined after the first
day of instruction, but the new IVR system
and My CSULB Web site enrollment has clouded
the numbers. Faculty and student travel
for research projects, as well as re-thinking
alumni mailings, will be on Kingsford's
list of department cutbacks.
Donald
Para, Dean of College of the Arts admits,
"We will feel the cuts." Para said he feels
that he will be balancing instruction with
the support materials and services his departments
need. He stated that there are, "no plans
to cut back [theatre] performances," although
they will have to compensate for supplies
and materials. The music department will
probably have less new music this year,
and art and theater materials will have
to be accommodated for.
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