On Aug. 27, the heads of the three public university systems pleaded their case to the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce about their financial problems.
With no budget passed before the summer recess for three years in a row, California State University, California Community Colleges, and the University of California systems are left to wonder what their budgets will look like once California rectifies its $19 billion deficit.
“This is Day 58 without a state budget. We are operating with a blindfold on about how many students we can admit,” said CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed.
As of yet, state Democrats and Republicans are still deadlocked over two competing budgets, with neither party having a majority to override the other.
Governor Schwarzenegger’s attempts to moderate so far have only lead to a decision to come to a decision in the future.
Cal State East Bay remains cautiously optimistic. This year, the school will enroll almost 2,500 new students and hopes to reopen spring quarter admissions. Despite the fact that other CSUs, like San Jose State, have been forced to reduce the number of accepted applicants, Cal State East Bay has not thus far seen a reduction in enrollment even though the 2010-2011 budget calls for a 9.5 percent reduction.
For the time being, Cal State East Bay has weathered the storm relatively well, but purposed tuition hikes and continuing budget cuts give cause for concern over the university’s financial future.
Earlier this year, a $10 million budget decrease led to over a hundred layoffs that impacted lecturers and non-teaching positions at Cal State East Bay. Until California finally passes a budget, it will not be known whether the CSU will have to continue its furlough days and painful downsizing through next year. Reed’s comments echo the fact that no one truly knows how bad the budget is going be and how much longer the state can print checks instead of IOUs.