The Legislative Budget Conference Committee recently approved Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal to provide California State University with a General Fund support of $2.7 billion, which is $373 million above the 2009-10 funding.

The governor, Senate and Assembly’s versions of the budget include $305 million to backfill one-time cuts made to the CSU in recent years, and $60.6 million for “enrollment growth.”

“Essentially, in most ways, it restores a little bit of stability and restores the money for activities that were lost in the last couple of years,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Joseph Sheley.

About 8,000 FTES, or full-time equivalent students, would be enrolled to the CSU if the $60 million funding is enacted.

“I think this year’s picture of the CSU is a little less grim than last year with the furloughs and classes being cut left and right,” said Associated Students Inc. President Terry Martin. “The governor seems to be more committed to funding higher education this time around.”

Since 2007-08, state support for higher education has declined by $1.6 billion, or 14 percent. Public universities, whose share of the General Fund has declined by about 20 percent, absorbed most of the reduction, according to a Legislative Analyst’s Office report.

CSU’s share of the General Fund, for instance, decreased from $2.9 billion in 2007-08 to about $2.2 billion the following year.

Kevin Wehr, president of the Capitol chapter of the California Faculty Association, said the governor’s proposed budget is “not really enough.”

“But it’s a very important step forward,” Wehr said. “It’s brings us back to a point where we can start thinking about offering a reasonable amount of classes that are hopefully enough for students to graduate on time, and hiring back faculty who have been laid off.”

In a statement issued after the budget committee’s approval of the governor’s proposal, CSU Chancellor Charles Reed said timely passing of the budget would open doors to an additional 29,000 students.

The budget, however, is not likely to be passed anytime soon.

“They haven’t sent a signal that they’re ready to pass the budget.” Sheley said.

Meanwhile, the CSU will remain conservative in admitting students for spring 2011 and assume there will be no increase in state support until a final budget is passed.

A memo sent by Reed to campus presidents stated that each campus can exceed its enrollment targets for spring 2011 by no more than 2 percent.

LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE SAYS PROPOSED INCREASES ARE TOO MUCH

In its report on the budget published in February, the Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended a $148 million increase in state support to the CSU.That is roughly half the amount proposed by the governor.

Steve Boilard, director of higher education for the analyst’s office, said the governor’s proposal is a “pretty significant increase in state funding” during a year when the state has cover a $20 billion budget hole.

The analyst’s office’s recommendation would also save the state $298 million, Boilard said.

“We need to find a reasonable place to restore some of the services on campus, and at the same time be more careful about how much money we spend,” Boilard said.

The analyst’s office’s analysis of the budget proposal was based on per-student funding at the CSU. According to data compiled by researchers, per-student funding actually went up from $11,289 in 2007-08 to $11,722 under the 2010-11 budget proposal, a 3.8 increase.

The analyst’s office recommended that the state should restore per-student funding rates to 2007-08 levels instead of increasing them as proposed by the governor.

“Rather than saying we’re going to give all the money that the governor proposes, let’s instead come up with some kind of target and see how it would cost,” Boilard said.

The office also recommended that the Legislature reject Schwarzenegger’s proposal to provide $60.6 million for “enrollment growth.”

Boilard said calling it can be misleading because the governor’s budget proposal actually calls for reduced enrollment for 2010-11. The money would instead fund students who were previously turned away from the CSU due to budget cuts.

“The governor includes money in there for enrollment growth, but it doesn’t really fund new students,” Boilard said.

Sheley agreed.

“I wouldn’t call it enrollment growth,” he said. “The $60 million opens doors to the number of students that we haven’t been able to accommodate.”

Kristine Guerra can be reached at [email protected]