ÁùÉ«Íø

Dear Campus Community,

Last week, at the first of two budget briefings scheduled this spring, we shared information on the current state of the CSU budget and our proposed budgetary timeline. I want to thank Provost Terri Gomez, Interim VP Michelle Cardona and AVP Carol Lee for leading this briefing and for the collective leadership of the Cabinet in working to reduce our ongoing budget gap. 

I want to reiterate that while there are real challenges to overcome and funding shortages to manage, Cal Poly Pomona is in a stronger position than several other CSU institutions. We have been responsible in our budget and fiscal planning. We have made strategic investments in innovative academic programs and services that are attractive to students. And we have prioritized communicating with prospective students and their families about the benefits and opportunities that come with a Cal Poly Pomona education. These investments are having an impact, but we need to continue to work together to ensure ÁùÉ«Íø’s future vitality. 

For those who were unable to attend the briefing, please visit the financial transparency website to learn more about our processes and next steps. You can watch a recording of the presentation .

Key Takeaways

• ÁùÉ«Íø implemented a Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP) with 121* participants, reducing the deficit by $13.4 million, and received enrollment growth funding that will further reduce it by $4.6 million.
  • These efforts have lowered the $38 million deficit to $19 million, though additional strategies are still needed to close the remaining budget gap.
    
    
• CSU systemwide enrollment challenges continue to put pressure on ÁùÉ«Íø to over-enroll without full state funding.
  • ÁùÉ«Íø, along with nine other campuses, has been asked to overenroll to help stabilize enrollment declines across the system.
  • While our campus plays an important role as part of the larger CSU system, there is a limit to how many students we can admit and serve with the resources of our current infrastructure.
• There are still many unknowns that could change the size of our budget gap, including the Governor’s May Revision of the state budget and our final enrollment numbers for Fall 2025.
  • Due to unexpected costs across the state, including recent wildfire relief, and the substantial statewide budget shortfall, the system’s budget could be cut in May beyond the 8% from the Governor’s January proposal.
  • Continued strong enrollment is essential to our campus’ health and position within the CSU.

I understand how challenging this time is and how uncertainty affects our community. Please know that I am committed to keeping you updated and to the success of our students.

Please join us for a follow-up  for the next budget briefing.

Sincerely, 
Soraya M. Coley, Ph.D. 
President

* Updated from 122 to 121 participants as of 4/18/2025