Cal State Long Beach’s budget will not take so hard a hit as the Cal State University’s, even after voters make their decision on the tax measures on the November ballot, CSULB Provost David Para said at the 2012 Annual Convocation on Friday.
At the convocation, campus leaders discussed the budget as well as the new residential college system and building renovations. The meeting, which was held at the Carpenter Center, brought faculty together to welcome new staff and talk about the future of CSULB.
Para said CSULB has managed to save enough money during its budget planning process in previous years to cover CSULB’s $5 million share of the potential $250 million trigger cut to the CSU. The trigger will only take place if Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax measure fails to pass in November.
However, even if the tax measure doesn’t pass, the cut will result in no more reductions to division, campus or college budgets at CSULB, according to Para.
He said the savings will also be used to cover budget reductions planned for department chairs, protect research funding for faculty and support programs run by academic affairs and student services.
According to Para, the savings even make conducting renovations for the Liberal Arts 2, 3 and 4 buildings easier.
President F. King Alexander, who was also at the convocation, talked of a new residential college system for the dorms in which students will be divided into Hillside, Beachside and Parkside residential colleges.
“This new system will provide our students with many new governing, athletic and service opportunities,” Alexander said. He said the residential colleges will compete with each other in a variety of learning-based programs.
Alexander also discussed how student loan debt surpassed $1 trillion last year, exceeding even credit card debt. He said more affordable schools, like CSULB, can help to bring this number down.
“Campuses such as ours will be at the center of the solution,” Alexander said.
The CSULB president ended convocation by thanking faculty and staff for their dedication.