California’s community colleges and state university chancellors said their systems are each bracing to lose an additional $100 million in state funding come December, during a Monday teleconference.
Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said the loss would mean a fee increase of $10 per credit hour and fewer class sections.
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But local campuses have already incorporated the December cuts into their budgets and the results aren’t pretty.
“This fall semester that we have just begun this week – there are 22,500 requests to take classes for which we have no ability to accomplish,” said San Diego Community College District Spokesman Richard Dittbenner.
The December cuts could also lead to the elimination of summer sessions at some campuses, Scott said. San Diego’s community college already dramatically reduced their summer courses this year.
San Diego State University students will be back in class next week. Even with two tuition increases in the last six months, the campus has cut $1.9 million from it's current budget, according to the school's budget office. The possible December cuts would mean an additional $8.5 million loss.
An announcement from the school’s budget office said the school has sufficient one-time funds to cover the possible cuts. But it is uncertain whether the cuts would mean beyond the current school year.
“Is that a one-time $100 million and they’ll replace it next year?" asked CSU Chancellor Charles Reed. "If so, we can muddle our way through a one-time cut.”
