As students wrap up midterms, Cal State Long Beach colleges look over the academic year’s cuts and what has yet to come.
“It’s a different time, as everybody’s aware,” said Dixie Grimmet, dean of the College of Health and Human Services.
Grimmett said the college had to cut $1.4 million for the academic year and, like the other colleges in the California State University system, it has downsized enrollment and course options.
According to Grimmett, the college eliminated about 5 to 6 percent of its classes but did its best to ensure that entire classes were not cut completely.
Grimmett added that the college has been “pretty much” able to accommodate all of its students.
Grimmett said the college is “trying to be subtle” about its cuts.
The college has limited travel and supplies, and canceled its retreat for department chairs. Refreshments at events have also been limited. There are also fewer student assistants and staff “in some instances,” she said.
“We are able to pretty much operate everything else,” Grimmett said.
She said the college won’t know whether the cuts will balance the college’s budget until around March or April. The spring semester, however, will also be impacted by the budget cuts.
“I don’t think our students are going to notice too much,” Grimmett said, noting that though there will be a smaller course offering, there will also be fewer students because CSULB is not accepting spring 2010 transfers.
Dean Jay Kvapil of the College of the Arts said it’s a “very, very lean year, but we’re managing.”
He said he did not have the exact information at hand, but the budget reduction is a “significant number.” He said that a priority was placed on putting resources toward classes and allowing students to graduate on time.
Kvapil said the college might have to cut more classes — most likely leaving other sections intact — for the spring semester because it went “a little bit over” during the fall semester.
The faculty furloughs are the major factor keeping the college “afloat,” Kvapil said. According to Kvapil, there are currently no cuts expected to be added for this academic year.
While the college has also reduced faculty travel and research support, there are a few things it will not touch: public performances, exhibitions, concerts, screenings and other events.
“Those are at the heart of what we do,” Kvapil said. “Those are not there just to serve the public, but those are, in most cases, exhibitions and concerts that are given by students.”
In many cases, the first thing a college or university typically cuts is the arts, Kvapil said, but he added that CSULB has been supportive of the college.
Dean Marquita Grenot-Scheyer of the College of Education said via e-mail that the college is in the middle of discussing its budget.