SFSU Budget Cuts Ignite Campus Protests, Threaten Transfer Pathways
Protesters called for increased public funding and defended academic freedom, emphasizing that the fate of City College students is closely tied to the health of the CSU system
By Tabari Morris
Hundreds of San Francisco State University students and faculty marched throughout campus to City Hall in recent days to demonstrate in opposition to drastic budget cuts in the California State University system and demand an increase in funds for public higher education.
Their grievance: that the cuts harm not just San Francisco State but also threaten California's overall future in public higher education, including City College of San Francisco students planning to transfer to CSU campuses.
“I feel outraged. I have never felt more disrespected as a student in three years. This university has been treating me and people whom I care about like we're a liability, whether it's a 35% increase in tuition, eliminating sports teams, or laying off scores of lecturers year after year.”
City College Transfer Pathways at Risk
The proposed $375 million cut to the CSU system — nearly 8% — would have ripple effects across the state's education pipeline. City College students would have fewer admissions to CSU campuses, fewer courses available, and longer degree completion times after transfer. “Anything that might hinder the process of community college students as they continue their education is a concern for us,” said Alex Breitler, Director of Marketing and Communications at Delta College, echoing concerns felt at City College.
Faculty and students at SFSU warn that these cuts are already making it harder to graduate on time. Courses required for graduation are being eliminated or offered less frequently, and class sizes are swelling. One SFSU student stated their graduation was delayed because of cuts to summer courses, like their senior seminar.
These delays can directly affect City College students who plan to transfer and finish their degrees in a timely manner.
A Warning for Community Colleges
SFSU has already let go of hundreds of lecturers, a move that not only impacts current students but also signals what could happen at the community college level if budget trends continue. “We’ve lost hundreds of professors already,” said Chris McCarthy, an astronomy professor at SFSU. “The impact on students is that the class sizes are much larger, students don’t get individual attention like they did before, and student fees have gone up.”
The majority of students at City College count on small classes and individualized assistance to succeed — particularly students from demographics that aren't well-represented. Losing teachers and staff damages support mechanisms that aid students to transfer and thrive.
Free Speech and Academic Freedom Under Threat
Protesters at SFSU also raised alarms about threats to free speech and academic freedom — issues that resonate at City College, where open dialogue and diverse perspectives are central to the college’s mission. “Campuses are supposed to be sanctuaries for free speech, regardless of views,” said Associate Professor Blanca Missé at SFSU. “And our goal here is to make sure that students in this campus, faculty and staff, feel free to speak their mind — they don’t feel retaliated or intimidated, and they can find the necessary solidarity to fight repression.”
Priorities Questioned
Protesters criticized CSU administrators for prioritizing management salaries and risky investments over classroom instruction. “These university leaders are not making cuts because they need to, they’re not making them because they think it’s necessary,” said Ali Noorzad, a student organizer. “They’re making them because they think they can continue to spend all of our money on management and investment accounts rather than the students and faculty that make this university work… We believe with every fiber of our being that this school belongs to us.”
For City College, which has faced its own budget challenges in recent years, the debate over how public funds are allocated is all too familiar. The fate of City College is tied to the health of the CSU system — when one suffers, so does the other.
What’s Next: Calls to Action
Organizers at SFSU and across the state are urging students, faculty, and community members — including those at City College — to contact their legislators and demand the restoration of funding for public higher education. With the state budget still being negotiated, there is still time for the voices of City College students and staff to be heard.
“Can we exist without students in this school?” a demonstrator called out to the crowd. The resounding answer — “No!” — rings just as true at City College.
Key Takeaways for City College:
- CSU budget cuts will directly impact City College students’ ability to transfer and graduate on time.
- Faculty layoffs and larger class sizes at CSU campuses foreshadow similar risks for community colleges.
- The fight for funding, academic freedom and student support is a shared struggle across California’s public higher education system.
- The outcome of this battle will shape the future not only for SFSU, but for every City College student aiming to continue their education in the CSU system.
