President Albert Karnig calls 2009-2010 school year most challenging in university's history

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UPDATE: Thetext of President Albert Karnig's Convocation speech on Sept. 21 may be read at 2009 Convocation. The the president's presentation may be viewed online by going to the Academic Computing and Media Web site and clicking on the "2009 Convocation" link.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Calling it "the most challenging" school year in the university's history, Cal State San Bernardino President Albert Karnig in his annual Convocation presentation on Sept. 21, urged faculty and staff to work together for the common good - quality of education for students and the preservation of employee careers - in the face of a massive budget reduction from the state.

"With ravenously deep cuts to our budget, this will be the most challenging year the institution has encountered in the more than 12 years that I've been at CSUSB and the more than 40 years since the campus's inception," Karnig told the nearly 1,000 faculty, staff and students assembled at the university's Santos Manuel Student Union Events Center, and webcast to its Palm Desert Campus and other locations.

"I know that virtually everyone in this room and those watching will be affected by furloughs and budget cuts - some more directly impacted than others," he said. But "there's good reason to believe we can help ourselves as we have faced adversity before. We've confronted financial challenges without sacrificing students or our personnel. It's that kind of attitude we simply need to build upon."

When students started classes for the fall quarter on Sept. 24, Cal State San Bernardino has had $26 million cut from its previous year's state allocation of $105 million as part of the $564 million that was slashed from the entire 23-campus California State University system's budget.

In response, Karnig said the CSU has taken a number of steps, including:

"A 10 percent reduction in enrollment over the next two years, which means approximately 2,000 fewer students will be able to attend CSUSB in 2010-2011 than in 2008-2009.

"The implementation of non-paid furlough days for faculty and staff throughout the CSU - with the exception of campus police, who were exempted, and skilled trades, who opted to take layoffs instead of furloughs, and;

"A 32 percent increase in student fees over last year.

Karnig said in spite of the fee increase, undergraduates will continue to pay lower fees than students at comparable institutions. Less affluent students will still receive financial assistance, since one-third of the CSU fee increase will be set aside for financial aid, and the federal government increased the amount it designates for Pell grants. In addition, the state will continue coverage of Cal Grants for students already in the program and has increased work-study funds.

"Because of these factors, more than 50 percent of our students will not pay any fee increase and about 13 percent pay only a partial fee increase," Karnig said. "Further, more than 80 percent of dependents and families making less than $75,000 a year will pay no additional fees from the 32 percent increase this year."

To help steer the university in the coming years, Karnig unveiled Cal State San Bernardino's 2009 Strategic Plan, which will serve as a guide to help the university in times of financial uncertainty and torn budgets, as well as during less tumultuous circumstances.

"Cuts are particularly devastating to our region, which desperately needs more college graduates, and struggles at the K-12 level, trailing the state in high school graduates generally, even more in those who have met the A-G requirements, and most in college attendance," Karnig said. "Slashed higher education budgets will have both personal and stat

CSUSB President Albert Karnig urged faculty and staff to work together for the common good - quality of education for students and the preservation of employee careers - in the face of a massive budget cuts.