County Officials Urge Sonoma State to Rethink Huge Cuts and Plan for University’s Future

County supervisors are urging California State University officials to reconsider the budget cuts announced at Sonoma State last month, citing concerns that slashing many of the campus’ academic departments and eliminating its NCAA athletics will hurt the larger community.

In a letter (PDF) that was issued to the CSU chancellor and board of trustees on Tuesday, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voiced its opposition and asked that the school take into consideration the possible far-reaching consequences associated with the proposed cuts, which the board said would extend beyond students, coaches and instructors.

“These cuts seem destined to exacerbate enrollment’s downward spiral, with no indication of how that will be arrested and reversed,” the letter written by Supervisor Lynda Hopkins reads. “Budget cuts that result in fewer course offerings, reduced faculty support and declining enrollment will not only diminish the quality of education but will also weaken the local talent pool.”

The university’s success is critical for Sonoma County’s economic health and prosperity, the supervisors said in the letter. Local college graduates are needed to fill key positions in the county’s public sector, and the university has been a pipeline for both county departments and for private businesses.

Letha Ch’ien, an associate professor in the art history department, which is slated to close, said students at Sonoma State come from diverse backgrounds and with a diverse set of interests that ultimately benefit the county in numerous ways. The relationship between the school and Sonoma County is symbiotic, she said.

“There’s simply no end to the amount of good that the university contributes to the community,” Ch’ien said. “The institution is not imposed on the county or separate from it…. We are the real people of Sonoma County who go out into the community after graduation and make it what it is.”

She added that the school’s decision to eliminate staff, faculty and programs will have resounding effects, leading to fewer people in the county who are spending money at local businesses and contributing to the local economy.

The school plans to cut 46 faculty positions, four management positions and 12 staff positions over the next few months in order to address the school’s nearly $24 million budget shortfall, said interim President Emily Cutrer in the university’s initial announcement on Jan. 22. More than 20 degree programs, six academic departments and all of the school’s athletics programs are also on the chopping block.

Enrollment rates have gone down by nearly 40% since 2015, funding avenues continue to dwindle, and operating costs are increasing at an overwhelming pace, according to Cutrer.

County supervisors are concerned about what “the loss of cultural and athletic offerings” could mean for the school and for county residents. Without a diverse set of programs, they fear Sonoma State’s declining enrollment numbers and financial distress will only get worse.

“The impacts are huge,” Ch’ien said. “Not only is the university a hub for students, faculty and staff, but the community at large gathers for events at the Green Music Center, shows and exhibitions at the art gallery, performances in the theatre department…. The university serves the people of Sonoma County.”

Scott Horstein, a union leader in the California Faculty Association and a theatre studies professor at Sonoma State, said the school is undermining the confidence of both current and prospective students.

“It’s a big risk,” Horstein said. “You want to feel like you’re at a place where you are valued, and it’s a big risk for the school to send the opposite message.”

“The programs that are being cut have a very positive effect on the county,” he continued. “I’m not surprised that the county is concerned.”

Students and staff are also pushing back against the university’s announcement. The Save Seawolves Athletics movement began shortly after the announcement was made, and the group responsible for organizing it has filed federal civil rights complaints against Sonoma State for making decisions that they allege will disproportionately affect students and coaches of color.

Campus community members are also propagating petitions demanding that the university reverse its decision, and teachers are pushing for a temporary block on the cuts.