BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — It’s officially back-to-school season at California State University, Bakersfield—but recent budget cuts have some wondering if students will have a harder time succeeding. I’m Madi Vollmer, and I spoke with the university president to learn more about this upcoming year.
At California State University, Bakersfield, students are back on campus and preparing for the new school year. With nearly 11,000 students, CSUB faces financial challenges.
Vernon B. Harper Jr. is the President, at CSUB and he says, “Students take their classes in a division called Academic Affairs, and we try everything we can to protect that from any severe budget cuts—as well as their advising, their tutoring, all the things that are student-facing, we make sure we protect. Things that I would characterize as ‘back of the house’ are what we look at in order to reduce.”
Some programs, like the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), the Magic Center, and Student Disability Services, have faced cuts. President Harper says most of these reductions come from federal funding, and the university itself has not made significant institutional cuts to these services.
However, some of the cuts did include faculty positions, leaving fewer staff than last year.
Kimberly Garcia is a Sophomore at CSUB and she says, “One of my professors last semester told us that it was going to be her last semester teaching… it was one of my pre-recs, but I finished it, so it’s all good.”
With less staff, that means more students per class. President Harper says that with enrollment up, it also presents an opportunity to bring more lecturers back to the university.
“If a class were to increase, it won’t affect the instruction quality. We work very closely with faculty, and it’s actually the faculty and the department chair that determine that. President Harper said.
Harper says student success is his top priority, and he’s excited about the vibrant campus life students can expect this year.
The university says it remains committed to supporting students and providing the resources they need to succeed.
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