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The following is a press release from University Communications regarding President John Welty’s recent announcement of yet another budget cut at Fresno State:

President John D. Welty announced Wednesday, June 1, that a $20 million reduction in state funding to California State University, Fresno in 2011-12 will have impact in virtually every corner of the campus.

A tuition fee increase, previously enacted by California State University trustees for the entire 23-campus system, will provide about $9.1 million in funds for Fresno State. The additional $10.9 million shortfall will require that “painful and difficult” measures be taken to achieve the remaining reduction, Welty told faculty and staff at a campus meeting.

Among the measures he announced are the following:

• 52 staff and administrative positions vacant because of a hiring freeze in the past year will be eliminated.
• Five currently filled positions need to be cut, but the number may decrease depending on how many employees decide to participate in a voluntary time reduction program.
• The position freeze will continue, as will restrictions on travel and large equipment expenditures.
• Fewer part-time lecturers will be hired. That will impact class size, teaching loads for tenure-track faculty and time for faculty to stay current in their fields.
• The impact will fall on 600-800 class sections, which could impair the ability of students to graduate in a timely fashion.
• Based on the recommendation of the campus Student Fee Advisory Committee, the Instructionally Related Activity fee will increase by $70 per semester to address support for athletics and academics, with $60 devoted to athletics and $10 to maintaining library hours and other academic support services.
• Athletics will reduce operation budgets by 15 percent and will no longer offer maximum scholarships allowed by the NCAA.
• There will be reductions in student advising, tutoring and career services.
• Deferred maintenance on campus buildings — already totaling $140 million — will continue and could lead to serious problems in some aging structures.

Welty noted that one-time federal stimulus dollars helped stave off reductions in Academic Affairs this year. However, that funding will be gone next year, creating a major budget gap of about $2 million. The campus will utilize carryover funds to alleviate some of the need for further reductions while a permanent solution is achieved. An academic task force is examining approaches to closing the funding gap and will offer recommendations in the fall.

In addition to the reductions, Welty said he is asking each vice president to rethink how services are delivered. New measures will not result in a reduced number of positions, but should offer additional management resources, he said.

Welty thanked the campus community for participating in the new Suggestion Box program, which resulted in more than 150 ideas, and praised the continuing hard work and dedication to student success, despite several years of budget cutbacks. He asked members to continue to work together to address and find solutions.