SSU addresses budget challenges
Sonoma State University officials announced on Thursday that the university is proactively taking steps to address a significant budget shortfall for the 2025-26 academic year.
During a town hall meeting with faculty, staff, and students, Interim President Emily Cutrer made it clear that the university will thoroughly explore all available options and strategies to achieve a balanced and healthy budget, while emphasizing that the top priority for the university will remain its students. Cutrer announced that the university will be imposing a hiring freeze, effective immediately, and that tough decisions will be necessary to substantially reduce SSU’s projected $21-million budget deficit.
“We have got to begin planning for that $21-million deficit. That is a huge number, especially after all the campus has gone through and has done,” Cutrer said. “But let me show you how we have gotten here.”
The university took several steps to reduce a $17.3-million deficit in 2023-24, narrowing it to $7.4 million by 2024-25 through attrition of positions, streamlining of some business and academic operations, voluntary separation agreements with employees, and other actions.
But the 2025-26 deficit is projected to grow significantly due to an 8% state budget reduction, general operational cost increases, unfunded faculty and staff pay increases, and what is known as an “enrollment reallocation” by the CSU Chancellor's Office. After several years of 6-10% enrollment declines, enrollment at SSU appears to have stabilized, but 2024-25 enrollment is nevertheless 1.2% lower than in 2023-24, resulting in a planned 5% decrease in enrollment funding from the Chancellor’s Office.
SSU’s 2024-25 enrollment is 5,783, a 38% decrease from its peak enrollment of 9,408 in 2015. The university would need an additional 3,500 students to erase its current deficit.
Cutrer said the town hall was called to inform the campus community that all strategies and options will be considered to achieve a balanced, healthy budget. In addition to a general hiring freeze, non-essential travel and non-essential purchases will be suspended, and only president-approved essential positions will be authorized to move forward.
Cutrer also emphasized that the university’s mission – preparing students for careers and meaningful citizenship in a complex world – remains the same. “Students are always our top priority,” she said.