ROHNERT PARK, Calif. (KGO) -- Sonoma State University announced sweeping budget cuts Wednesday that include the discontinuation of several academic departments and majors, elimination of its intercollegiate athletics programs, and laying off dozens of faculty members.
University interim president Emily Cutrer announced the news in a statement to the campus community Wednesday morning, saying the changes are necessary for addressing the school's $23.9 million budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year.
"I know this is difficult news for our campus community. I am keenly aware of its human impact, and how individuals, families, relationships, and communities are affected by such news," she said in the statement. "I understand that no amount of explanation or necessity makes any of us feel better."
Cutrer said the main reason for the deficit was decreasing enrollment at Sonoma State, which has dropped 38% since 2015. She said rising costs of personnel and inflation were also contributing factors.
Sonoma State will not renew contracts for 46 faculty members - both tenured and adjunct - for the upcoming school year. In addition, four management and 12 staff positions will also be eliminated and Cutrer said several more lecturers will get a notice that "no work will be available" in fall 2025.
The university in Rohnert Park is an NCAA Division II school, and all athletic programs are getting cut. Cutrer said any student athletes who choose to stay at SSU will remain eligible to continue receiving their scholarships, "as long as they meet the current terms of the scholarship."
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Vinny Lencioni, a junior catcher on Sonoma State's baseball team, told ABC7 News he was shocked to wake up to the news Wednesday morning.
"One of the big reasons I am here is for athletics and baseball. If I wasn't playing baseball, perhaps I may have chosen a different university, but I never really would have known that," he said. "I am planning on looking at the opportunities and options I have to play baseball at another university."
A senior softball player at Sonoma State, Amari Houston says her coach sat her and her teammates down and made the announcement at practice Wednesday. She'll get to play her senior year but her younger teammates won't.
"We had absolutely no heads up at all that this was even a possibility. We had an athletic meeting with our president and the head of student affairs where we had an opportunity to ask questions and many questions were asked, but none were actually answered," said Houston.
"Would you have gone to school there if they didn't have an athletic program?" asked ABC 7 News reporter J.R. Stone.
"Absolutely not," responded Houston.
Some of the degrees getting eliminated include art history, dance and theatre arts, philosophy, women and gender studies, philosophy and languages like French and Spanish. The university will be shutting down the following academic departments: art history, economics, geology, philosophy, theatre/dance; and women and gender studies.
"We strongly believe these changes are needed, not only to close the deficit, but also to reorient the university's operations and workforce," Cutrer said. "They will help us ensure long-term fiscal stability; meet the changing needs of future generations of students; align with the CSU's career-focused mission of producing graduates ready to contribute to California's economy, culture, and schools; and continue to be a major force for economic, environmental, and social progress in the North Bay and beyond."
Student Sascha Adadis says his environmental studies major is being eliminated and he'll likely be transferring, just like many athletes.
"There's no point staying at a ghost town you know. If there is no programs, no school spirit, and no anything to incentivize us to stay here at SSU, what's the point of staying you know?" asked Adadis.
"Our school spirit is completely gone. Our sports teams were really the only community building on campus and it's completely gone now," said Leah Bostic who attends Sonoma State.
"Really sad day for the Seawolves," said baseball player Gabe Tapia.
The full statement can be found here.
There will be a Jan. 30 town hall meeting at 1:30 p.m. to discuss the cuts at the Student Center ballrooms at Sonoma State.