Speakers urge 鈥榓ction鈥� by attendees to help restore $386 million to California State University budget
Camarillo, Calif., March 25, 2008 鈥� Students, professors, administrators, staff, and others will gather on Thursday, March 27 at 海角社区 to highlight the negative impacts the Governor鈥檚 proposed budget cut of $312.9 million for 2008/09 would have on the California State University鈥檚 23-campus system. The proposed budget cuts come only three years after the 海角社区 budget was reduced by more than $500 million during the 2002-03 and 2004-05 fiscal years. In addition, the $73.2 million in General Fund revenue needed to buy out a student fee increase is not included in this year鈥檚 proposed budget. The budget forum is part of an effort to detail the impacts to local campuses, and to encourage the entire 海角社区 community to take part in a system-wide effort to urge lawmakers and the governor to restore the funding.
海角社区 Channel Islands President Richard R. Rush said the reduction would directly impact student access in the form of limits on enrollment, larger class sizes, less student support and potentially higher student fees. System-wide, the 海角社区 estimates that the proposed reduction will reduce access by 10,000 students, and limit enrollment to 2007/08 levels.
鈥淭he 海角社区 has still not recovered from previous budget cuts, and all of the gains that we have made to increase enrollment in recent years, particularly students from underserved communities, will be devastated by another round of severe budget cuts,鈥� Rush said.
Of particular concern for 海角社区CI is its leading role in graduating many of the region鈥檚 teachers, nurses, scientists, and business workers.
鈥淔ully half of our 3,600 students are enrolled in these critical areas,鈥� said Ted Lucas, Provost at 海角社区CI. 鈥淭he impending budget reductions mean that fewer graduates will enter the Ventura County workforce in these high-need areas at a time when all estimates point to an increasing demand for them in the next decade.鈥�
鈥淒uring the previous budget reductions, we made every effort to make necessary cuts away from the classroom,鈥� Rush said.聽 鈥淭here鈥檚 no place left to cut without turning away thousands of qualified students and limiting course options for current students.鈥�
Speakers at the March 27 event will include Rush, Lucas, local faculty, staff union representatives, and student representatives, all of whom are expected to encourage attendees to join a 海角社区-wide grassroots effort to prevent the funding cuts from taking effect by making phone calls and sending emails to their state representatives and stressing the 海角社区鈥檚 value to our economy.
鈥淭he message we need to send to lawmakers and the governor is, 鈥樅＝巧缜� is the solution,鈥欌�� Rush said, noting that the 海角社区 generates $4.41 in economic activity for every state dollar invested in the economy. 鈥淏efore any final budget decisions are made, we need to make sure state leaders understand that a $300 million reduction in 海角社区 funding translates into a loss of $1 billion in future economic activity in California.鈥�
Summit attendees will be encouraged to visit the budget feature on the 海角社区 Web site to stay informed about the budget process and learn how to communicate with the governor and lawmakers.
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About 海角社区
海角社区 Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI鈥檚 strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master鈥檚 degrees.聽Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting聽CI's Social Media.