Campus services and classes could be cut if the California State University system receives less than the $2.7 billion proposed in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s budget, CSU spokesman Erik Fallis said.

The concerns come as state leaders are scheduled to vote on a budget Thursday, 99 days into the fiscal year and breaking the 85-day record in 2008. Schwarzenegger and Democratic and Republican leaders said they have reached a budget deal after five hours in a closed-door meeting Friday.

Lawmakers did not reveal how much would be allotted toward higher education. But it is clear that campus services would take the biggest hit if funding fell short of the governor’s proposal, Fallis said.

“It could be everything from financial aid to other programs. Pretty much across the board,” he said.

Services would be threatened because 80 percent of funding for the CSU goes to personnel costs, he said.

“Staff provides services, so if we don’t have as much staff we can’t provide the same level of services. Our staffing numbers are dependent on the level of state support we get,” Fallis said.

The number of class sections might also be cut, but would be less of a risk because the CSU makes enrollment a priority, Fallis said.

“We can’t say to what extent course sections and student services would be affected without knowing the level of state funding,” said Sac State spokeswoman Kim Nava. “But the budget cuts of the last two years forced us to make really difficult decisions, including furloughs and cuts to enrollment.”

The cuts in recent years also caused the university to implement campus-wide impaction, which imposes higher admissions criteria to limit enrollment.

The governor’s proposal for the CSU would be a 13 percent increase in funding over last year. It includes $305 million to restore previous one-time cuts and $60.6 million to fund enrollment, said Alicia Trost, press secretary for Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento.

The funding would allow the CSU to increase enrollment by 2.5 percent, Trost said.

However, the governor’s proposal still contains $250 million less for higher education than the 2007-08 budget, Fallis said.

Spring enrollment will not be affected by Thursday’s vote. Nava said $106 million in stimulus funds would enable Sac State to admit 3,000 additional students. Last spring, the CSU closed admission amid state budget cuts.

“If it wasn’t for the stimulus money, there wouldn’t be any new enrollment for the spring semester. At the last minute the stimulus money came through,” said Sac State government professor Wesley Hussey.

The CSU cannot adopt its budget until the state adopts one and decides exactly how much funding will go toward higher education.

The CSU system is funding itself through student fees, which have been raised 5 percent.

Student fees account for about one-third of the CSU’s income. The rest comes from state support, Fallis said.

The California State Student Association, which comprises the student governing bodies for all 23 CSU campuses, has been lobbying state leaders since last year to pass a budget with sufficient funding for higher education. The association has met with representatives of 10 legislators and the governor’s secretary of education.

“We’ve been telling them we need their support of higher education,” said Chris Chavez, president of the association.

Ken Paglia can be reached at [email protected].