Dear CSUSM faculty and staff,

As always, thank you for your continued collaboration, advocacy and thoughtful engagement as we navigate this year’s budget planning process together.

Following the release of Gov. Newsom’s May revise this morning, we have received some encouraging budget news: The proposed 7.95% base reduction to the CSU has been lowered to a proposed 3% cut. This is a welcome improvement, and a testament to the strong collective advocacy by our CSU system, our campus community and our external partners.

It’s important to note that this is not the final state budget. The budget will continue to be debated by the legislature and finalized this summer, and we must remain diligent in our planning, proactive in our communications and united in our efforts to advocate for higher education and student success. 

In a statement, CSU Chancellor Mildred García shared that “the governor’s May Revision is a highly appreciated and encouraging sign. Also encouraging is the fact that a majority of the state’s legislature has expressed its commitment to rejecting budget cuts to California public higher education. We look forward to working with the governor and the state legislature to ensure that the final budget reflects this expressed commitment.” 

We will share more about the implications of the May revise and what it means for CSUSM at our next Campus Budget Forum, which will take place on Monday, May 19 at noon (look for the link in the Monday email invitation from FAS). I invite you to join us as we continue our commitment to transparency and shared information and understanding.

I am deeply grateful to all of you who have contributed to this process – through budget workgroups, World Cafés, committee discussions and day-to-day decision-making. Your ideas and insights have helped position us thoughtfully and strategically, and your continued engagement will ensure that we are ready for whatever lies ahead.

With appreciation,

Ellen J. Neufeldt, Ed.D. 

President