Cabrillo College is being forced to cut some 70 of its 1,394 classes and $4.5 million from its $89.3 million budget–5% of both–as a result of low attendance and state funding cuts.
The cuts came as a surprise this week when for the first time the college said it will not fill the vacancies left by nine retiring faculty members. This stems from the state’s funding formula that gives preference to schools with high numbers of degree-seeking students. Up to now, departments could keep the left-behind units, fill the vacancies and continue to teach the same number of classes.
The school joins many others facing declining enrollment and a budget for the 2025-26 school year that does not include a cost-of-living adjustment.
Those effects will be felt soon, says Cabrillo President Matt Wetstein said, adding the cuts will largely affect math and English courses—although other areas such as art will feel the sting, too. Next week, Cabrillo officials will begin considering how to cut $4.5 million from the college’s budget, Wetstein said.
“It’s hard to envision a budget without a cost of living adjustment for the most expensive place in the world to rent or buy a home,” Wetstein said. “That’s devastating for our students and our employees. That’s the kind of future we’re facing and trying to plan for.”
Part of the problem, Wetstein said, is that emergency funding sources that came to Cabrillo during the Covid-19 pandemic, and after the CZU fires, are ending. And while the college is applying for an extension on that, there is no guarantee it will come.
Also, the state’s Student-Centered Funding Formula gives more to colleges that serve low-income students and those working toward a degree or transfer to a four-year university.
That puts Cabrillo College—which has high numbers of older students taking single classes—at a financial disadvantage, Wetstein said.
“We’re in a situation with a budget deficit, and an uncertain funding level for the coming year,” he said. “In order to help balance the budget, there are faculty positions that are not getting replaced pretty much throughout the college in various departments.”
The college has 185 full-time faculty. But with declining enrollment, the college currently has more than is needed, and above the state-required minimum, said Cabrillo spokeswoman Kristin Fabos.
Last year, around 12,000 students were enrolled, compared to 2018 when that number was closer to 15,000.
Much of that loss came during the pandemic, and the college has been clawing its way back, increasing 4% every year since then.
But Wetstein does not envision a return to previous levels of enrollment any time soon.
The decline is caused in part by an exodus of residents to better economic climes.
Only about 200 of the 900 homes lost during the CZU fires have been rebuilt, Wetstein said.
A similar trend is also happening in Pajaro in the wake of the 2023 floods.
Wetstein fears “there is a lost amount of enrollment from the Pajaro flood that we’re never going to get back.”
It is not yet clear what specific classes will be cut. The department deans will soon have to make that determination, Wetstein said.
“I think it’s going to be a position-by-position determination on whether we do a rehire for a particular job,” he said.
Wetstein stressed that Cabrillo is still on a positive trend, an assertion evidenced by the Oct. 21 announcement by Smart Asset naming the school the best community college in the state, and 37th in the U.S.
“We do great work and I don’t want to lose that fact,” he said. “It’s often hard for faculty and staff to go through periods like this, and I don’t want people to lose sight of how great this institution is.”
we will get through this challenge. . and we are sorry we cannot replace 9 instructors. others that are retiring are being replaced. we are also sorry we could not offer a cost of living raise either. we know how expensive it is to live here. i did not ask for a raise; as a trustee, our work is pro bono. we work for free, folks.
but let us also look at our accomplishments: 1. the contract and money to build the dorm is in place. 2. SmartAsset journal named our college the best community college ( out of 115) in CA, and 37th out of hundreds across the USA. 3. and no, the name change has NOT been rescinded, and is on hold until about 2028. 4. The RTC wants to put a rail station right at the college on Soquel. this would provide a seamless way to get from other parts of the county to our Aptos campus. it is scheduled to be finished early in the next decade.
our college is actively recruiting new students from all over the community. that has not changed. but the name change nor the dorm caused the shortfall. those are SEPARATE funding sources and are not poured into one giant pot of money. if you thought that is how we handle financing the college, then you are blatantly uninformed. our college has gone through tougher times than this, and the quality of education at our college is superior. i have never been more proud of our faculty and staff for all that they do to make sure our students get a superior education. i am proud to be a trustee of Cabrillo college, or whatever the board approves as its future name, regardless. i look forward to 4 more years serving my constituents in district 7.