Governors Proposed State Budget Makes Cuts to the CSU

On January 10, Governor Newsom shared the proposed state budget for 2025-26, announcing a reduction to the ongoing CSU General Fund support by 7.95 percent, or $375.2 million, beginning in the 2025-26 fiscal year. These cuts will further devastate campuses such as Sonoma State that are already facing severe austerity.

“Instead of making sure students, faculty and staff have what they need to thrive, we know the CSU will make budget cuts, forcing faculty, students, and staff to do more with less,” said Charles Toombs, CFA President and San Diego State professor. “The Governor has a responsibility to follow through on his commitment to public higher education. These cuts will also succeed in negatively impacting enrollment and retention at the CSU, of mostly Black and brown students.”

The CSU remains the largest four-year public higher education system in the US and a cornerstone of California’s workforce. It is also one of the most ethnically and racially diverse public university systems in the nation. Any cuts to the system not only jeopardize the economic health of California, but they undermine efforts to provide equitable access to education and opportunities for under resourced students.

CSU management has projected a significant state funding shortfall of roughly $400 million – $800 million for the 2025-26 academic year to the estimated operating budget of $8.3 billion. These excessively bleak projections have given rise to tuition hikes, unnecessary job loss, heavier workloads for faculty, and challenges in making sure that students stay enrolled.

We will keep you informed as the Governor revises his budget in May and we roll out our advocacy plan. As always, we must find ways to balance the budget while not harming the quality education our members provide. We will continue to defend a CSU that is equitable, inclusive, and just for everyone.