Because of unprecedented student demand and decreased capacity as a result of state budget cuts, Cal State San Bernardino has declared campus-wide impaction for fall 2010.

The action, which is consistent with measures taken by a majority of the other CSU campuses, structures the way that CSUSB will lower its student enrollment for 2010-2011. The impaction is in response to severe state budget reductions.

In declaring campus-wide impaction for the first time in its history, Cal State San Bernardino will place applicants from outside of the defined local area on a waiting list. Those who meet requirements will be offered admission on a space-available basis.

All CSU-eligible applicants from high schools or community colleges located within CSUSB's defined local area will continue to be offered admission based on standard CSU system-wide admission requirements.

CSUSB's local area includes most school districts in San Bernardino County, and many in Riverside County, as well as all community colleges in the two-county area. Freshmen and community college transfers from outside the defined local area will be admitted based upon space availability and an eligibility index.

"Given the reduced funding, the university has been forced to scale back its class offerings and to reduce our enrollment, despite record numbers of applications," said Olivia Rosas, incoming interim associate vice president, enrollment services. "Students from high schools and community colleges within the defined local area will not be impacted at all, and most of those school districts that are outside of our local area will fall within the local area of another CSU campus."

CSUSB is required to lower its in-state student enrollment by more than 1,900 full-time-equivalent students for 2010-2011, which represents a near 13 percent reduction from 2008-2009. However, undergraduate applications for fall 2010 have increased dramatically over the previous year.

For the first time ever, Cal State San Bernardino closed applications to first-time freshmen shortly after the Oct. 1-Nov. 30 priority application period, but continued to accept applications on a waiting list-basis through mid-December. Students on the waiting list who qualify for admission will be accommodated should space become available.

In his proposed 2010-2011 California budget, Gov. Schwarzenegger pledged to restore $305 million taken last year from the 23-campus California State University system. University officials anticipate enrollment limitations will be lifted if the governor's proposed budget is approved.

The California State University system has experienced a $625 million cut in state funding over the past two years. To address a 25 percent reduction in state funding CSUSB has been forced to implement numerous measures, including enrollment cuts, student fee increases, employee furloughs, layoffs and a significant reduction in class offerings.

Students with additional questions about applying to CSUSB can contact the university's office of admissions and student recruitment at (909) 537-5188.

For more information, contact the CSUSB Office of Public Affairs at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.