TO: Campus Community
FR: Emily F. Cutrer, Interim President
Tuesday’s budget announcement from Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire included extremely good news for Sonoma State University.
Although nothing is official until the governor formally signs the budget, under the “Sonoma State Commitment” crafted by Senate Pro Tem McGuire and fellow North Bay legislators, SSU is expected to receive – in one-time funds over a three-year time frame – $27 million to build out capacity in the nursing program, merge the environmental sciences and geology departments, develop data science and AI-related programs, and fully develop and expand the University Career Center, all key components of our Bridge to the Future.
The budget also will include one-time discretionary funding ($9 million) to SSU for academic programs and student recruitment, as well as one-time funds ($8 million) to explore institutional athletics opportunities over the next three years.
Given the recent nature of our good news, no decisions have been made regarding how the discretionary funding for academic programming will be spent. Fortunately, the University’s Budget Advisory Committee (UBAC) did a great deal of hard work over the spring to make recommendations for how such funds might be used. Those recommendations, along with consultation with external stakeholders requested by Senator McGuire, will inform how the $9 million in discretionary funding will be used over three years.
NCAA athletics will not be reinstated for the 2025-26 academic year. The $8 million in discretionary funding will help support strategic engagement on long-term funding solutions for SSU athletics. As I’ve discussed with the Senator, I will work with Vice President Gerald Jones, to whom Athletics reports, to establish a working group composed of a wide range of constituencies to make recommendations regarding the future direction of student athletics. Its report will be due no later than January 2026.
With this wonderful news as a backdrop, I do wish to caution that these unexpected and greatly appreciated funds are one-time in nature rather than ongoing. There is no current provision for ongoing funding after the one-time funds are used. As a result, I do not anticipate at this time making any restorations that require base funding,
Additionally, the CSU and UC systems are expected to be cut 3% in their 2025-26 budgets, as opposed to the originally proposed 8% cut, which will improve Sonoma State’s base funding outlook by about $2-$3 million. A decision on how to utilize Sonoma State’s general fund allocation will be made in the coming weeks and in conjunction with the university’s overall budget, enrollment revenue, UBAC recommendations, and the Bridge to the Future plan.
Sonoma State’s annual budget going forward will still rely on increased enrollment and carefully managed expenditures to truly thrive and be sustainable. While yesterday’s news will be an enormous help in this regard, our plans must be informed by a sound fiscal approach that strengthens institutional stability and long-term sustainability.
I sincerely thank Pro Tem McGuire and North Bay legislators – Senator Cabaldon, Assembly members Connolly, Rogers, and Aguiar-Curry, and Congressman Thompson – for their commitment to Sonoma State University and for helping ensure that the university continues to educate and graduate high-caliber citizens who will improve life in this region and beyond. Sen. McGuire and our legislative partners truly understand the value of higher education to our region, and their vision and drive on behalf of SSU will help establish this beloved university as a cutting-edge institution in multiple areas in the coming years.