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By Adrian Rodriguez and Rory Sa

Students face a 30-percent fee increase as classes start today that will go toward half of Fresno State’s $21.1 million shortfall.

The fee increase, due Sept. 26, was approved by CSU trustees in July to blunt the impact of $345 million in CSU budget cuts.

But $4 million in budget reductions to Fresno State remain, and the university’s six colleges are among a dozen areas of campus now preparing to announce where they are going to trim next, said Kenneth Shipley, interim associate provost.

The average annual cost of attendance at CSU campuses is now $2,046 for full-time undergraduates and $2,256 for full-time graduate students. Annual attendance at Fresno State, including various fees specific to the campus, will cost $2,414 for undergraduates and $2,624 for graduate students. Out-of-state students here will pay $11,004 for enrollment.

Students who do not pay the fee increase risk more than just a hold on grades or registration for spring, said Bernie Vinovrski, assistant vice president for enrollment services.

“ There will come a point in late fall where not only will they be unable to enroll for spring, they will be disenrolled for fall classes,” Vinovrski said. “Once you’re disenrolled for non-payment, you’re not automatically eligible to come back.”

The student fees are estimated to generate $9 million toward the budget shortfall.

University controller and interim Chief Financial Officer Steven Katz said the University Budget Committee planned two years ahead of California’s impending budget crisis.

“ As the 02/03 budget was generated, there were indications that 03/04 and 04/05 would be bad,” Katz said.

John Welty, university president, said it became clear last fall and this year that the size of the deficit would be even greater than people realized.

The university budget committee anticipated $17.1 in reductions, but revised their projections last semester to include another $4 million in a contingency plan.

Welty announced this month that Fresno State must now enact that plan.

The contingency plan calls for $1 million to be reduced in each of four areas: technology funding, management positions, university reserves and campus divisions.

Campus divisions include the academic affairs office, student affairs office, the administrative affairs office and the president’s office.

Administrators are not exempt from the cuts. Welty announced that at least 10 management positions would be eliminated, either through transfers, a reduction of hours or, in a few cases, layoffs. Welty said 17 to 18 employees would be affected.

Faculty and staff members, however, have been spared from the threat of layoffs. Unoccupied staff and faculty positions will, for the most part, remain unfilled.

The next round of cuts will be made at Level B, which includes the eight colleges within Fresno State, the graduate program and the library, among others. The various colleges have a combined budget of $65 million for the current academic year, Shipley said.

He said the reductions amount to less than $1 million, but the actual amount will be published within the next two weeks.

Shipley said the final adjustments must be looked at carefully.

“ Neglect of any small places can come back to bite you,” Shipley said.