ROHNERT PARK, Calif. (KGO) -- In the North Bay, students and faculty at Sonoma State University rallied Thursday to protest deep cuts to academic and athletic programs, which was unveiled last week. The rally came ahead of the interim president's virtual town hall meeting addressing the situation.
Hundreds of Sonoma State students and faculty packed Seawolf Plaza Thursday to protest program cuts, due to a nearly $24 million budget deficit, according to university officials. The cuts are putting dozens of faculty members out of jobs, like professor Don Romesburg who wore his resume on his academic robe.
"We are losing four full-tenured professors who have almost 100 years of experience, teaching our students, serving our community we are devastated by the cuts," said Romesberg, chair of the Women's and Gender Studies program.
"I coached here for 36 years, and got fired by email," said men's soccer coach Marcus Ziemer.
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All athletic programs on campus have been eliminated, too.
"We're trying to save athletics, we're trying to save the university, we're trying to save faculty and staff," Ziemer said.
The rally happened minutes before a virtual town hall meeting with interim President Dr. Emily Cutrer. She did not get a warm welcome from those watching on a big screen. Cutrer read a statement from CSU's chancellor:
"This is an extraordinary painful moment for Sonoma State, we share your pain. But as painful as these actions are, they are necessary and we take them with heavy heart," said Cutrer.
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Cutrer says Sonoma State is facing decreased enrollment; the governor has ordered all CSU campuses to reduce their budgets.
Some students weren't buying it.
"I have to say, I'm appalled and disgusted by the actions of our president, you come to this community as a hired gun with little effort to get involved with campus community, yet make decisions effecting thousands," said one student.
The town hall meeting was originally scheduled to be in person, but got changed to Zoom earlier this week. Administrators thought too many people would show up and exceed capacity in the student center.
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"This over Zoom town hall meeting is cowardly, not taking accountability for people's livelihoods," said sophomore Aubrey Deuel.
Students and faculty signed an online petition demanding the university reverse its decision. Many say this story isn't over.
"We're going to keep fighting, get to the power sources and get this university back," said Ziemer.
University officials declined interview requests from ABC7 News.