A new deadline for most California State University applications will begin six months earlier than usual, on Feb. 1st and will affect up to 10,000 incoming freshmen.
The deadline change does not affect community college transfer students, only high school graduates coming into the CSU system as freshmen. CSUN, along with the 15 other CSU schools, made the deadline change due to a $312.9-million budget cut recently proposed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.”
“Of course our desire isn’t for less students to apply but at the same time we are facing reality,” said Paul Browning, a CSU spokesman. “It would be hard to cater to all of their needs with such a large cut it’s devastating.”
Although the budget is not yet finalized, CSU officials are taking control of the situation before it is too late.
“The final budget will not come out until July but we are getting ourselves prepared for the cut,” said Browning.
All of the 23 CSU campuses have changed their application due date from August to either Feb. 1 or March 1, depending on the particular school.
“Maybe universities think community college transfer students have a better chance at graduating than freshmen,” said Heather Hayes, a nursing student at Pierce College. “They make it less difficult for transfer students to get into the schools.”
The 16 campuses with a Feb. 1 deadline are Channel Islands, Chico, Fresno, Fullerton,Humboldt, Long Beach, Maritime, Northridge, Pomona, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, San Marcos, Sonoma and Stanislaus.
The seven campuses that have a March 1 application due date are Bakersfield, Dominguez Hills, East Bay, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, Sacramento and San Bernardino.
Several CSU campuses are already closed for new freshman applicants for the fall semester and won’t affect inquiring students until the following spring semester. These closed campuses include Humboldt, Long Beach, Pomona, San Diego and San Luis Obispo.
“Students who work on campus may be the first to be laid off because of the budget cut,” said Browning. “Eliminating courses and part-time faculty layoffs will also happen,” he said.
Private high schools have been informing seniors who are planning on applying to a CSU of the deadline change.
“I am going to CSUN in the fall and my counselor let me know months ago that I had to turn in my application in February,” said Kimberly Desbro, who is graduating from Chaminade High School in West Hills.
Public schools have also been telling students of the application date change.
“I knew I had to apply to San Luis Obispo by February 1 for a while now,” said Karen Floyd, who attends Granada Hills Charter High School.
Students as well as faculty will both be faced with significant changes in the CSU system.
“Unfortunately a lot of changes are being made because of the huge budget cut,” said Browning.