Before taking her official leave, CSUN President Jolene Koester implemented a 10-year plan proposed by the University Planning and Budget Group to help save the university from its fiscal challenges.
The CSU system has been hit with numerous state budget cuts during the past several years. In 2011, CSU lost $650 million in state aid and the system is bracing for a potential $100 million reduction in January if projected state revenues fall short.
The 10-year plan addresses the concerns of upcoming budget reductions by projecting the amount of tuition students have to pay, and by identifying potential solutions to problems such as revenue enhancements, cost savings and maximizing current sources, according to a study done by CSUN.
“I asked the administration and finance vice president to complete (the plan) before I left, and that is done,” Koester said. “It’s not a plan in the sense that it’s a dollars and cents plan, but it’s a plan in the sense of, what are the policy and practice areas related to revenue generation that the university community should educate themselves on?”
The cost of CSUN’s tuition is currently $5,472 for two semesters.
In 1981, it was $251 — 34.2 times less than what it is today, according to the study. It projects 2020 tuition to be $8,498, a 53.1 fold increase since 1981.
Koester said she hopes her successor will continue to pursue the plan to better CSUN for everyone.
Two key facets of the plan – revenue enhancements and cost savings – are the main ways CSUN plans to save money by being efficient through tough financial times.
Some ways CSUN plans to enhance its revenues are by exploring ways to promote advertisements through students and faculty, asking for more donor gifts, and revamping the tuition payment system to a three-tiered model instead of two.
CSUN also plans to save money by reducing health care costs, building lecture halls with bigger seating capacities and by strategically grouping classes in fewer buildings to save energy.
Koester said she asked Vice President of Student Affairs Tom McCarron to come up with the plan to spark conversation throughout the various campus groups about how they could brace CSUN for further budget slashes.
The plan kicked off with University Planning and Budget Group, but Associated Students, the senate executive committee and the educational resource committee of the senate are also going to review it, Koester said.
“I’m providing a framework, and it also means that the campus will have begun the conversation, which the new president can shape a little differently, choose to ignore if they want to, but it gives a new president an option that they might find really functional,” Koester said.
