Can you imagine running your household like any public system? I wish I didn’t have to budget!
New estimates suggest that the California State University system (CSU) will face a $1 billion budget gap across its 23 locations during the 2025-2026 academic year.During an address directed at campus presidents, CSU Board Chair Justin Clarke Jr. noted the necessity of cutting back spending in the midst of significant financial constraints.“Presidents, we understand that you’re going to have to make some hard decisions and, within your campus communities and your general communities, you’re going to be criticized,” Clarke stated. “Understand that we’re behind you in terms of making the hard decisions.”The grim news comes in the wake of a significant decline in overall enrollment in recent years. Fall enrollment decreased from more than 485,000 in 2020 to just under 455,000 in 2023.Amid significant financial duress, CSU agreed in February to increase the salaries of all faculty members by 10 percent.Sharon Elise, associate vice president of racial and social justice of the California Faculty Association, expressed hope that the salary increase would improve student experiences by reducing instances of racism.“We will continue advocating against management’s self-defeating austerity policies, affordability and access for students, and combatting anti-Black racism to create campuses that serve all of us,” Elise said. “We know that some members had strong concerns about the process and questions about the result. We will only be successful if we’re working together to continue building a CSU that empowers students and provides work environments that support faculty and staff.”
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