Gov. Brown’s May Revision of the state budget proposes an additional reduction of $500 million in state funding support for the California State University, bringing the total budget reduction to $1 billion, if his proposal for temporary tax extensions is rejected.

That would represent a 36 percent year-over-year reduction in state funding for the largest public university system in the country with more than 412,000 students. The Legislature earlier approved an initial $500 million cut in state support to the CSU for the 2011-2012 fiscal year that starts July 1.

“That would be a scorched earth budget and would inflict lasting damages to the university,” said CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed. “There will undoubtedly be severe and painful choices that we would have to make to address such a massive funding reduction.”

California State University, Fresno President John D. Welty issued the following statement in response to Brown’s budget revision announcement on Monday, May 16:

“This scenario would have devastating impact on Fresno State’s students, faculty and staff. We would be forced to turn away and “wait list” at least as many students as we did this year (about 600) – and maybe more. It would drastically increase tuition for our students, many of whom are already barely able to afford the tuition. It would also mean more cuts in our programs and services,” Welty said.

“Just as importantly, it would limit Fresno State’s ability to serve the region by providing affordable, quality educational opportunities to a growing and diverse population; to be involved in meeting our shared challenges; and to contribute the same level of economic impact so critical in these difficult times and in the future.

“The great irony of our budget dilemma is that thousands of Californians who benefited in years past from a very low-cost public higher education are now unwilling to provide the funding that today’s generation of students needs to pursue its dreams and to work for the betterment of our state,” Welty said.

“We are hopeful that if tax extensions are proposed, they will be adopted so that Fresno State can fully live up to the promise of our first 100 years as we enter our second century.”

For more information on the impact of the state budget on the CSU, visit http://www.calstate.edu/pa/News/2011/release/mayrevise.shtml.