Spring Break
Legislators reach deal on late budget
Derek Fleming
Issue date: 9/24/08 Section: News
A compromise budget was worked out late last week between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic and Republican legislative leaders. The deal came after the governor threatened to veto an earlier spending plan put forward by the Legislature.
Final figures for the California State University's budgets will soon be in place and Sacramento State faculty and administrators can make decisions for the next year.
After initial cuts were announced earlier this year, Schwarzenegger restored nearly $100 million in funds to the CSU system, bringing funding to the same level as last year.
These cuts will impact Sac State, but to what extent is not yet clear.
The CSU Chancellor's Office is crunching numbers on the budget signed this week. Final figures will be released to the CSU administrators within the next two weeks.
Bob Buckley, computer science lecturer and University Budget Advisory Committee member at Sac State, said he had heard nothing that indicated funding would not be the same as shown on the governor's May budget revision.
"What this means is that Sac State will be funded at nearly the same level as 2007-08," Buckley said. "This year, there are 20,000 students in the CSU system that are not being funded by the state."
Buckley said the lack of funding from the state is causing administrators to reduce course offerings, resulting in an increase in numbers of students in classes.
Kevin Wehr, assistant professor of sociology at Sac State and California Faculty Association vice president, said the cuts to funding have a detrimental effect on students and faculty members.
"Faculty working conditions and student learning conditions are two sides of the same coin," Wehr said. "Larger classes result in more work for faculty and less interaction with professors for students."
"We want to be a high quality educational facility and the budget cuts compromise that goal," Wehr said.
Buckley said the Alliance for the CSU was a major factor in restoring some of the funding initially cut from the budget.
"Getting all the stakeholders involved was very important," Buckley said. "For the first time, the CSU was one voice - it made a major impact downtown."
More details are expected as the Chancellor's Office completes a review of the budget and releases information to the CSU campuses.
Check statehornet.com this week and the print edition next week for more information.
Derek Fleming can be reached at dfleming@statehornet.com
Final figures for the California State University's budgets will soon be in place and Sacramento State faculty and administrators can make decisions for the next year.
After initial cuts were announced earlier this year, Schwarzenegger restored nearly $100 million in funds to the CSU system, bringing funding to the same level as last year.
These cuts will impact Sac State, but to what extent is not yet clear.
The CSU Chancellor's Office is crunching numbers on the budget signed this week. Final figures will be released to the CSU administrators within the next two weeks.
Bob Buckley, computer science lecturer and University Budget Advisory Committee member at Sac State, said he had heard nothing that indicated funding would not be the same as shown on the governor's May budget revision.
"What this means is that Sac State will be funded at nearly the same level as 2007-08," Buckley said. "This year, there are 20,000 students in the CSU system that are not being funded by the state."
Buckley said the lack of funding from the state is causing administrators to reduce course offerings, resulting in an increase in numbers of students in classes.
Kevin Wehr, assistant professor of sociology at Sac State and California Faculty Association vice president, said the cuts to funding have a detrimental effect on students and faculty members.
"Faculty working conditions and student learning conditions are two sides of the same coin," Wehr said. "Larger classes result in more work for faculty and less interaction with professors for students."
"We want to be a high quality educational facility and the budget cuts compromise that goal," Wehr said.
Buckley said the Alliance for the CSU was a major factor in restoring some of the funding initially cut from the budget.
"Getting all the stakeholders involved was very important," Buckley said. "For the first time, the CSU was one voice - it made a major impact downtown."
More details are expected as the Chancellor's Office completes a review of the budget and releases information to the CSU campuses.
Check statehornet.com this week and the print edition next week for more information.
Derek Fleming can be reached at dfleming@statehornet.com
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