Budget and fee update
Note: The following e-mail was sent on 7/12/11 to all faculty and staff.
Dear colleague,
The Board of Trustees voted at their July 12 meeting to increase student tuition by 12 percent, effective fall 2011. This is a painful step, but considered the only option toward ensuring the system can continue to provide access and a quality education for students. Consistent with CSU policy, one third of the tuition increase will be set aside for financial aid.
These funds will help to address the $650 million reduction to the CSU budget, as recently approved by the legislature and governor. Overall, this year’s CSU general fund budget is 23 percent less than last year’s. There is the possibility of a mid-year cut totaling another $100 million, should California fail to achieve the revenue projections upon which the state budget is built.
All units at San Francisco State University prepared their 2011/12 budgets under the assumption that this year’s CSU budget would be cut by $500 million. The student fee increase will cover our share -- about $9.6 million -- of the additional $150 million cut made to the current fiscal year budget.
The fee increase, combined with thoughtful planning, results in a balanced budget for our campus this fiscal year. However, we must plan for and conduct our business with the possibility of a mid-year cut of about $6.4 million, our estimated share of the $100 million cut. Every unit on campus must continue to exercise great caution with purchases, travel and hiring commitments. And all of us must continue to keep the pressure on the governor and legislature with our budget advocacy efforts.
I thank you for your hard work and understanding as we continue to grapple with the realities of California’s revenue shortfalls and shifting funding priorities.
--Robert A. Corrigan, president
