In its preliminary budget, the Cal State trustees are asking the governor for a $250-million increase for its 2014-2015 academic year. Governor Brown's preliminary budget gives CSU $2.471 billion, an increase of $142 million.
The trustees want the extra money to be able to add 1,000 classes and 20,000 students to the 23-campus system.
"We weren't able to fund as much enrollment in this last budget as we needed to, and as a 0result we're turning away over 20,000 CSU-eligible applicants a year," said Robert Turnage, CSU assistant vice chancellor for budget.
The governor told the trustees that if they want more money than the $142-million increase he's proposing, they'll have to lobby hard in Sacramento for it.
"They can ask, but the state has all these other demands," said Brown. "Prisons, health care, environment, K through 12."
Whatever the budget increase the trustees and governor finally agree on, tuition will not go up.
The CSU trustees are expected to have a final budget proposal to approve at their next meeting in November. That budget will be submitted to the governor for his approval.
