The Division of Student Affairs has announced an initial wave of position reductions, and operational and student service program cuts, effective July 1. The cuts are necessitated by the 22.3 percent general fund budget reduction in 2009-10 compounded by the continuing economic stress throughout California. The affected programs include men's and women's intercollegiate tennis, CalWorks, the Visitor Center and the National Student Exchange.

"The meetings with the students and program leaders have been some of the most difficult in my career," said Dr. Doug Freer, vice president for Student Affairs. "They have done everything we expected of them and are clearly making a fundamental difference in the lives of students. But this is the reality of the situation we're facing."

This initial wave of cuts represents more than $740,000 of the expected $3.2 million in total reductions for Student Affairs. The preliminary breakdown of this first wave of cuts includes:

There are no layoffs of permanently funded employees in this initial reduction. A brief description of the affected programs:

• Intercollegiate Tennis - Arguably one of the premier Division II tennis programs in Southern California, men's and women's tennis will discontinue competition at the end of the current season. Affected student-athletes will receive their scholarships for the 2010-11 academic year, should they choose to remain at Cal Poly Pomona. Those who wish to seek opportunities to play competitive tennis elsewhere have already been granted waivers so they can communicate with other schools. Salaried coaches will remain on staff until the completion of their contracts in June.
• CalWorks - The CalWorks Office, located in the University Plaza, will close. This office serves as a vital link for student-parents seeking to move out of the welfare system through the pursuit of a college degree. The CalWorks office provides a range of services, including being that vital link with county social workers, providing enrollment confirmations so students continuously receive benefits for themselves and their families, and serving as a vital central resource for students to connect and exchange information with peers facing similar challenges. To compensate for this decision, enrollment verifications will be provided at the Registrar's Office. The Office of Student Life and Cultural Centers will form and advise a CalWorks chartered club to give participating students the opportunity to remain closely connected.
• Visitor Center - The Visitor & Information Center, located in the Bronco Student Center, will close. Campus tours will be restricted to prospective students after July 1 through the Office of Admissions & Outreach. The Visitor Center has also provided a range of tours that will be discontinued, including those for VIPs, and prospective and newly hired employees.
• National Student Exchange (NSE) - This program offers students an affordable and practical exchange experience, with more than 200 participating campuses in the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The program will continue to seek placements for students who have already registered for 2010-11 but will discontinue campus operations as soon as the current class of NSE participants is selected.

In addition to these cuts, nearly 50 student assistant positions will be eliminated. "Even with these significant cuts, unless something significant changes, we have a long way to go to reach such a steep reduction requirement," Freer said. "From here, additional cuts will sadly have to be primarily realized through careful review of workforce reduction options."