The Lumberjack

Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Stephanie Haller President Rollin C. Richmond speaks on the budget crisis during a March 25 town-hall meeting in the Kate Buchanan Room.

It is possible that students will feel only some of the impacts of the budget reductions next year, yet this is based on assumptions including that student fee increases will be approved.

Humboldt State is expecting to lose $3 million from the current academic year's budget from the state. Humboldt State was expecting to receive a $4.3 million funding increase from the current year, guaranteed in a compact signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is now possible that this compact will no longer he honored.

These reductions are a result of Governor Schwarzenegger proposed state budget for 2008 released in January. This budget includes a funding reduction of $386.1 million from the California State University system, as well as reductions to all educational institutions in the state.

Humboldt State is now working to find ways to mitigate the new reduced budget for the upcoming academic year.

Humboldt State University President Rollin Richmond proposes using one-time money funds, which come from various university reserves to offset making reductions until the 2009/2010 academic year. These one-time funds generally consist of money carried over from previous years.

"Things went bad quickly," Vice President of Student Affairs Bob Snyder said, "We were planning on an increase in the number of students for next year, so we were also planning on an increase in funding to pay for these students."

Richmond submitted his proposal for where funding reductions could be made in university divisions to the University Budget Committee on March 28. The proposal includes a break down of how much money could be cut from the universities major divisions such as Academic Affairs, Administrative Affairs and the Presidents Unit. Yet the proposal suggests offsetting these cuts until the 2009/2010 academic year.

President Richmond said at the University Budget Committee meeting on March 28, "We have met and worked to determine what our priorities ought to be and what we believe is important to the university."

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