“President Morales proposes — and has already begun implementing — austerity measures that disproportionately impact faculty and students and that undermine our university’s mission”, says the open letter.
San Bernardino, CA — Faculty at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) are pushing back against what they call a “manufactured crisis” as the institution faces a systemwide budget shortfall that has triggered significant austerity measures. In an open letter, faculty leaders criticized CSUSB President Tomás Morales and California State University (CSU) administrators for mismanaging resources and long-term disinvestment in public education, arguing that these decisions are undermining the mission of the university.
CSUSB’s leadership has pointed to delayed state funding, inflation, and declining enrollments as drivers of the current budget woes, calling for “substantial cost-saving measures.” However, faculty say the real issue lies in the university’s financial choices, including administrative bloat and cash hoarding that has diverted resources away from core educational needs.
“The CSU has the money,” the letter states. “They’ve just chosen to invest in managers and investment portfolios rather than fulfill the CSU’s mission to provide quality, affordable, and accessible public higher education.”
The faculty letter, citing analysis by Eastern Michigan University accounting professor Dr. Howard Bunsis, claims the CSU has accumulated over $7.7 billion in cash and investments, with surpluses reaching $2.1 billion in 2022 alone. Despite these reserves, the Board of Trustees recently approved a 34% tuition increase over the next five years, a move faculty argue will place a CSU education out of reach for many Californians.
Faculty also criticized escalating administrative costs, noting that management positions and compensation have ballooned, including a $1 million salary for CSU Chancellor Mildred García. Meanwhile, austerity measures have slashed course offerings, increased class sizes, and reduced research support, disproportionately affecting faculty and students.
“By further hiking tuition and implementing austerity measures—while sitting on massive reserves—today’s CSU leadership is putting the nail in the coffin of the University’s public service mission,” the letter reads.
The faculty call for a reallocation of resources toward teaching, research, and student services, as well as greater transparency in university finances. They urge CSU administrators and state lawmakers to advocate for fully funded public higher education to fulfill the CSU’s promise as “the People’s University.”
“This is a fight for the soul of the CSU,” the letter concludes. “We must reclaim our mission and ensure that it remains a source of uplift for all Californians.”
