CFA Members Testify on Funding Crisis at State Senate Hearing

On March 6, 2025, the California State Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee convened to hear from faculty, students, and staff about the growing financial strain on the CSU system. As campuses brace for deep cuts, CFA members testified about the tangible impacts of disinvestment—hiring freezes, resource shortages, and growing class sizes.

“For directly impacting our ability to provide a high-quality instruction and mentorship that students rely on to achieve mobility, we cannot afford these cuts,” said CFA Monterey Bay Co-President and CSU Monterey Bay Professor Renee Penalver. “These are more than just numbers on a spreadsheet. These are people.” Penalver went on to note, “They are the future of higher education in California. These reductions diminish opportunities for students, faculty, and staff and threaten the workforce and economy that depend on a strong system.”

Ryne Leuzinger, CFA Monterey Bay Political Action and Legislative Committee Chair, expressed frustration with the disconnect between high-level advocacy and on-the-ground realities. “I’ve been a CSU faculty member for the last 11 years,” said Leuzinger, a CSU Monterey Bay librarian. “Our campus recently faced a travel and hiring freeze that is having a significant impact on opportunities for faculty to share their work, attend conferences, and hire people for critical positions. We are working really hard with very lean circumstances. An 8 percent cut to state appropriations means fewer items in the food pantry, fewer appointments for students with academic advisors, and fewer courses that students need to graduate.”

For faculty members, this funding crisis is personal. “My income helps pay for my daughter’s significant healthcare costs, which are minimally covered by insurance,” said CFA Monterey Bay Faculty Rights Chair and CSU Monterey Bay Lecturer Aimee Escalante. “Lecturers like me are already being laid off. If I’m laid off in liberal studies, it will be difficult for our students to get the classes they need, which will delay their graduation. We must reject the governor’s proposal to cut the state’s allocation of the CSU budget by 8 percent and explore means to invest in the future of California.”

Amid these testimonies, CSU Chancellor Mildred García addressed lawmakers, emphasizing the CSU system’s unparalleled role in driving economic mobility. She cited data from the California Futures Foundation’s California Mobility Index, which found that nine of the top ten campuses for social mobility in the state are CSUs. However, while García’s advocacy in Sacramento highlights the need for funding, her administration’s financial decisions tell a different story. The continued misallocation of resources reflects a troubling disregard for the very students, faculty, and staff who sustain the CSU’s mission. Rather than prioritizing direct student support, critical faculty hires, and essential campus services, funds have been funneled elsewhere, deepening the crisis and eroding trust.

The CSU’s leadership must not only champion the system in Sacramento but also take meaningful steps to protect and support its workforce at all 23 campuses. As budget negotiations continue, faculty, students, and community members will keep pressing lawmakers to fully fund the CSU system—not just in words, but in action.