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President Obama boldly
proclaimed on Feb. 24 that the United States must become the world's
leader in college graduates by 2020 if our country is to remain
competitive.
California must lead this effort, but the recently adopted state budget
does not establish higher education as a priority. In fact, it seriously
imperils the long-term future of the California State University
system's ability to maintain quality and services for its 450,000
students.
The good news is that the plan covers the rest of this fiscal year and
2009-10. At Fresno State and the other 23 CSU campuses, that helps us
focus on how we can best support our commitment to students today and
tomorrow.
The budget presents daunting challenges as we move forward because it
reduces general fund support to the CSU to $313 million below
operational needs this year. A $283 million shortfall is predicted next
fiscal year, which could grow if federal economic stimulus money doesn't
arrive by April, or is less than anticipated.
CSU is taking steps to reduce enrollment by 10,000 students next fall --
500 on our campus alone -- because the state provides no funding for
them. Decreased access, higher fees, fewer courses and scaling back
services to students and the community are likely. And they come at a
time when our new president says we should be expanding educational
opportunities.
Still to be discussed by the Legislature are the CSU's $325 million
proposed from lease-revenue bonds for capital projects and $3.6 million
to expand nursing programs that fill a vital statewide need. And our
campus badly needs $105 million in infrastructure upgrades to fix the
overworked, aging equipment that caused last week's power failure and
shut down our new library wing and forced cancellation of classes for
2,100 students for a day.
There is no question that everyone must sacrifice at this very difficult
time. However, we cannot lose sight of our long-term goals.
At Fresno State, we are aggressively making our budget adjustments with
input from students, faculty, administrators and staff. Our goal is to
have our work completed in a few weeks.
The CSU instituted such cost-saving measures as freezing salaries for
employees at or above vice president level, restricting travel,
deferring purchases and not filling vacant positions. Fresno State has
made two rounds of cuts already this year and will find ways to trim
more, but we must not go back on our promise of high-quality, low-cost
education to students who qualify.
Our budget cutting at Fresno State -- and, indeed, throughout public
education in California -- reflects the economic downturn and the need
for us to operate more efficiently.
The great paradox is that an educated work force, prepared as a result
of Californians' commitment to higher education in the 1960s, helped
build the state's economy into one of the world's Top 10. Those who have
benefitted from this investment and received a college education must be
willing to sacrifice for a new generation.
The CSU system graduates nearly 90,000 students into our state work
force each year, supplying the majority of workers in nursing,
agriculture, business, public administration and technology. At
commencement in 2008, Fresno State awarded baccalaureate degrees to
4,300 students and master's degrees to nearly 800 others.
Thousands of the graduates moved quickly into careers that benefit the
community and contribute to our local economy. We're proud of what we've
accomplished at Fresno State, believing that higher education is a
cornerstone of California's viability.
But like all CSU campuses, we receive a decreasing percentage of state
support. We need capital funding that meets 21st century realities and
operational funding to prepare students as the leaders who will solve
our future challenges.
Now is when all California citizens must loudly speak up to make higher
education the priority in state budgeting that it once was and be
willing to make some sacrifice to accomplish our goal. Our failure to
support this priority will make California less competitive in our
country.
An educated work force is the capital necessary for our economy to
recover and thrive in the future. Our region, our state, our nation and
the world are depending on us.
John D.Welty is president of California State
University, Fresno.
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