When Cal State Long Beach enrollment declines, so will funding for Associated Students Inc., according to Richard Haller, executive director of ASI.
Two-thirds of the student government budget is based on mandatory student fees. When students enroll at CSULB, they pay an ASI fee and a University Student Union fee to support student operations of ASI, Haller said.
These operations include student government, the recycling center, the Student Recreation and Wellness Center and the student union, among others.
"Let's say we lost 1,000 students," Haller said, referring to an enrollment decrease. "For ASI alone, not including the union and other operations, that would translate into $44,000 that [ASI] would lose."
Enrollment projections for spring 2012 were expected to rise by two percent. However, the CSU Board of Trustees announced an enrollment cut of 10,000 students last month, leaving specific cuts to campus presidents.
According to President F. King Alexander, CSULB is considering at least seven different budget scenarios, each of which would limit enrollment based on the CSU mandate.
"What I'm having to do is have a plan B," Haller said. "I based my budget for next year on that small [enrollment] increase [in the spring]. There were some budget cuts we were going to restore. So now I'm timing things so if I do hear enrollment is going to go down, then [ASI] just won't restore those budget cuts that have already been in place."
A Beach Pride coordinator, a full-time employee who oversees CSULB spirit programs, may have been hired after a two-year vacancy, but cuts would likely leave the position unfilled, Haller said.
"We were going to restore [the Beach Pride coordinator] for next year, but, if enrollment falls, we'll just leave it vacant," he said. "That's how we'll save money by not [filling] the position, and we should know by the end of summer."
Haller also added that ASI is not the only program directly affected by budget cuts. Any area of the campus that receives money from student fees, like the Student Health Services or housing, is going to be impacted.
Haller said it is always a possibility for student events and organizations to be cut. However, that is the last thing he wants.
"That's usually our last resort," Haller said. "We will cut things that don't directly affect students first. The last thing we want to do is reduce funding for student organizations and clubs."
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