Sonoma State University

February 20, 2025 Minutes

Minutes

UNIVERSITY BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE

February 20th, 2025

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Karen Moranski - Provost, Vice President of Academic Affairs; Chair

M. Monir Ahmed - CFO, Vice President of Administration and Finance; Vice-Chair

Troi Carleton - Dean, School of Social Sciences

Emily Acosta Lewis - Chair of the Faculty, Communications Department

Suzanne Rivoire - Vice-Chair of the Faculty, Computer Science Department

Tim Wandling - CFA Representative; English Department

Puspa Amri - Chair of APARC, Economics Department

Laura Lupei - Associate Vice President for University Budget and Resource Planning

John Lynch - Staff Representative, Center for Teaching and Educ Technology

Jonathon Duran Del Villar - Vice President of Finance, Associated Students

Vanessa Sanchez - President, Associated Students

Ed Mills - Ex-officio, Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management

Mike Ogg - Ex-officio, AVP for Academic Resources

STAFF PRESENT:

Hayley Avery - Budget Manager, Administration and Finance 

GUESTS PRESENT:

Emily Cutrer - Interim President, Sonoma State University

Anna Reynolds-Smith - Assistant Vice President for Admin and Financial Planning & Business Ops

Ian Hannah - Assistant Vice President for Advancement Operations

Lauren Morimoto - Kinesiology Department

MEMBERS ABSENT:

None.

AGENDA

  1. Call to Order and Welcome
  2. Approval of the Minutes: December 12th, 2024
  3. 2025-2026 Budget Planning
  4. Process for New Budget Items
  5. Announcements for the Good of the Order

 

  1. Call to Order and Welcome
     
  2. Approval of the Minutes: December 12th, 2024
    Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Karen Moranski, welcomed the committee and began the meeting at 9:03 a.m.

    Moranski introduced the agenda and asked if there were any additions. Hearing none, Moranski requested a motion to approve the minutes of the December meeting. The minutes were approved unanimously.

 

  1. 2025-2026 Budget Planning
    Laura Lupei presented the 2025-2026 budget planning update. The presentation began with an overview of the State’s proposed budget and its implications for the California State University (CSU) system. According to the Governor’s January budget proposal, there will be no compact funding increase for CSU in 2025-2026. Instead, the CSU faces an ongoing budget reduction of $375 million, with no additional one-time funding allocations. While a 6% tuition increase has been approved and will help cover baseline commitments, it will not address the full funding gap. This leaves CSU with a $375 million shortfall and no available resources to fund essential new priorities. The state is also projecting structural budget deficits for at least the next four years, signaling prolonged fiscal challenges ahead.

    The presentation then reviewed historical base budget reductions at the campus level, totaling $26.3M over the past five years. In 2020-2021, each division underwent a 12% reduction, proportionate to their share of the base budget, amounting to an $8.2M cut. In 2022-2023, divisions experienced a $5M reduction based on their share of marginal cost, and the University implemented an Early Exit Program to help mitigate the impact. The following year, 2023-2024, saw another $8.1M reduction, and base reductions were done in part by a Voluntary Separation Incentive Program and cuts to the instructional pool due to declining enrollment. In 2024-2025, the Academic Affairs Division underwent a reorganization, resulting in a $5M base reduction that included further cuts to the instructional budget based on additional enrollment declines.

    Current budget scenario planning for the 2025-2026 academic year has a projected campus deficit of approximately $23.5M. To address this, the University has outlined a budget reduction plan totaling $23.5M. The plan includes $8M in reduced instructional costs and $3.8M in savings from reorganization efforts and MPP non-retentions. An additional $3.7M will come from the discontinuation of NCAA athletics, while $3.3M is anticipated from unfilled or vacant positions. University-wide budget lines will be reduced by $1.7M. The plan also includes estimated savings of $950k through multi-university collaboration and $2M from exploring alternative funding sources. These combined efforts aim to close the budget gap while maintaining the institution’s core academic mission and services.

    The committee asked about the meet-and-confer process with the California Faculty Association (CFA) and the potential impacts of Article 38 in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which allows faculty to seek reassignment to other departments. The Provost responded that the meet-and-confer discussions will focus on the impacts of the reductions, not whether the reductions will change. The feasibility of faculty reassignment will depend on available funding.

    The committee also discussed the multi-university collaboration initiative, which is still in progress. Monir Ahmed provided insights into the exploration of shared services across seven key functional areas, including IT, Finance, Payroll, and Benefits. Specific areas of focus include the data center, infrastructure security, systemwide accounts payable, and forward-facing financial services. While there is potential for cost savings, campuses must pay to participate in these shared services, which will impact the overall budget.

    There was a specific inquiry about the $1.7M reduction within the university-wide budget lines. It was clarified that this amount reflects cuts to the benefits pool, portions of insurance funding, and unused funds previously allocated to the GI2025 initiative.

    Regarding the potential restoration of state funds, a question was raised about whether a 7.95% statewide reduction, if lessened, would similarly benefit the campus. The President confirmed that since reductions are being distributed proportionally across campuses, any restoration would also be returned proportionately.
     
  2. Process for New Budget Items
    President Cutrer proposed adding a new agenda item to define the process for adjusting the deficit plan in the event that any funding is restored. She suggested that UBAC review proposals from across the campus, develop a set of recommendations, and submit them for presidential review. John Lynch and Mike Ogg volunteered to assist in drafting this proposed process in writing. The initial feedback was that any restored funds should be prioritized for reversing existing reductions rather than supporting new initiatives.
     
  3. Announcements for the Good of the Order
    None.

 

Moranski adjourned the meeting at 10:39 a.m. 

Minutes prepared by Hayley Avery.