California’s new budget pact, announced Wednesday, provides the financially drained CSU $139 million in one time additional funding.

With the $106 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding awarded last week, the total budget increase is approximately $365 million.

While the added funds are not all of the approximately $600 million cuts the CSU system was faced with in the last few years, it will still provide some breathing room and help the CSU system get back on its feet.

Budget cuts resulted in class shortages, furlough days and the grave possibility that Fresno State along with many other CSU schools would not have the funding to accept applicants for the 2011 spring semester.

The spring 2010 semester had to be scaled back and only 150 students were accepted but only those in specific circumstances such as credential students and students in certain graduate programs.

According to a Sept. 16 CSU press release, a one time increase of funding amounting to $106 million was awarded to the CSU system and allowed for a partial restoration of spring admissions.

As reported in the Fresno Bee, Fresno state is to receive $5.9 million of the AARR funding allowing the university to accept up to 1000 spring students.

In a previous interview with The Collegian, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services, Bernie Vinovrski expressed his mixed feelings about the one time allotment.

“When one-time money comes in, we serve [more] students, then we don’t get additional funds, the we have to go back to that game of reducing enrollment next fall,” Vinovrski said. “No one wants to do that.”

Fresno State may not have to play that game with the additional $199 million funding increase. The states new budget pact also provides a plan to fund enrollment growth, which can be up to an additional $60.6 million.

Vinovrski said in a previous Collegian article that if the full $305 million was to be restored as the governor it was possible that all students that meet the admission requirement for spring would make it into the university.

In a press release from the California Faculty Association, President Lillian Tai said the funding is a welcome change from the direction the CSU system was heading in.

“The CSU truly is the economic engine for California and restoring this vital funding is an important art of putting our state back on the road to economic recovery.”