Schwarzenegger budget cuts prompts university
to close applications

File photo by Luke Thomas

By Jason Bennert

January 17, 2008

San Jose State University announced Wednesday the deadline for freshman applications for the 2008-2009 school year has been moved up to February 1 because of the state's budget crisis.

In previous years, the university has accepted freshman applications until June 15. But because of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to cut almost $313 million from the California State University system budget, San Jose State officials have decided to limit the number of freshmen admitted to the school by shortening the application period, according to San Jose State University spokeswoman Pat Lopes Harris.

University officials were meeting today to determine exactly what San Jose State's share of the system wide budget cut would be. The university budget for the 2007-2008 academic year is approximately $521 million, according to Harris.

Another consequence of the budget cut is that San Jose State will now have a cap on the number of students they can admit. Traditionally, the university has found a spot for all students who meet the California State University system and San Jose State prerequisites.

That will not be the case for the upcoming year.

"We have been told that we...cannot exceed last year's number,'' Harris said.

San Jose State enrolled approximately 32,000 students during the fall 2007 semester, the largest number in its history, according to Harris.

The application deadline has also been moved up for transfer students. They will now have to apply by April 1 instead of June 15. In past years students with the appropriate grades were able to transfer from community colleges to San Jose State at any time, even if they had not completed their general education coursework. This will not be the case in 2008 2009.

"If a student could still be taking classes at a junior college we're going to have them do that,'' Harris said.

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