The partial restoration of funding from the recently approved 2010-11 state budget will allow most campuses to continue accepting applications for the winter/spring 2011 terms, the California State University announced today. Qualified applicants will be accepted as the system works to rebuild its enrollment levels.
“For the past several years, due to severe budget cuts our message to students has been that we are drastically cutting enrollment,” said Ephraim P. Smith, executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer for the CSU. “While our state funding is still well below that of previous years, this new budget will allow us to begin to restore our enrollment levels. We want to let students know that we will have more space available in both spring and fall 2011 terms, and encourage them to apply to our campuses.”
For winter/spring 2011, Cal Poly Pomona, Channel Islands, Dominguez Hills, Fresno, Fullerton, Los Angeles, San Diego and Stanislaus are all accepting upper division transfer applications, while Bakersfield, East Bay, Humboldt, Sacramento and San Bernardino continue to accept applications from both transfers and freshmen. Other campuses may also be accepting applications for specific programs. Students intending to apply should visit the website www.csumentor.edu to complete the online application as soon as possible as deadlines for application vary by campus.
“We are very pleased to receive this funding from the state that will allow us to better respond to the growing demand for higher education opportunities in our region,” said Fresno State Vice President for Student Affairs Paul Oliaro. “This will help us meet the needs that developed the previous year when were forced to limit enrollment so we can meet our goal of keeping all our students on track for graduation.”
The recently approved 2010-11 state budget restored $199 million to the CSU and allocated an additional $60.6 million specifically for enrollment growth. This partial restoration of funding will support enrollment growth of up to approximately 30,000 new students across the system. Additionally, the funding will allow the CSU to restore classes and course sections to service current students as well as to support the growth in enrollment.
Over the past two years, the CSU was forced to reduce enrollment after suffering $625 million or 20 percent in budget cuts. The CSU is now able to begin to reverse enrollment cuts with the partial restoration of funding included in the 2010-2011 budget, however, the level of state support for CSU remains at 2005-06 levels.
CSU will also receive $106 million in one-time ARRA federal stimulus funding, which will be used to help CSU meet its payroll. In turn, CSU will use monies from state support and student fee revenues previously set aside for payroll to admit new students for the spring 2011 term and restore courses that were previously cut due to budget reductions.
The fall 2011 application cycle is also open at all CSU campuses and will continue to run through November 30. Prospective students interested in applying for admission to that term are strongly encouraged to apply early, be proactive in the application process and be aware of campus requirements and deadlines.
Robert Turnage, the CSU’s assistant vice chancellor for budget explains the impact the recently signed budget will have on prospective students applying to the CSU in this podcast.
