SSU students, employees feel pain of budget cuts

<p>Sonoma State University senior Jenny Tice can’t fit more work or more school into her week and doesn’t know how she’ll handle a 30 percent boost in her college fees.</p><p>“I’m a senior at Sonoma State, a first-generation college student. I don’t have any money coming from my parents. I’m a waitress at Cattleman’s,” an emotional Tice said after learning California State University trustees voted Tuesday to increase fees 20 percent. </p><p>The boost comes in addition to a 10 percent increase approved in May.</p><p>Tice, a senior who commutes from Santa Rosa, said she works 20 to 30 hours a week and carries a full load of courses toward a double major in economics and environmental science.</p><p>“I wanted to be a teacher, but I don’t think I can afford it. I don’t think I can stay in college another year,” she said.</p><p>SSU student Kia Kolderup-Lane offered a similar assessment. “Our classes are overcrowded, our teachers are exhausted — I’m exhausted. I work three jobs in order to go to school,” she said.</p><p>Many who rallied outside the CSU trustees meeting in Long Beach blamed the trustees for failing to persuade state politicians to raise revenue to support higher education.</p><p>The fee increase would bring average university charges to $4,861, not including campus fees, room, board and books.</p><p>One-third of the revenue generated from the fee increase is rolled into financial aid. Students who are receiving financial aid will see that assistance go up commensurate with the fee increase, said Melinda Barnard, vice provost at SSU.</p><p>But those students would then have a greater amount to repay in loans upon graduation, she said.</p><p>The fee increase comes in addition to a two-day a month furlough for all staff, including college presidents.</p><p>CSU Chancellor Charles Reed warned of mass layoffs if faculty unions refuse to go along with the furlough plan. The CSU Faculty Association voting closes at 5 p.m. Wednesday.</p><p>Spokeswoman Claudia Keith said after the meeting in Lon Beach that thousands of part-time instructors would be let go, and 22,000 courses — 15 percent of those offered — might be canceled if the furlough plan failed to win faculty approval.</p><p>Regardless of the furlough vote, Sonoma State and other CSU campuses up and down the state will look dramatically different when students return next month.</p><p>At SSU, when students sign up for classes during the next round of registration on Aug. 3, there may be fewer classes, not more.</p><p>In years past, sections were added to popular courses to accommodate demand. This fall, those classes will likely not grow and under-enrolled classes will be cut.</p><p>“The demand used to drive the classes we would offer. Now the course offerings are being driven by what money we have available to spend,” Barnard said. </p><p>SSU is bracing itself for a $12.5 million cut to its $93 million general fund budget. The school could save $6.3 million if the furloughs are approved to combine with furloughs already accepted by other CSU staffers. </p><p>A reduction of 450 full-time equivalent students will save SSU $4.7 million.</p><p>The university still will face an additional $1.5 million in cuts, according to campus officials.</p><p>The biggest hits likely will land in spring because classes already have been scheduled and staffed for fall, Barnard said.</p><p>“Every department is going to have to look at the courses they offer. They are going to have to figure out how to deliver the same with less,” she said. “Everyone is committed to keeping the liberal arts mission of the campus, holding onto that.”</p><p>“Sonoma State curriculum will look dramatically different a year from now. What it will look like, we don’t know,” she said.</p><p>California Faculty Association President Lillian Taiz accused the trustees of “downsizing” the university and shutting the door on “opportunity for a generation.”</p><p>Board President Jeffrey Bleich said the blame belonged to Sacramento’s dysfunctional budget process and failure to approve any new revenue sources.</p><p>“If you look at the budget it’s $16 billion in cuts and $9 billion in gimmicks,” Bleich said.</p><p>The trustees walked out of the meeting behind a police line holding back hundreds of students who were shouting, “Shame on you!”</p><p>CSU plans to cut its 250,000 enrollment by 40,000 students over the next two years, including 450 at Sonoma State.</p>