Cal State Schools Planning Quick Downsizing

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Two years ago, San Jose State University was working hard to increase enrollments. Last spring no transfers were allowed. Next year's incoming freshman class will be reduced by 2,500 students, even though applications were up this year by 48 percent. Systemwide, 40,000 student seats will be gone in 2010-11. Chancellor Charles Reed says "we cannot educate more students with $546M less money." SCUP conferences for the next few years will be loaded with planners sharing how they made all of the program changes needed to effectively handle a shrinking student body.

SJSU says it will handle the surge in demand by becoming more selective, raising admission standards for entry into high-demand, or "impacted," majors. This is a more nuanced approach than last year, when any qualified California student who applied before Nov. 20 was accepted, but those who applied between Nov. 20 and 30 were accepted or wait-listed, based on where they lived. That policy triggered a barrage of angry phone calls to the SJSU admission office.