Thursday, January 23, 2025

THE PERILS OF MISMANAGEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION

By Bob Walsh


Sonoma Entrance Sign


Both Stanislaus State and Sonoma State, both part of the California State University system, just got a very serious kick in the nutsack today, allegedly to the complete surprise of the faculty and students.

Sonoma State is losing their entire athletic program plus several departments of academics due to a $23 + million short fall.  Stanislaus State (aka Turkey Tech) has a lesser hole to dig out of, about $8 million, and will not get nailed as hard but neither will it be a love tap.

The Sonoma State interim president, Emily F. Cutrer, announced that the school has lost 38% of its enrollment since its high point in 2015.  She annnounced that the previously enacted voluntary employee separations, personnel reductions and downsizing have saved far less than is necessary.  A total of 46 faculty members, including tenured, tenure track and adjunct professions, will not have their contracts renewed.  Also a number of lecturers are going down in flames.  These actions will hit at the end of the current academic year.

More than 20 academic degree programs are biting the dust.  These include Art History BA, Art Studio BFA, Philosophy BA, Public Administration MPA, Theater Arts BA., women and gender studies BA, and various hard science programs.  

Also several minor programs will be eliminated including Art History, Economics, Museum and Gallery Studies, Queer Studies and Theatre Arts.

The system as a whole is having its funding cut by 8% in the coming academic year.

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