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California State University (CSU) Faculty Demands That Newsom Cut Prison Budget

On June 29th, 2025 Governor Gavin Newsom signed the 2025 – 26 California State Budget. After months of negotiations and nonstop advocacy from members of the California Faculty Association (CFA) and fellow union siblings, state legislative leaders and the governor agreed to eliminate the proposed ongoing cuts to the CSU.

In a statement, CFA President Margarita Berta-Ávila urged the Governor and state legislative leaders to reallocate prison funding to higher education. While we are grateful that the Governor’s final budget proposal included a total elimination of the initial proposed cuts, we are disappointed that the Governor even considered cutting funding from the CSU, The People’s University. We understand that it was a difficult budget year and that there may be future budget years ahead. However, in order to mitigate future budget deficits, state leaders must rethink how to invest our taxpayer dollars in a way that is more aligned with the values of this state – and that is through the reallocation of prison funding toward higher education.” 

The California Faculty Association (CFA), the union representing nearly 29,000 CSU faculty and staff, is demanding that future cuts be made to the bloated prison budget instead of higher education. These demands come just a year after the nonpartisan and widely respected Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) recommended the closure of five California prisons in response to the rapidly declining prison population. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation estimates that the prison population will continue falling from the current 93,000 to under 84.000 over the next 5 years.1

The LAO estimates that the closure of five prisons will yield over $1 billion in savings to the state, more than offsetting the Governor’s recommended cuts to California’s higher education system.2, 3

By redirecting these funds from prisons to higher education, devastating faculty layoffs are averted, and student tuition raises are avoided. 

Budgets are statements of values, and for a state that proudly brags about being the fourth largest economy in the world, our funding allocations must represent a more equitable budget that aims to represent the values of millions of Californians,” said CFA President Margarita Berta-Avila.

Budgets are statements of values, and for a state that proudly brags about being the fourth largest economy in the world, our funding allocations must represent a more equitable budget that aims to represent the values of millions of Californians.”

CFA President Margarita Berta-Avila.

According to numerous studies by the San Francisco-based Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ), California has funded prisons at the expense of higher education since the prison boom began 40 years ago. According to CJCJ Executive Director, Daniel Macallair, the legislature decided back in the 1980s that prison building could be funded on the backs of California college students simply by raising tuition and redirecting money to the prisons. Since that time, legislators have never attempted to redress this imbalance for fear of upsetting the prison lobby.”

The endorsement of CFA marks the first time that a faculty union in California has demanded that the Governor and legislature reconsider their funding priorities on prison spending in favor of higher education.

According to a CFA spokesperson, the campaign will be a vigorous multi-year effort that will enlist the support of students and parents along with an array of statewide nonprofit and educational organizations.

The legislature decided back in the 1980s that prison building could be funded on the backs of California college students simply by raising tuition and redirecting money to the prisons. Since that time, legislators have never attempted to redress this imbalance for fear of upsetting the prison lobby.”

CJCJ Executive Director, Daniel Macallair

Resolution to Fund the CSUs by Defunding CA Prisons Endorsements

SFSU-CFA Executive Board — March 12, 2025
SFSU-CFA Department Representatives — March 13, 2025
CFA Immigration Task Force — March 19, 2025
CFA Counselors Committee — April 3, 2025
CFA LGBTQIA+ Caucus – April 8, 2025
CFA Disability Caucus – April 8, 2025
CFA Chicanx/​Latinx Caucus – April 9, 2025
CFA Black Caucus — April 9, 2025
CFA Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Caucus — April 9, 2025
Retired Faculty Committee — April 11, 2025
Retired Benefits Committee — April 11, 2025
CFA Political Action and Legislation Committee — April 11, 2025
Palestine, Arab, and Muslim Caucus — April 11, 2025
Womxn’s Caucus — April 11, 2025
Lecturers’ Council — April 11, 2025
Council of Presidents — April 11, 2025
Council for Racial and Social Justice — April 112025

Campaign Sign Up & Resources

Sign up to join our campaign here. 

You can also download a printable resource for our campaign, and read on for research we have compiled below. 

  • 1 https: //www.cdcr.ca.gov/research/wp-content/uploads/sites/174/2025/01/Fall-2024-Population-Projections-Publication-Final.pdfttps://lao.ca.gov/reports/2024/4852/CDCR-022224.pdf
  • 2 Governor Newsom has also proposed a $396 million cut to the University of California.
  • 3