Prior Fiscal Year Communications

We do not have a layoff plan at this time. Various workgroups may make organizational recommendations that involve restructuring, and there could be changes in staffing that come with reorganization. With a reorganization there may also be reassignments.

Furloughs can only be implemented at the CSU system level. 

Nothing is planned at this time.

We are looking at every division to implement a 6% base budget reduction starting on July 1, 2024.  The workgroups will be focused on the four R’s - Reduce, Reallocate and/or Restructure to achieve this, while also needing to Repay the $12M in borrowing from the fiscal year 2023-2024 deficit. 

Yes. We did not have a balanced budget prior to the compensation increases so the compensation increases raised our total deficit. In fiscal year 2023-2024, we only had one source of funds for compensation, which was through new compact funding from the CSU through the state. In fiscal year 2024-2025, one source for salary increases is the compact funding, and other campus sources include tuition increases and reallocation of internal operating funds over the next two years. 

The university is responsible for managing all its resources which include the compact funding, tuition and general fund to honor all collective bargaining agreements and associated salary increases. We support all employees being paid fairly and equitably.  

The first round of cuts, when complete, will total $29.5M dollars. Of those cuts, $10.4M were assigned to Academic Affairs (or 3.90% of the AA budget). The remaining $19.1M were assigned to all the other divisions (or a 10% reduction). This was in line with our strategy to make the first round of cuts relative to the investments that were made in the original Transformation 2020 Strategic Plan. 

In the first round of budget cuts at SJSU, Athletics was assigned $1.1M dollars in cuts (or 9.8 percent of their General Fund operating costs). Those permanent cuts go into effect on July 1, 2024, as Athletics, like Academic Affairs and IT, deferred some cuts to next year. That said, Athletics has cut $1.0M dollars from their base this year and have thus produced a one-time savings of over $500,000 dollars. 

There is a direct relationship between the two. SJSU hit a height for enrollment of 28,606 FTES in the Fall of 2021, when the campus was enrolling way above California resident target and international enrollment was also strong. For Fall 2023, SJSU enrolled 27,186 FTES, a difference of nearly 1,500 FTES. This represents a decline of both California resident and non-resident enrollment, both of which have an impact on our overall budget (approximately $12.5M). In short, when SJSU was significantly overenrolled and had higher non-resident student enrollments, we had much more revenue and institutional reserves. We also grew in all areas of the university, because we had the enrollment growth funds to do so. 

The total campus budget is $756M. The General Fund has $448M in revenue and $308M is from Auxiliaries, Enterprises and self-support.

All self-support, auxiliaries and enterprises need to following the General Fund's lead on process improvement, shared services, focusing on core mission, limited year-to-year growth (exceptions are PaCE and Spartan Village on the Paseo), restructuring, etc.

Deferred maintenance at SJSU and across the CSU has always been significantly underfunded. We will have to prioritize critical repairs and maintenance with the limited budgets we have.

Collective bargaining is a central part of the CSU system, and negotiated agreements are binding across all campuses. While these agreements are negotiated at the Chancellor’s Office for the entire system, campuses are responsible for implementing them, sometimes without corresponding increases in state funding. This is why labor cost increases can feel like “unfunded mandates.”

At San José State, we build multi-year financial scenarios to anticipate contract costs and model the impact on our operating budget. We work closely with the CSU Chancellor’s Office and our union partners to advocate for state funding that recognizes these commitments, and we plan conservatively so we are not caught off guard. Our responsibility is to both honor the agreements we have with employees and ensure the long-term financial stability of the university.

Yes. SJSU integrates projected labor cost increases into our budget planning models. We know these adjustments are essential to help employees manage the rising cost of living in the Bay Area. We cannot set them unilaterally since we have to comply with our collective bargaining agreements, but we prepare financially so that we can honor these important systemwide agreements and avoid sudden, disruptive cuts when they occur. We know how hard it is to live in the Bay Area, and we budget for contractual labor cost adjustments so we can fulfill our commitments.

Trust is built through actions, not words. Our employees are the backbone of SJSU, and we cannot fulfill our mission without their dedication and expertise. We also acknowledge that financial constraints can sometimes make decisions feel at odds with how much we value our people.

• Transparency in how we share budget information and decision-making.
• Consultation with unions, shared governance, and staff leadership before major decisions are made.
• Advocacy at the state and system level for fair funding to support fair pay.

Trust comes from consistency over time. We want to earn that trust by showing that we will navigate tough times in ways that are respectful, transparent, and equitable.

IT performs a quarterly review of SJSU IT software and usage.As part of our contract renewal process, each software is reviewed for its usage and relevancy. Where possible, we negotiate rates and reductions for underutilized software.

IT reviews non-IT SJSU software purchases through the Technology Requisition Impact Assessment (TRIA). The software is reviewed for security, accessibility and enterprise fit. When a software is submitted, and we are aware of a duplicate software in IT or another dept, we inform the requestor of the possible duplicate and assist in the evaluation.

IT has a list of software managed by the CO or by the SJSU IT department currently in use at SJSU.

Space changes should be guided by long-term efficiency with the goal being a smarter use of facilities, not endless renovation. In some cases, planned moves are as a result of canceling off-site leases to save costs and to allow teams to return to campus.

Efficiency isn’t just about cuts. It’s about smarter space use, new technology, and ensuring FD&O has the people power to support the campus. We also recognize that FD&O carries a very large workload given the size and age of our campus. We are reviewing staffing and support models to ensure they can meet both day-to-day needs and long-term maintenance demands. We are also evaluating the intentional use of contractors, where needed, to bolster our internal work effort.

Critical safety and accessibility projects are always top priorities in our budget. Our goal is always to balance immediate needs with responsible capital investment.

The CSU Chancellor’s Office has played a key role in this project to date and will continue to do so. They provide invaluable real estate legal counsel and other support.

SJSU expanded “integrated mental health” in Fall 2024 by launching the Mindful Steps System to simplify how students can access mental health education, resources, and services. The system offers curated resources and services to help students choose preferred ways to build their mental health based on their personal needs and goals.  The idea is simple: students can start by exploring the options, picking one or two to begin, and taking each step at their own pace. Every step forward leads to support—and there is no wrong door.  

There are three tiers of support within the Mindful Steps System:

Discover encourages students to explore their well-being and build skills through informational and interactive resources detailed on the Well-being@SJSU website. Connect helps them build support systems and express their needs, and connect with services like SJSU Cares, Career Center, or the Accessible Education Center. 
Heal provides clear pathways to clinical care through Counseling & Psychological Services and Health Services.

In addition to these changes to student access pathways, the Student Wellness Center and connected student services made several operational changes to improve student-centered care, such as expanding clinical case management to support students struggling to navigate care, expanding team-based care for conditions like eating disorders, and embedding mental health assessments in primary care medical visits.  

As with any piece of state legislation, San José State University, as part of the California State University system, will be guided by the Chancellor’s Office regarding implementation should SB 640 be signed into law.

Staff and faculty morale is critical to San José State University’s success, and we recognize that budget reductions can directly affect our ability to fulfill our core mission. That’s why we have an Office of Community and Government Relations—and a leadership team dedicated to advocating for SJSU and the broader CSU system at both the state and federal levels.

We will be active during the state budget process beginning in January 2026, expressing our priorities and seeking support from our legislative delegation to prevent cuts and protect resources for students, faculty, and staff. At the same time, our advocacy is a year-round effort—maintaining positive relationships with elected officials and consistently demonstrating the impact and contributions of San José State University to our region and the state.

It is not possible to make up for a complete loss of federal funding. Our goal is to avoid such an outcome. However, we are actively working to diversify our RSCA funding sources. We also have reserved a modest amount of money to serve as bridge funding for selected critical activities in the event of a cancelled or paused grant, but this is nowhere near enough to cover a pause in all funding.

A reduction in the indirect cost recovery from a sponsor for any grant is essentially a requirement for a larger cost match from the university to support that project. Therefore, to accept such an award, the university would need to identify the source of those funds. If there is a blanket reduction in indirect cost rate, we would need to assess how much money at the university can be redirected to this cost match and that would determine the size of the RSCA portfolio that we could manage.

Absolutely. Colleges that are interested in hosting forums like these are encouraged to contact the Office of the Provost and Office of the Vice President for Administration and Finance.

Revenue includes fund sources and revenue generating activities that are included in the Athletic Department annual budget.  These revenue sources include:  General Funds, Student Fees, and revenue earned by the Athletic Department  through its own activities including: fundraising/private donations,  ticket sales, media rights/TV contracts, game guarantees, licensing, conference distributions, etc.  The University as part of the CSU is a non-profit public entity.  As such, the Athletic Department budget does not generate a profit, it would generate a Net Surplus or Net Deficit and the year-end fund balance that would carryover to the subsequent fiscal year. 

The University expects to receive additional one-time revenue from the Mountain West conference to support athletic operations. 

In an effort to address both short term and long term financial sustainability, the Athletic Department has developed a multi-year business plan focused on sustainable solutions, including increased external fundraising and expense management. The department will be consulting with the Athletics Board and Budget Advisory Council as to specific strategies and initiatives Our core objective is to ensure athletics achieves a sustainable financial framework to support a Division I Athletic program without impacting academic priorities. 

Athletics is often the most visible “front porch” of the university. Division I programs elevate SJSU’s brand profile nationally, build school spirit, and engage alumni and the community in ways that directly support the university’s mission. Strong athletics visibility often translates into greater alumni pride and giving. With the help of University Advancement and Alumni Affairs, we have partnered to identify tangible donor incentives while utilizing event-based engagement to cultivate philanthropy and a sense of community. That said, Athletics surpassed its fundraising goal in 2024-25 by 11% and the broader University surpassed its stated annual goal as well. 

Founded in 2005, Collegiate Consulting completed a comprehensive economic valuation of our athletic department, analyzing data collected from 2021 to 2024. The study specifically assessed the department's value across three key areas: branding/visibility, game-day and event valuation, and the economic impact of personnel, athletes, and graduates. To calculate the equivalent Return on Investment (ROI), the firm utilized the Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE)metric, examining viewership and impressions across all media channels, including broadcasts on major networks (ESPN, ABC, Fox Sports 1, TruTV, The CW, and NBA Sports Bay Area), social media profiles, local radio listenership, and print media.

As tasked by university leadership, the Athletic Board has formally assessed both the budget implication and risks with reducing sports and/or moving its competition classification within the NCAA. This issue was thoroughly reviewed as part of a 2023-24 directive where the Athletics Board worked with First Team consulting in looking at a review of the appropriate classification within the NCAA as well as potential programmatic cuts to the sports offerings. That work resulted in a unanimous decision by the Athletics Board to remain in FBS Division I due to the expenses and revenue considerations. Specifically, dropping to a lower division or classification would have “cost” more for athletics/SJSU due to the massive drop in potential revenue realized (NCAA grants, media rights revenue, loss of ticket revenue, etc) and required even more subsidy from campus resources to facilitate that change. This was deemed as not financially prudent.

The CSU system regards intercollegiate athletics as an essential educational experience that supports the university’s mission and student success. Under the authority of the California Education Code (§89230), IRA fees are allowed to be used to support intercollegiate athletics (excluding scholarships).  IRA fees are a major fund source used to support intercollegiate athletics at most CSU campuses. 

Enterprises are self-supported services like housing, wellness, etc. They typically run on the fees they collect, not on state funding. Similarly to our external 501(c)(3) auxiliary organizations, the enterprises are expected to generate enough revenue to cover their own expenses through those fees, or other revenue streams. 

University Advancement is not currently represented on the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC), though there is an opportunity to review the committee’s composition to ensure it continues to align with the university’s needs. The BAC may consider submitting a referral with recommended updates to membership.

Individual BAC members and their contact information can be found on the Academic Senate Committee Assignments website. Throughout the year, the committee may explore how best to establish a permanent, centralized and accessible communication channel for faculty and staff. While past feedback tools have been temporary and tied to specific events, an ongoing platform could give community members the opportunity to share questions, input, and comments year-round.

One idea is to open a permanent communication channel between the BAC and members of the SJSU community, such as a Google form and/or a Padlet, etc. In the last few years such channels have only ever been temporary, used in the leadup to specific budget events (Town Halls). After the event they are closed. Instead, consider having a channel that is set up by (and fully accessible to) the BAC, so that people can submit questions, input, and comments any time throughout the AY.

Another idea is to devise and run a campus-wide survey more periodically, perhaps once every 2 years. In 2023 the BAC ran a survey and collected a lot of qualitative data that was interesting and informative

If the additional fee is approved and implemented, the Bay Pass would be managed by the Associated Students Transportation Solutions Office. Since this potential fee is paid for by students, the benefit would remain exclusively for students. All potential fees must be proposed by January 2026 in order to go through the approval process for a Fall 2026 implementation, if successful. 

There are no general funds retained by the President’s Office beyond the regular operating funds that support the personnel and operating costs of the office.

Improvement in rankings boosts public confidence in SJSU and in the California State University system and, as such, they can contribute to our budget advocacy efforts. However, it is important to note that the state provides funding to the CSU system and not directly to SJSU, so SJSU’s rankings are just a part of the picture.

The increase in SJSU’s ranking positively influences our recruitment efforts, enhancing visibility in previously untapped markets. The strengthened brand will position us as a premier destination for incoming students, supporting a strong yield for California Residents, while also improving our non-resident enrollment efforts—crucial for the diversification of our enrollment.

Each segment of the town hall was followed by a Q&A session and comments and questions were solicited electronically and are being answered here.

The system office does not have a lobbying process, but the president is meeting with campus labor leaders regularly and discussing opportunities to collaborate on efforts to advocate for SJSU and the state and system levels.

The People Centered Excellence Initiative is focused on streamlining our efforts to work more efficiently and to remove unnecessary barriers to getting things done for our employees. A key component of these efforts is the Shared Services effort launched in September and presented at the Town Hall. Further updates on this effort will follow throughout the Fall semester.

Yes, we are working on a report that summarizes the insights and key recommendations of the work groups and will share it soon. 

The majority of the budget is in instructional dollars and those follow enrollment. This year, the College of Humanities and the Arts, for example, is the largest college by FTES and has received additional dollars to teach students in the college. Additionally, we adjust the distribution of dollars based on the “marginal cost of instruction” and this means the arts, health, and education are funded at rates higher than other colleges to support their instruction. 

Admission levels are determined in consultation with colleges and departments before we start the admission process. At the same time, most majors are open to all applicants and course section needs depend on student demand. So, adjustments have to be made as students enroll at either the lower division (first-year students) or upper division (transfer students) or continuing students. This year, we provided college enrollment estimates in February so departments can build appropriate schedules. What changed this past year? We had a much stronger retention number (adding continuing students), more successful re-enrollment campaigns (bringing students back who had withdrawn), and stronger new transfer numbers (adding about 150 more students to the campus). We are working on building more effective predictive models to help colleges and departments model enrollments. 

A preliminary analysis of student-to-faculty (SFR) ratio for Fall ‘24 demonstrates a slight increase compared to Fall ‘23 (25.3 compared to 24.8). The Fall ‘24 number, however, has not yet hit the highest historic SFR (Fall ‘17 at 26.3). That said, some colleges have seen a greater increase in SFR than others - three colleges had a change less than 1, while six had changes greater than 1. On the CSU level, six campuses report a SFR of 2-4 points higher than SJSU in 23/24. SJSU was just below the Average SFR level for the entire system in 23/24 as well. 

Assigned time has shifted over the last six years, with more emphasis and investment in RSCA relative to other sorts of administrative assigned time. The overall instructional workload of an “average” T/TT faculty member has hovered around 40%.

We are closely monitoring workload for faculty and staff and looking to reinvest in staff positions, for example, to support the operations of the campus as we continue to manage our limited financial flexibility. We prioritized staff hiring in areas, such as financial aid, to support student aid needs and the Provost’s Office has been reviewing and moving forward staff hiring for the academic colleges as well. We are also looking at important faculty workload metrics, such as student-to-faculty ratio (SFR). Preliminary analysis shows that SFR has risen from 24.8 (F ‘23) to 25.3 (F ‘24), which is still not near our historic high of 26.3 (F ‘17). Finally, we are assessing overall faculty assigned time, which includes support for a number of work areas (overall, assigned time is higher in Fall ‘24 (2,867) than it was in Fall ‘18 (2,414), although the distribution of those units are different, with more assigned to the University RSCA Program, for example, and less in College- and Department-based assigned time). 

All processes, policies, and practices within the Office of Undergraduate Admissions are under review to ensure they are streamlined and equitable. We are actively addressing gaps in our technical infrastructure, which will take time to resolve fully and align with industry standards. Once these updates are completed, we will shift our focus to future enhancements to position ourselves as an industry leader.

The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program will provide students from participating states access to SJSU majors at 150% of California resident tuition. This initiative will enhance SJSU’s competitiveness while generating additional revenue for the campus. Importantly, there will be no impact on current or future SJSU students, as the selected majors are primarily underserved and have room for growth.

The CSU’s budget formula is based on three areas:

1) Growing enrollment,

2) Receiving the Governor’s 5% Compact annually and

3) Increasing Tuition 6%.  

If these all happen and expenses (foreseeable & unforeseeable) align with these revenue growths, the CSU has a sustainable financial model.
We believe that SJSU has the ability to grow our enrollment above targets set by the Chancellor’s Office, thereby receiving additional funding support to grow key presidential priorities.

CSU Tuition was increased by 6% in 24/25. Tuition has only been increased once in the past 12 years.
The Board of Trustees insured that State University Grants (Student Aid) are retained at current levels through this increase
About 60 percent of CSU undergraduate students whose tuition is fully covered through grants, scholarships, waivers and other non-loan aid, will not pay the increase. Another 18 percent will have the tuition increase partially paid for through non-load aid.
CSU tuition is 40% lower than the national average of similar State institutions and is the lowest of the 16 comparable institutions.

All employees are affected by the budget issues. MPPs and Confidentials receive the same % increase as represented faculty and staff. This year, that is 5%

All SJSU employees are valued, staff (which includes MPPs) and faculty. What we have achieved (note national rankings) is the result of the work of all of us. We are in this together. MPPs, from ADM I to ADM IV have value on this campus. Just as we have tenured faculty on this campus who began as lecturers, many of our MPPs have risen up through the faculty and staff ranks and continue to serve SJSU well, utilizing their institutional knowledge to our advantage. Many MPPs work long hours, well beyond a typical eight-hour work day. As mentioned, sometimes MPPs bring in additional resources from new sources, such as grants and contracts, to support university priorities.

The President’s salary has grown an average of 2.7% annually from 2010 to 2024. 

Cynthia Teniente-Matson  =  $475K
Steve Perez =  $432K
Mary Papazian =  $403K  

For CFA, annual raises have been negotiated from 2014/15 that average 3.58%.  Note that no raises were distributed in 2015/16, but a "catch up" was done the following year, leaving 2021 (Covid) as the only year in the past 10 without a general raise.

For CSUEU, annual raises have been negotiated from 2014/15 that average 3.52%.  Note that no raises were distributed in 2020/21 and 2021/22, but a "catch up" was done in 2022 (for 21/22), leaving 2021 (Covid) as the only year in the past 10 without a general raise.

MPP raises averaged 3.12% from 2014/15 to 2024

Inflation during the same period averaged:

National =  2.96%      California = 3.33%      Bay Area = 3.83%

Everyone at SJSU has had to deal with budget cuts; no division has been spared. With this, work has to be managed differently. All positions are reviewed to ensure that the position is necessary -- and this includes MPP positions -- and if any extra work engendered by budget cuts, has been distributed as necessary and fairly with any additional pay that should go along with that. Again, this cuts across all staff employees whether non-MPP or MPP.

Employees have not had their salaries cut. Represented employees have received 5% increases. As to the ramifications of budget cuts, all employees, including MPPs, have had to deal with these and how work is managed and distributed. Vacancies have not necessarily been filled. This has resulted in extra work for many--including MPPs. 

This is not an accurate statement. Represented employees received negotiated 5% increases; MPPs and Confidentials received the same.

• MPP salaries have risen 33.5% from 2014 to 2024.
• Faculty salaries rose 38.8% in the same period
• Staff (CSUEU) salaries rose 38.1% in the same period

For CFA, annual raises have been negotiated from 2014/15 that average 3.58%.  Note that no raises were distributed in 2015/16, but a "catch up" was done the following year, leaving 2021 (Covid) as the only year in the past 10 without a general raise.

For CSUEU, annual raises have been negotiated from 2014/15 that average 3.52%.  Note that no raises were distributed in 2020/21 and 2021/22, but a "catch up" was done in 2022 (for 21/22), leaving 2021 (Covid) as the only year in the past 10 without a general raise.

SJSU complies with all negotiated increases as per CBAs. SJSU also recognizes the market we are in and sets salaries accordingly to attract and retain talent.
The referenced article is specific to PRESIDENTIAL salaries. (SJSU was 2nd lowest)
Presidential pay at California State University campuses increased on average by 43% between 2007 and 2022; SJSU - $431,673  $305,008 42%

All SJSU employees at all levels have been affected by the budget cuts. No division has been spared. This is a necessary exercise to ensure that we continue to fulfill our mission of providing a quality education to our students.

SJSU employees received 5% salary increases the past two years and have received increases 10 of the past 11 years.  The Cost of Living in San Jose is extremely difficult, SJSU complies with all negotiated increases as per CBAs.

All positions are reviewed before a recruitment is approved. Making sure we have sufficient staffing for essential positions that serve our students has been and continues to be a priority.

The key for San José State is for us to optimize what is within our control.  We are proactively addressing our institutional image, enrollment, administrative functions and faculty hiring.  We are using our location, in the heart of downtown San Jose and in Silicon Valley to tell our story. Most importantly, we are stressing Student Success initiatives.
First we have four very positive things working in our favor.

1. We start our planning for next year with no structural deficit.  We do have a loan to continue to reduce and payback, but our structural issues are behind us.
2. We will be in the 2nd year of the CSU’s 6% tuition increase.
3. We are one of seven CSU campuses projected to see enrollment reallocation from other under enrolled campuses, increasing our enrollment target and providing additional State funds for student enrollment on top of tuition.
4. We are planning to surpass our enrollment target.  And, we must continue to support persistence and retention for our existing students.

Our Challenges include:

•  The likely deferral of the 5% Governor’s Compact
• The Governor is planning an 8% State Funding Base reduction.
   
  Each campus will uniquely, based on their enrollment and situation, address these challenges.

No.

When audits are conducted, their scope encompasses the budget (revenues and expenses) of the entity being audited. Since 2009, the CO has employed risk-based auditing on the CSU system.  The risk-based audits by the CO are campus specific and department specific.

University Parking Services (UPS) is a separate “enterprise” of the University.  It maintains its own revenue, expenses, debt service and reserve.
Maintenance & Upkeep = $915K, UPD Services = $1,360K, Debt Service = $2,361K

More attention and efforts are being directed to development and wellness programs. We also are looking to provide the necessary tools and process training for employees to work efficiently thereby reducing any redundancies or unnecessary steps. (An example of this: participating in UCSD's Process Palooza and gaining access to and certification in Lean Six Sigma. UP is in conversation to host one of these events on campus next year.)
Approximately 90% of our employees are represented by a union.  Unfortunately Union CBA’s do not recognize regional pay differences in California.  
The Deloitte work we discussed at the September 2024 Town Hall meeting looks to address workload and redundancies/inefficiencies.  

All positions and roles are being reviewed.

At this time, there remains a hiring slowdown, meaning that all requests to recruit must be approved by both the Vice-President and the President. 

There are no plans for layoffs at this time.

There are no plans for layoffs at this time. 
Furloughs are a Chancellor Office decision (system-wide) and not being currently considered
We do not foresee utilizing retirement incentives

All employees are affected by the budget issues. MPPs and Confidentials receive the same % increase as represented faculty and staff. This year, that is 5%

Retention of employees is important. We need to support our employees, ensuring that we have efficient processes so that any unnecessary steps in a process are eliminated thereby saving time and cost of the amazing work we do at SJSU. That is why we are investing more now in building a strong process infrastructure that provides appropriate training to employees on efficient work processes, provide common understanding of how we approach and perform our work and develop streamlined processes to reduce waste and establish efficiencies. We believe this will reduce the burden on everyone setting us up for a strong future with a balanced budget and a process structure that supports our mission with limited strain to our employees.
Turnover rates are up from pre-Covid years.  However our turnover has not changed significantly over the past four years.  That said, retention is almost always better than having to re-hire.
Pre-COVID we were annually turning over 12% of our employees, Since 2020, we are averaging 17% annually.

We need to continue to include professional development opportunities for all our employees.

We do approve funding for “revenue-generating” areas.  Spartan Village on the Paseo was approved to staff up their operations as their 97% occupancy clearly paid for the resources, Academic Affairs is funded for their FTEs that over the CO target enrollment, these are two examples.

In the short term, the “relief” is minimal, as we just balanced the budget and have not started to increase our reserve levels.  We are also faced with potential challenges in 25/26.

The 23/24 Budget had a $14.8M base deficit.  This included no funding for salary increases, as at the time of the budget submission, union negotiations were still in progress and did not fully resolve until February 2024.
The bridge shared at the March 2024 Town Hall showed the main drivers:
-$20.8M – Retroactive Comp Increases (7/1/23) 
-$ 1.7M – Non-Res Enrollment Decline 
+$ 8.6M – Compact Funding from Chancellor’s Office
+$ 0.7M – CA Res Enrollment increase
The 23/24 Year-End Deficit was forecasted to be $26.7M in March (achieved)

SJSU is the 5th largest CSU campus by student population and the 2nd smallest at 90 acres.  
Other large CSU campuses have 2.5 to 10 times more land area than SJSU.  As a result of this land area constraint SJSU is intensely populated and scheduled leaving little time or space for large retrofits to reduce energy or water use.
FD&O is always working to reduce energy consumption through smarter operations. Retrofits or replacement of lighting or air conditioning equipment trigger building code requirements that result in much larger and more expensive projects for which there is no funding to complete and no spare space to do a construction project in an occupied building.  So in the interim, operational strategies are used to reduce energy use. Specifically, by scheduling the HVAC system operating hours to match the classroom schedule as closely as possible.  The next step in that process would require mobilization of multiple divisions to change operational procedures to reduce the number of buildings and spaces operating, this can have big impacts to the campus community, colleges, students and instruction.  An effort of this scale to save energy would require extensive engagement and consultation since these deep operational changes can make campus life more difficult.
In 2021, SJSU installed 1.5 Megawatts of solar capacity under a power purchase agreement.  This project installed solar on the rooftops that were best situated for solar in terms of the condition of the roofs and electricity purchasing factors.  The remaining on campus sites are more expensive for additional solar given our small land area footprint.  The typical University options to install more solar are not available to SJSU due to laws, regulations and our small land area.  SJSU is in the process of joining San Jose Clean Energy that will provide cost savings and 60% renewable energy for grid-purchased electricity.  Urban sustainability requires SJSU to take novel approaches given our constraints.

SJSU serves as informal parkland for the greater community in downtown San Jose so grass areas have significant value for both SJSU and the surrounding community.  
As I have said many times, SJSU is the largest park in San Jose!
SJSU and downtown San Jose sit on an alluvial plain where the underground aquifer meets the southern San Francisco Bay.  As a result, SJSU and Downtown San Jose have a very high water table that intrudes on all subsurface infrastructure and requires active systems to keep our basements and utilities dry and protected.  SJSU and every other building owner in downtown pumps large volumes of water out of their basements and subsurface infrastructure daily.  SJSU appreciates the concern about water use.  The reality is that SJSU sits in an area of noteworthy water abundance and reducing water use in an area of abundance does not result in less water scarcity in another watershed that isn't connected by CA's water infrastructure.  SJSU's approach to sustainability celebrates this place and the things that we have in abundance to increase the supply of the things that are scarce in our community.  

We have not had a work order submitted for this issue, so thank you for bringing this to our attention.  There is one stall in CCB with a stall lock that is not working, it is being fixed.

The CSU’s budget formula is based on three areas:

1. Growing enrollment,
2. Receiving the Governor’s 5% Compact annually and
3. Increasing Tuition 6%.  

If these all happen and our union partners agree to wage increases that align with these revenue growths, the CSU has a sustainable financial model.
SJSU has the ability, if all the above are obtained, to grow our enrollment above targets set by the Chancellor’s Office, thereby receiving additional funding support to grow key presidential priorities.

Some student services, such as those related to basic needs and healthcare, have unique funding sources that are not directly affected by the current budget cuts.  We anticipate broad access to those resources and services to remain.

Unfortunately we live in a region with some of the highest costs of living due to housing costs. However, SJSU has recently opened Spartan Village on the Paseo to increase campus housing options for our students. Specifically, there are 679 beds available, plus an additional 124 designated affordable spaces that are available at a reduced cost. Another way we are helping to bridge the financial needs of our students is through our SJSU Cares program. Through SJSU Cares our students can access:
Spartan Food Pantry;
Enroll in CalFresh for monthly cash supplements for use at grocery stores;
Emergency financial assistance;
Housing support;
Talk to a case manager.

The recent opening of Spartan Village on the Paseo expanded on-campus housing by 670 beds. Included in that are 124 beds that are specifically designated for low income students and are available at a reduced rate. Additionally, our SJSU Cares program provides access to our Spartan Food Pantry, enrollment in CalFresh for monthly cash supplements to be used for groceries; emergency financial assistance; housing support; and, case management. Financial aid and scholarships are also available for students. On average, SJSU undergraduates graduate with only $15,720 in student debt, which is less than half the average debt of California college graduates (AY2018-2019 data).

Please see the guide from the CSU System regarding which fees are mandatory versus voluntary.

The student success and cultural centers within Student Affairs remain a high priority for the division and SJSU.  Budget cuts have been minimized in these units but recent vacancies allows us to reconsider the organization and staffing issues.  A study has been conducted to analyze the work of these centers and benchmarking with other CSUs is also being conducted.  The centers will continue to provide excellent service to our students but strategic plans and assessments are being redesigned to identify the student success metrics and outcomes that we want to achieve.

The track and field complex is an off campus project at the County Fairgrounds. The primary funding came from the state of California with a $9,000,000 earmark. If the project runs over the allocated amount, other revenue sources would need to make up the difference. If this is the case, SJSU may need to embark on some philanthropy to assist the project.

We have had a significant structural deficit for a number of years and the administration has been well aware of the issues we face today for quite some time. The administration made the calculated decision, based in part on historical enrollment trends, to temporarily rely on one-time reserves for spending on the strategic plan in anticipation of enrollment growth that did not happen. Despite the permanent base budget reductions implemented this fall, we still have a $14.7 million structural deficit that we need to correct. There are three main reasons for this ongoing deficit: 1) Rising costs brought about by the pandemic and inflation and a rise in base salary and operations costs as well. 2) Enrollment did not meet our targets due in large part to the impact of the pandemic, which caused a decrease in our overall base budget. 3) We accelerated development and implementation of the Transformation 2030 plan, knowing it would greatly benefit the campus, faster than we were ready to support some areas financially, to the extent that we expanded our base budget by about $37M.

Additional funding for the Interdisciplinary Science Building (ISB) did come from General Fund reserves and therefore limits the amount of reserves we have available to bridge the deficit in this or any other year. No other facilities projects have used general fund money. Academic Affairs has experienced a much smaller relative percentage of reductions compared to other Divisions.

The CSU continues to lobby the State of California to increase the funding above the already-agreed-upon compact of 5% per year to allow for improved salaries and facilities at the CSU. In the 2023-24 fiscal year, the System was funded only at the 5% compact level. This is important because the majority of our campus funding (about $430M) comes from two sources - enrollment dollars distributed by the System at a set full-time equivalent student rate (FTES) and student tuition. Tuition revenue will increase following the vote by the CSU Board of Trustees (6% a year over the next five years). The CSU has also committed to a redistribution of base funding across the system to those campuses that exceed current CA resident enrollment targets. Therefore, we must continue to grow enrollment to improve our budget outlook. 

We appreciate the anxiety that this budget situation may be causing. We have no layoff plans at this time at SJSU. We are trying to balance the budget, instead, through attrition and organizational efforts. Our faculty and staff are critical, both to our students and to our ability as an institution to meet this challenging moment.

There will be no position cuts at this time. We have already made some budget reductions by eliminating long vacant positions across campus and anticipate that additional similar reductions will occur.

Furloughs are a Chancellor's Office decision, not a local one. With a structural deficit, we need to permanently reduce spending, not just for one year.

This is a manager/division decision. In some cases this makes sense for retention, salary savings, & work/life balance. Sometimes, this actually costs more money, if the two PT employees are used to replace one, and both the PT employees are receiving full benefits.

There is no correlation between the budget and the telecommute schedule.

A couple of points of clarity in this process. Bargained compensation is negotiated at the Chancellor’s Office for the 23 campuses, not locally. The state does not provide specific funding to the CSU campuses for salary increases. Every 1% increase in compensation equates to $3.7 million in additional spending. Until we know the level of compensation increases that will be bargained, we will not know the exact impact to our budget and what adjustments may need to be made to account for them.

Bargained compensation happens at the Chancellor's Office, not at individual campus locations. Several unions have recently agreed to terms, though not CFA or Teamsters. The terms of recent labor agreements include salary increases at approximately 5% a year. 

No. Dollars allocated by the State or donors to building projects must stay focused on those projects. Most new construction projects do not use General Fund money or reserves, with the exception of the Interdisciplinary Science Building (our first new academic building in over 30 years). 

Yes, every division participated in the base budget reductions this year.  We are also seeking ways to increase generated revenues to Athletics to offset state costs.  Generated revenues of approximately $10 million is the third component of the Athletics budget, which are used for student scholarships.

While Division I Athletics comes at a cost, SJSU has the lowest budget among Mountain West Conference schools, significantly lower than San Diego State and Fresno State, for example. For further comparison, Sac State and Cal Poly participate at the FCS level (a lower Division I) and spend very close to SJSU's budget. SJSU is maximizing its budget while competing at a high level.

Club Sports and the Provident Credit Union Event Center are operated and funded by the Student Union (auxiliary), not the General Fund.  

We had an increase in state-supported enrollment this year (239 FTES), but a decline in non-resident enrollment (FTES 200). These changes basically offset any new funding going to the Division of Academic Affairs this year. Additionally, overall enrollment is still far below its height in FY 18-19. Therefore, each college is evaluating its T/TT hiring recommendations and those are being evaluated for final approval in the Office of the Provost. The decision to authorize those hires are limited this year to key areas of hiring that (a) meet an enrollment demand in a highly impacted discipline; (b) have funding sources that are tied directly to a particular hire (e.g…hires tied to our campus goal to meet the needs of AB 1460) or have non-state sources (e.g., PaCE dollars) to support that hire; and (c) meets a key accreditation or other essential campus area that affects our ability to successfully deliver our curriculum. This means that there is a reduction in the overall number of T/TT hires this year relative to the last four years, in which SJSU has hired more T/TT faculty than any other campus in the CSU.

The RSCA Assigned Time program, as it is currently constituted, is funded this year. The program will be evaluated this year to determine if it can continue at the current scale or if it needs to be adjusted. Various strategies for maintaining the program will be presented to the campus for discussion. The goal is to preserve a robust RSCA long-term.

SJSU remains committed to student success and closing equity gaps. The University has made investments in the student support infrastructure through its distribution of state-support and SSETF dollars to fund investments in student success in Academic Affairs and Student Affairs. Additionally, ongoing investments, supported in part by external organizations such as Adobe, are supporting faculty success, retention, and professional development to strengthen pedagogical strategies that can help students succeed. Moreover, the Campus Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, known as CCDEI, is a standing Presidential committee that identifies equity gaps and offers recommendations on ways to address systemic historical inequities at SJSU. This organization will be maintained at an appropriate financial level to support this critical work. 

SJSU remains committed to its mission of social justice through an ongoing commitment to the work of CCDEI as well as critical investments in culture-centered student success units as well as areas such as Title IX. Moreover, SJSU’s social justice commitment remains strong in Basic Needs support, through the expansion of SJSU Cares program and offerings, as well as other critical social justice infrastructures in both Academic Affairs and Student Affairs. 

There was a recent replacement hire for the VP of Advancement, but no VP positions have been added for approximately five years.

OE&E (Operational Expense and Equipment) was recently reduced by about 10%. This includes contracts, IT, insurance, travel and is only 11% of the Campus General Fund.

Similar to all Divisions, the President's Office is also reducing spending.

A $5 million commitment from alumni Larry and Deirdre Solari in 2018 kicked off the efforts to build Spartan Athletics Center. The balance of the project was funded through a loan from the Tower Foundation, which will be paid back through sponsorship and naming rights agreements for the facility.

The work of the Division of R&I has yielded unprecedented growth in research activity and provided significant support to student entrepreneurs over the past four years. Extramural research and creative activity funding increased from a five-year average of $50M to nearly $65M in each of the last two years – a 30% increase in financial resources for faculty-led, student-engaged research. This growth continues with the first quarter of AY2023-24 bringing in the highest quarter ever in SJSU’s history for the total extramural research awards received of $30M. Moreover, the effective facilities and administration rate on extramural grants increased from 24.5% to 26.5% over the past four years.