As of Wednesday Jan. 22, Sonoma State University has made the decision to cut their entire athletics program and 20 degree programs to compensate for their almost 24-million-dollar debt. Students were appalled by this unexpected news.
Incoming SSU soccer commit, Jariah Indalecio, was in disbelief when she initially heard what had happened.
“When I first found out, I was in complete denial,” Indalecio said. “I literally thought that it was a joke until my friend called me. I
knew they were somewhat limited on their money, but I never expected this to happen.”
There will be several minors being excluded next year as well such as Art History, Philosophy, Women and Gender Studies, languages such as French and Spanish and more. Along with these cuts, dozens of teachers and staff will be laid off as well.
Incoming collegiate athlete, Brooklyn Vanderlipe shared that she was not only shocked with the news but also upset for those who were nearly done with the recruiting process.
“I would never have expected it to happen. I know how hard it is to find the right school for you, so for the incoming freshman to have to go through that whole process again will definitely be a lot.” Vanderlipe said.
The main cause of this serious debt was determined to be low enrollment. Since 2015, the enrollment rate has gone down by 38%.
Due to the decline in university and college funding, the amount that these schools must borrow to pay for new buildings and more has skyrocketed. Debt can be quickly racked up if enrollment drops and that was the case for this university.
Previous Sonoma State soccer athlete, Ashley Hallen encourages the affected student athletes to keep their heads high during this time.
“If you love the sport enough, continue to play. Try not to let this unfortunate situation get to you too bad and keep the love of your sport alive.” Hallen said.
The most recent studies reveal that the CSU system carries a total debt of around $7.2 billion dollars, while the UC system is said to have a staggering $25.2 billion in debt.
Although people are trying to stay positive during this time, this might just be the beginning as multiple colleges may be finding themselves in similar situations.
