
In the throes of a deepening financial crisis, Sonoma State University has declared its intent to eliminate Division II athletics and shutter numerous academic departments, confronting a nearly $24 million budget shortfall. A campus-wide email from Interim University President Emily Cutrer, which was shared on Sonoma State's official budget page, detailed the bleak fiscal landscape and the drastic measures being taken, including the non-renewal of contracts for 46 faculty members for the coming academic year and the culling of staff and management positions.
To bridge this gap, the university's enrollment has suffered a steep 38% decrease since its zenith in 2015, a primary driver of their fiscal woes. Consequently, an array of programs are lined up for termination, ranging from Art History to Women and Gender Studies, as observed in the email above. Athletics also took a hit with a decision to cut the NCAA Division II programs, although student athletes opting to stay on campus will maintain their scholarship eligibility.
In response to the unfolding narrative, various members of the Sonoma State community have expressed a mixture of shock and determination. Melissa Shilkoff, a junior majoring in acting, was blindsided by the news that her program faced elimination. "I honestly was speechless. I was very confused, and then I was angry," Shilkoff recounted in an interview with CBS News San Francisco. Shilkoff and others are mobilizing to raise awareness, imploring the Sonoma community to recognize the importance of the now-endangered departments.
The retrenchments progress even as faculty like Scott Horstein, who has served more than 15 years in the Theatre Arts and Dance Department, find themselves in professional limbo. "I mean, I've spent you know, my professional life as an educator and as an artist. It's hard to imagine not doing those things," Horstein told CBS News San Francisco. With students and union representatives, Horstein is looking to actively resist the cuts, determined to safeguard the department's future.
While acknowledging the severity of these decisions, the university leadership insists the reductions are central to establishing institutional viability and realigning with the California State University's (CSU) mission. "I know this is difficult news for our campus community. I am keenly aware of its human impact, and how individuals, families, relationships, and communities are affected by such news," Cutrer said, as per CBS News San Francisco. A town hall scheduled for January 30 at 1:30 p.m. in the Student Center ballrooms will offer a forum for further financial strategy discussion.