Campus leaders discuss priorities, budget realities, and plans to navigate shortfall.
By Camila Chavarria, Co-Managing Editor
CSUDH last month released the findings of the Huron Report, which outlined recommendations for how university officials can address the ongoing budget shortfall. On Sept. 24, the conversation continued with a town hall presentation from the Committee for Reimagining the Future.
Hosted by Justin Gammage, interim vice president for information technology, the presentation outlined the university’s priorities moving forward. These include leveraging artificial intelligence to support faculty, improving students’ learning and technological literacy, and leading a campuswide effort to revise the curriculum.
Gammage was joined by Academic Senate Chair Terry McGlynn, Undergraduate Studies Dean Kim Costino, and philosophy professor Sheela Pawar who were all committee members.
The findings of the Huron Report, released Sept. 8, followed a months-long data analysis of the university’s operations and degree programs. As part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised plan to address a $12 billion state deficit, the 23-campus California State University system absorbed an additional $143.8 million base reduction for the 2025–26 school year—about 3% of its state funding.
At CSUDH, the latest reduction compounds an existing $12 million cut to the operating budget.
As part of its analysis, Huron evaluated 49 undergraduate majors by student demand, regional market size, CSUDH’s market share and labor market growth. Programs such as psychology, computer science, and nursing ranked highest in market alignment, reflecting strong enrollment and job prospects. Others scored lower—including history, biochemistry, and some ethnic studies programs.
Huron cautioned against evaluating solely on market demand when decisions about reorganization or consolidation are considered.
The report is one part of a broader effort to streamline campus operations, Gammage said during the town hall. He acknowledged concerns about declining enrollment and reduced state support but noted that the university has, at times, relied on over-enrollment to help fund campus activities.
“We used some of those over-enrolled dollars to be able to fund some of the activities that were happening on our campus whether it was instruction—or other activities that enhanced what was going on in the classroom,” he said.
He said the campus has expanded through strategic partnerships with community and government agencies, and that the reimagining process aims to ensure the university continues to grow and remain resilient in its mission.
Pawar, a former committee member, said the group was tasked with reviewing the university’s programs and organizational structure. The committee engaged with Huron, she said, but not much.
“We met with them and they showed us a slide presentation of their report at the end of our meetings, but that was about all we really interacted with them,” Pawar said.
Pawar said the committee held several discussions about the future of academics at a university whose mission is rooted in social justice.
“We talked about the possibility of splitting degree programs across other campuses,” Pawar told town hall attendees. “We noted that the impact upon students would have to be carefully considered—including things like time of travel from different institutions, and the need for both faculty and students to navigate multiple institutions, regulations, infrastructure, and culture.”
During a Q&A after the presentation, Gammage said the Huron Report and the committee were not in competition with each other.
“These are recommendations for us to consider as a campus community as the next step for us is developing a process to be able to move the campus forward,” he explained, adding that future discussions will be vital to the university’s well being.
“This process is designed to inform and guide the university’s evolution,” Gammage said. “Ensuring that CSUDH continues to meet the needs of its diverse community and remains responsive to the dynamic landscape of higher education.”