11:00am | The California State Legislature early this morning approved a much-delayed budget that will include a $199 million increase in funding to the California State University system and its 23 campuses, including California State University Long Beach (CSULB). The funding increase is the first for the system since 2007 but still does not equal the amount that ha been budgeted for the system pre-Recession. Governor Schwarzenegger is expected to sign the budget as soon as it reaches his desk.

“We thank the Governor and the legislature for their commitment to reinvest in higher education, and appreciate the increase in state funding support for the CSU,” said CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed. “Like the rest California, the last two years have been extremely challenging for us, but our mission is to educate the future workforce of the state, and despite these ongoing challenges the CSU will continue to provide both access and service to students.”

The funding increases the CSU state funding from $2.35 billion to $2.62 billion after several years of massive cuts forced many schools in the system to raise student tuition, cut enrollment, cancel classes and institute furlough days. CSULB made great concessions in order to meet its reduced annual budget and canceled Spring enrollment – though it will be reinstalled this year. The recently-approved state budget also includes an extra $60.6 million for enrollment growth across the system. The CSU estimates it will be able to admit 30,000 new students with the new support. It will also receive $106 million in one-time Federal stimulus funds to restore classes that were cut in recent years.

The budget is far from perfect. Legislators debated through the night and into the morning to pass it, “…but not before stuffing their spending plan with last-minute favors for special interests,” reports the Los Angeles Times.