Spring Break
SJSU prepares for budget cut,
plans for fewer class sections
Danielle Torralba
Issue date: 11/18/08 Section: News
In October, $31.3 million was cut from the entire CSU system and SJSU was affected by that budget cut by $1.68 million.
Two weeks ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that, as of Jan. 10, 2009, an additional $66.3 million would be cut from the state budget.
Pat Lopes Harris, a media relations specialist for SJSU, said the university is prepared to deal with $1.7 million affecting the school's departments, but with the recent announcement of the additional $66.3 million cut, it is still uncertain exactly how much SJSU will be affected by it.
"SJSU had prepared for the possibility of these cuts and has asked the academic administration to plan for it," she said. "We don't know exactly how much we will be cut yet, but I do know a lot of time is being spent where the cuts will be made. I haven't seen any promises that academics will be cut."
According to a news release from the CSU Chancellor's Office, the budget cuts will negatively impact instruction and student access. The CSU also anticipates it will result in increased class sizes, fewer course sections and additional temporary instructors, as well as resulting in fewer qualified students being admitting to the universities.
Abdel El-Shaieb, interim associate dean of the College of Business, said the college is trying as hard as possible not to cut classes, but there are no guarantees.
"We would like to be able to serve as many students as possible," he said. "More students are asking for more classes and we don't want to disappoint them."
The Associated Students Child Development Center is another part of the SJSU that could be greatly affected by the budget cuts.
Teresa Stuefloten, the preschool program coordinator of the center, said $27,000 that had already been budgeted for this year could be returned because of cuts.
"If it is taken away, we would have to think about where we would cut back," she said. "$27,000 is about equivalent to a beginning teacher's academic yearly salary."
Monique Howard, a sophomore child development major who works at the center, said the cuts worry her because with money being taken away from the program, it could affect the amount of classes being offered in her department and prolong her graduation.
"It's very upsetting because it could affect me through my classes," she said. "It's sad because I have younger siblings and I'm afraid, with fees increasing and enrollment cuts, they might not be able to have the same opportunities."
According to a news release from the CSU, the governor's proposed midyear cuts to the CSU system will have a direct impact on the state's economy if the institutions are unable to provide graduates for California's businesses.
The proposed state budget funding cuts and the impact that it will have on SJSU are still unknown and will remain such until the May budget revision. An SJSU public affairs fact sheet said that a 10-percent budget reduction could mean up to a $15.6 million cut to the university's current budget, and it would affect every aspect of the campus from availability of services to student rates of graduation.
"Sidebar: budget timeline"
Two weeks ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that, as of Jan. 10, 2009, an additional $66.3 million would be cut from the state budget.
Pat Lopes Harris, a media relations specialist for SJSU, said the university is prepared to deal with $1.7 million affecting the school's departments, but with the recent announcement of the additional $66.3 million cut, it is still uncertain exactly how much SJSU will be affected by it.
"SJSU had prepared for the possibility of these cuts and has asked the academic administration to plan for it," she said. "We don't know exactly how much we will be cut yet, but I do know a lot of time is being spent where the cuts will be made. I haven't seen any promises that academics will be cut."
According to a news release from the CSU Chancellor's Office, the budget cuts will negatively impact instruction and student access. The CSU also anticipates it will result in increased class sizes, fewer course sections and additional temporary instructors, as well as resulting in fewer qualified students being admitting to the universities.
Abdel El-Shaieb, interim associate dean of the College of Business, said the college is trying as hard as possible not to cut classes, but there are no guarantees.
"We would like to be able to serve as many students as possible," he said. "More students are asking for more classes and we don't want to disappoint them."
The Associated Students Child Development Center is another part of the SJSU that could be greatly affected by the budget cuts.
Teresa Stuefloten, the preschool program coordinator of the center, said $27,000 that had already been budgeted for this year could be returned because of cuts.
"If it is taken away, we would have to think about where we would cut back," she said. "$27,000 is about equivalent to a beginning teacher's academic yearly salary."
Monique Howard, a sophomore child development major who works at the center, said the cuts worry her because with money being taken away from the program, it could affect the amount of classes being offered in her department and prolong her graduation.
"It's very upsetting because it could affect me through my classes," she said. "It's sad because I have younger siblings and I'm afraid, with fees increasing and enrollment cuts, they might not be able to have the same opportunities."
According to a news release from the CSU, the governor's proposed midyear cuts to the CSU system will have a direct impact on the state's economy if the institutions are unable to provide graduates for California's businesses.
The proposed state budget funding cuts and the impact that it will have on SJSU are still unknown and will remain such until the May budget revision. An SJSU public affairs fact sheet said that a 10-percent budget reduction could mean up to a $15.6 million cut to the university's current budget, and it would affect every aspect of the campus from availability of services to student rates of graduation.
"Sidebar: budget timeline"
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