CSU Issues Layoff Notice to Cal State LA Faculty
Dear Faculty,
We want to inform you that Cal State LA administration via the Chancellor’s Office (CO) has provided CFA-LA with an official notice to invoke their rights for layoffs on our campus, as outlined in their obligation in Article 38 of the collective bargaining agreement. As of today, CFA, Faculty Unit 3, is the only unit at Cal State LA to receive such notice. We are now the 8th campus in the CSU system to receive a layoff notice, including Sonoma, Channel Islands, Dominguez Hills, East Bay, Maritime Academy, Monterey Bay, and San Jose.
We have responded to the campus administration and the CO with a request for information that includes details on:
Any and all policies used for guidance and direction in considering layoff;
An explanation of dates and timelines intended for layoffs;
A list of all courses projected for the following academic year;
Campus-wide enrollment by headcounts and full-time equivalency (FTEs); and
Full budget transparency to justify layoffs.
Our CFA-LA chapter will not passively accept any decisions for layoffs. We intend to keep the campus administration and Chancellor’s Office compliant to their obligations to meet-and-confer to ensure transparency and accountability in their decision-making. These decisions must reflect the priorities of our campus community, not just administrative cost-cutting measures. But is anyone really surprised that administrators would start preparing for the layoff of faculty shortly after Chancellor Garcia announced her intention of turning the CSU into AI-U?
Our students deserve everything a higher education promises and more. Our communities, cities, counties, and states benefit from the critical thinkers we produce in a well-rounded liberal arts education. We, the faculty, provide access to education to historically marginalized communities who break barriers and bring new perspectives to their purpose in the world. This is the vision of Cal State LA we produce daily and remain faithful to, no matter how little support or credit we get from President Eanes or Chancellor Garcia.
Today’s email from Interim VP Claudio Lindow lacks important context. What was the impact of quarter-to-semester conversions in 2016 or of former President William A. Covino’s push toward the impaction of majors in 2019? Covino’s main rationale for imposing impaction was to align the number of students with the funding the campus receives. However, now that impaction has drastically reduced enrollment, the current Chancellor has decided to further reduce campus funding due to under-enrollment. This is at the same time that the CSU has announced a 2% increase in student enrollment from the previous year, so why are they still cutting?
Interim VP Lindow’s message also asserts that “State Underfunding” is the reason for the deficit, specifically in terms of employee compensation. He writes, “Though compensation increases are important for recognizing the value of our faculty and staff, the $25 million needed to cover compensation is a substantial financial impact” (Lindow Email, 2/26/25). However, when Chancellor Garcia agreed to the raises last year, she did so only if CSU had no reductions in state baseline funding in 2024, as the state provided the additional funding to the compact by 5%. The fact that we received our raises indicates that the state upheld its funding commitment. Rather than adjusting the funding allocation to adequately support the campuses in covering these raises, the Chancellor shifted the financial burden onto them. This decision has forced campuses to manage the increased compensation within their existing budgets, thereby exacerbating the financial strain already felt due to previous underfunding.
We are firm in our position that the Chancellor utilize funding from the CSU’s reserves and investments instead of balancing the years of budget mismanagement on the backs of staff and faculty. The CSU has billions in reserves!
We understand this news raises concerns, and we will continue to update you as we receive more information. Meanwhile, we need our member colleagues to strengthen their commitment and energy toward fighting these threats—not just because it will take us all as a collective to win, but also because: We are LA, and We ARE the CSU! Some immediate action items include:
Sign the petition against the proposed budget cuts and protect faculty jobs: https://forms.gle/R3su4Fc5A5deydr88
Get involved! Complete this Member Action form: https://forms.gle/BS5LazmhxPojE2s2A
Join the Speak-Out Rally on Wednesday, March 5th at 12:00 PM near the Golden Eagle. Wear red, and sign-up here: https://forms.gle/pfXWQAoFpqbmPscp7
We will remain vigilant, organized and ready to fight back against any attempt to undermine faculty job security and educational quality.
In Union,
CFA-LA Executive Board
