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President Harrison meets with Governor Brown

Sacramento visit to advocate against more budget cuts

CSU Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison joined Chancellor Charles Reed and her fellow CSU presidents today in a meeting with Gov. Jerry Brown in Sacramento to discuss the state budget and its impact on higher education.

Like her counterparts, Harrison was accompanied at the meeting by a local business leader, Mary Ann Leffel, president of the Monterey County Business Council.

Harrison said she was encouraged by Brown's continued commitment to avoiding an "all-cuts" budget for fiscal year 2011-2012, which could mean a $1 billion reduction in funding for the CSU.

"The governor clearly understands how devastating an all-cuts budget would be to our universities and to the people of California," Harrison said. "We are all looking to the Legislature to fulfill its responsibilities and support the extension of needed revenue."

Brown's proposed budget contains a $500 million cut to the CSU, which would result in a deep $5.1 million funding cut to CSUMB. If necessary state taxes are not extended, an additional system-wide cut of up to $500 million would force the CSU to increase tuition up to an additional 32 percent and possibly close admissions for 2012.

Harrison said the debate over extending the taxes is more philosophical than financial – a fundamental choice about whether California should maintain its investment in such basic services as higher education and public safety.

"If we're not going to invest in these things, then we will have to deal with the ramifications," she said.

Leffel, who emphasized the role of higher education in preparing a workforce to meet local needs, said a decline in state support means that more qualified students will be shut out of the state's public universities.

"Educating fewer students will slow our economic recovery and ultimately lead to a smaller tax base,” she said.