(KTLA-TV)
KTLA News
4:35 a.m. PDT, March 20, 2012
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) -- In another big blow for thousands of California students, officials with the Cal State University system say they will close admission to most of the state's campuses for the spring 2013 semester.

The Cal State Board of Trustees will discuss the plan at its bi-monthly meeting in Long Beach on Tuesday.

It's part of a cost-cutting strategy to reduce enrollment by 16,000 students next spring, Cal State officials said.


Most of the affected students will be transfers from community colleges.

The only exception will be about 500 students who are part of a graduation-track transfer program authorized by the state Legislature last year.

They will be allowed to transfer from community colleges to eight Cal State campuses: San Francisco, Cal State East Bay, Sonoma, Channel Islands, Chico, Fullerton, Los Angeles and San Bernardino.

Cal State officials also plan to put prospective students on a wait list for the 2013-14 school year, pending the outcome of a proposed tax measure, which hasn't yet qualified for the November ballot.

The measure would raise the sales tax by a quarter cent for four years.

Additionally, personal income taxes would go up for people making at least $250,000, depending on marital status and how much they earn.

The increases would be up to 3 percentage points and would expire after seven years.

State finance officials estimate the initiative would bring in $9 billion in its first year, and $7.1 billion each year thereafter.

If the tax measure fails, it would trigger an automatic cut of $100 million in funding for Cal State schools under a scenario from Gov. Jerry Brown.

That would mean about 20,000 to 25,000 students could be prevented from attending Cal State schools in 2103-14, a reduction of about 6 percent.

Funding to the Cal State system was already cut by $750 million this year.

The Cal State trustees have already increased tuition and fees for next fall to $7,017, not including room and board or books. No additional tuition increases are planned for the fall.

The news of enrollment cuts comes as the Cal State board considers raising the salaries of two campus presidents.

CSU East Bay President Leroy Morishita would receive a base salary of $303,660. CSU Fullerton President Mildred would receive a base salary of $324,500.

That's 10 percent more than their current salaries, and 10 percent more than their predecessors earned.

Ten percent is the maximum raise allowed under a new executive compensation policy the trustees approved in January.

The presidents also get a $12,000 car allowance and a $60,000 housing allowance.

Cal State officials say the higher salaries are necessary to attract and retain leaders.