Facing a potential $8.1 million in cuts from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget, Stanislaus State already has delivered layoff notices to 18 campus employees, while reassigning 11 other positions.
Faculty and staff, not prepared to go down without a fight, say the cuts are premature, given that the governor’s revised spending plan isn’t due until next month.
Twice this week, union members at CSUS held rallies on campus — one during President Britt Rios-Ellis’ dire budget forum on Monday, followed by Thursday’s mock funeral procession on Monte Vista Avenue — to help raise awareness about cuts.
“I want my son to get the same education I had, where I learned how to write, read, communicate, think, and interact with others,” said Dave Colnic, a Stanislaus State department chair, president of the California Faculty Association, and parent of a high-school-age student. “I want him to have that, and I want every one of our students to have that. And if they do, I’m convinced their lives will be better. And so will the state of California.”
Rios-Ellis, along with other top-level administrators, painted a bleak economic forecast at the budget forum.
“We are literally in a perfect storm,” said Rios-Ellis. “And we’ve seen a dramatic federal assault on higher ed.”
The CSU system as a whole is facing a $375 million shortfall, though that number could change with Newsom's budget revision.
CSU staff members are fully aware of the crisis, Colnic said
“Everybody is hurting and we don’t deny that,” said Colnic. “But it’s also quite clear from the CSU’s own data that they have billions — that’s billions with a “B” — that they can use to help.”
A 2023-24 financial report showed that the CSU system was sitting on more than $8 billion in cash and investments.
“Ultimately, this is not about us,” said Colnic. “It’s about the students. We want to train them to be the next generation of California’s leaders and thinkers to help our communities prosper, and there’s only so much capacity to help them do that.”
The CSU system is made up of 23 campuses that provide undergraduate and postgraduate education. The overall CSU system’s budget for the current academic year was $13.4 billion. Stanislaus State's budget is more than $160 million, and began the year with a $13.1 million deficit.
“How are we supposed to serve our students when we’re worried about keeping a roof over our own heads,” said Ian Hippensteele, a CSUS grants analyst who alleged that Stan State administrators were cherry-picking the questions they answered during Monday’s budget forum. “We try our best, but it’s not what it could be.”
Emma Pohl, 23, worked as an administration support coordinator and received her layoff notice on March 27.
“I got a calendar invite that morning at 8 a.m. and was called in at 11:50, so I had about four hours to contemplate what was happening,” said Pohl, who will receive a paycheck through May 11. “When I got there, I saw people leaving the meeting room, crying, and I knew it was layoffs.
“I was really angry, so I don’t remember a whole lot of it. Right now, I’m regrouping emotionally, because it’s been really, really hard. I loved working at Stan State, and I saw myself working here through retirement.”
