California Budget Deficit Means Cuts at CSU, Freeze on Library Projects
Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 1/12/2009
- CSU freezes salaries, hiring
- Bond stall means projects on hold
- New buildings at CSU Dominguez Hills and SF State U. affected
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State budget deficits in California have cascaded to public universities, with the California State University (CSU) January 9 announcing a salary freeze for all vice president/vice chancellor level positions and above, a hiring freeze on all but essential positions, cancellation of all noncritical equipment and supplies purchases, and travel restrictions for employees. That presumably limits growth and hiring plans at libraries, as well as conference travel.
CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed added, “We are instituting these cost saving measures knowing that the state’s fiscal situation worsens each day.” Also, the state’s freeze of $600 million in general obligation and lease revenue bonds has forced CSU “to halt work on state-funded construction projects for at least 90 days, which will result in unanticipated shut down and start up costs, and delay the completion of major campus facilities,” Reed said.
A $46 million library at CSU Dominguez Hills and a $90 million library at San Francisco State University are among 41 projects at 23 campuses affected, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The projects are valued at $1 billion.
Increased student fees
For CSU, the new state budget would make permanent $66.3 million in budget reductions proposed for 2008-09, with no funding for once-anticipated 2.5 percent enrollment growth. Also, the budget assumes that the CSU Board of Trustees will increase student fees by 10 percent, which the university said would raise $130 million, with one-third set aside for student financial aid.
Even now, however, mandatory costs, enrollment funding, and financial aid costs required for 2009-10 total $84.4 million, which is $15.8 million more than available revenue.
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