A hello and a little about the CSU budget crisis......

Hey to the Students of Science and Technology!



Welcome to our blog. It's not really MY blog since the issues I will post on here affect all of you who are reading this. So, welcome, and I hope that I can bring to light new issues about our school. Please read, discuss, and be brave enough to ask questions!



So, lets start with one of the most pressing issues facing the School of Science and Technology as well as Sonoma State as a whole. Dun, dun, dun... Budget Cuts. So, as many of you may know, the CSU system is facing 15 billion dollars in budget cuts this fiscal year. This obviously puts quite a strain on Sonoma State.

I sat down with our dean, Dr.Saeid Rahimi, to discuss the issues facing our school in light of the deficit. So far, five out of nine of the faculty searches for sci-tech positions have been cancelled. This is in reaction to the fact that $482,000 has been cut from our school alone. In addition, low enrolled classes are the ones most likely to be looked at for termination in order to help with the money issues. Dean Rahimi assured me that all possible measures would be taken to preserve classes CRITICAL to graduation for particular majors. He also expressed that this budget cut is difficult due to the fact that fall courses must be designed now, without a full and accurate view of how the budget will be revised and completed in May.

In addition, any classes that must be cut are at the discretion of the department that administers them. So, the dean does not eliminate classes without departmental input. Make sure that you have an active dialogue with your individual department about classes that are important to you. And, if you are unhappy about budget cuts, get active about writing the governor and the state legislature. And VOTE!!!!! Only when we vote in mass do the powers that be take our voices and opinions seriously.

If you are interested in writing to the state legislature, contact me and we'll get something started!





Thanks guys for all of your time and thought!



PS) My name is Kaitlin. I am a biochemistry major and a junior. I am your student representative. I love to talk A LOT and am always open to having discussions about issues and brainstorming. Get to know me because I'd love to get to know you!

The Chancellor says, No fees....

So, more on budget cuts and other related fiscal issues....

I doubt many poeple heard of this, but in July of 2007, the Chancellor of the CSU system handed down a moritorium on ALL class fees. That means that if a class needs to supplement its budget to make the class effective, they can't. The issue is compounded by the fact that there is the 15 billion dollar budget cut. So what is a department like chemisty and biology to do when they need to buy expensive equipment and chemicals?? (restriction enzymes, anyone)?

I personally feel that this blanket moritorium should be lifted and that fees should be evaluated on a campus by campus and department basis. To me, this makes sense in terms the fiscal strain we are under. I feel that having a valid degree and access to technology is important enough that class fees are worth it to ensure that we get those things. I don't want class fees to be the only solution, but denying them completely is not the best policy when you're trying to keep a department in tact. That's my own opinion though. I wouldn't want paper labs in lieu of hands on experience. How about you? What do you think?

PS) more about me personally, I am all about the outdoors and dressed up nights out. Bit of a contrast there. I never really liked science until I took chemistry in High school and fell IN LOVE with it. I'll be applying to PhD programs in the fall, yay! I also love representing our school. Tell me more about you and give me your opinions on these issues! Thanks!!!!