California State University Chancellor Charles Reed offered the state of California a one time voluntary giveback of $31.3 million this October. This cut to the CSU translates to approximately $1.8 million less in funding for Sacramento State.

Clara Potes-Fellow, spokesperson for the chancellor’s office, said the voluntary cut was made to help the state meet its financial goals. “We believe this cut can be made without disrupting campus operations or impacting instruction,” Potes-Fellow said. “Cost saving measures will include curtailing travel, deferring purchases and delaying filling vacant positions.” Faculty members and the California Faculty Association were surprised to learn the additional funding cut was voluntary. In an e-mail to all CSU employees on Oct. 23, the chancellor’s office stated the decision to take an additional cut was made by the state Legislature and the governor’s office. The CFA did not know the cuts were voluntary until Oct. 27. The CFA said in an e-mail last week, “In a communication to ‘All CSU Employees’ last week, the chancellor misled the campus community by incorrectly reporting the CSU is among the agencies that “need to cut a total of $390 million from the current budget.”

“Do not be deceived by misinformation: The chancellor’s give-back of $31.3 million is voluntary – and he knows it, ” the e-mail stated.

“I find it unconscionable that the chancellor would do that voluntarily, of his own volition,” said Kevin Wehr, assistant sociology professor. “He did it without so much as a request for comment from those whose work went into getting that money in the first place. How dare he give it back?” Joseph Sheley, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said the voluntary giveback is a long-term step. “The CSU doesn’t fall under the regular government umbrella,” Sheley said. “The governor can’t treat the CSU like any other department. Looking at the big picture, you get a sense of the relationship between the State and the CSU. I think that is an important relationship.” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to call a special session of the Legislature. Sheley said it is important to foster a positive relationship with the governor’s office prior to the special session. It is not yet known if the special session will further impact funding for the 23 CSU campuses. Due to the voluntary giveback, the CFA expects to be forced to renegotiate their contract in an effort to restore regular pay increases agreed upon in the last contract. Lois Boulgarides, kinesiology & health science lecturer, said in an e-mail that the renegotiations will not happen immediately. “We can be assured that our bargaining team will work very hard to retain our salary increases that we won in 2007,” Boulgarides said. The chancellor’s actions has rekindled issues regarding communication and transparency that the Sac State campus has worked to overcome. “I don’t understand how we can continue relations,” Wehr said.

Derek Fleming can be reached at [email protected]