Facing a $24 million deficit, Sonoma State University has announced plans to eliminate six academic departments, lay off dozens of faculty and end intercollegiate athletics. Sonoma State officials say the university was forced to act due to a nearly 40 percent dip in enrollment and a decline in state funding, at a time when costs to run the university are on the rise. But many students and faculty members say they were blindsided by the cuts and are calling on officials to reconsider. We’ll check in with SSU’s interim president and others in the campus community.
What Sonoma State’s Massive Budget Cuts Mean for the University’s Future
From left, students Morgan Johnson, Ronnie Washburn and Kirsten Vandersoek attend a rally and virtual town hall at Sonoma State’s Seawolf Plaza, to protest against the school’s budget cuts, in Rohnert Park on Jan 30, 2025. (Gina Castro/KQED)
Guests:
Emma Williams, sophomore, dance and history major, Sonoma State University
Marisa Endicott, reporter, Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Don Romesburg, chair of Department of Women's and Gender Studies, Sonoma State University; author, "Contested Curriculum: LGBTQ History Goes to School, out in April" from Rutgers University Press.
Emily Cutrer, interim president, Sonoma State University
Taylor Hodges, sophomore, communications major, Sonoma State University; member of SSU's soccer team
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Show Highlights
Facing a $24 million budget deficit, Sonoma State University plans to eliminate six academic departments, lay off dozens of faculty members, and end its intercollegiate athletics program—a decision sparking outrage among students, faculty, and the broader community.
Sonoma State’s Cuts Are Coming—Who Takes the Hit?
Interim President Emily Cutrer outlines the dire financial situation: “We have a $24 million deficit. We’ve used nearly all of our reserve funds for one-time expenses to cover our debt.” A 40% drop in enrollment, coupled with an 8% reduction in state funding, have deepened the crisis.
Proposed cuts include 47 faculty and lecturer positions, non-renewal of 60 additional roles, layoffs of 36 coaches and staff, the elimination of 11 NCAA teams, and the closure of six departments. Cutrer maintains, “Our primary goal is to minimize harm to students.”
Faculty and Student Perspectives on Program Eliminations
The cuts have sparked intense backlash. Don Romesburg, chair of the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, expressed shock and frustration at losing his position after 20 years: “The process seems clumsy and ignorant of the larger social costs.”
Students like Emma Williams, a dance and history major, are left in limbo: “My future just imploded. What am I gonna do? What are my peers and teachers gonna do?”
What’s Behind Sonoma State’s Enrollment Decline?
President Cutrer admits the university fails to effectively recruit students: “We relied on our former waitlist instead of proactive recruitment. We’re now implementing steps to attract students, but it takes time.”
Reporter Marisa Endicott from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat adds that North Bay fires, high living costs, and the campus’s rural setting have compounded enrollment challenges.
Saving Sonoma State: How to Boost Enrollment and Bounce Back
Cutrer envisions a revitalized campus: “I’d prefer to add programs, not cut them, and create offerings that attract a broader range of students.”
She stresses the need for marketing and career pathways: “We’ve had no marketing. A new grant will help develop one, but we must also focus on building career pathways for students.”
According to Endicott, the CSU system faces approximately $6 million in budget cuts from the state, with SSU experiencing some of the steepest and earliest reductions.
Hope remains if charitable donations increase or, better, if state funding is reinstated. “If we can recover that $6.02 million from the state, we can begin a deliberate process to restore parts of our budget,” Cutrer says.
This content was edited by the Forum production team but was generated with the help of AI.