Because of strict limits on how many students can enroll in the coming year in the wake of state budget cuts, Cal State Stanislaus has moved up application deadlines for the winter term and spring semester.

Deadline for the 2004 winter term is Tuesday, officials announced this week. Deadline for the spring semester is Sept. 12. Those deadlines are three months ahead of last year’s. Winter term classes start Jan. 5 and the spring semester begins Feb. 16.

"We have been directed to stay within enrollment limits, and we've had to make some hard decisions in coming up with these new application deadlines,” said Roger Pugh, assistant vice president for enrollment. “The university will make every effort to serve the students who are enrolled, and to keep them on target to graduate on time.”

State funding cuts have limited CSUS enrollment growth to 2 percent. Growth over the past several years was 6 percent annually.

To limit growth, university officials are admitting only applicants who meet admissions guidelines, adhering to maximum class-size requirements and canceling classes with low enrollment.

Freshmen, transfers and graduate students are being asked to get their applications filed as soon as possible. Rather than close the spring semester application deadline this month, university officials extended it to September to give prospective community college transfers returning to class in mid-August the chance to get their paperwork filed.

Application deadlines for the fall 2003 semester, which opens Sept. 4, had been moved up to May 31 for undergraduate students and June 30 for graduate students in anticipation of lowered enrollment growth allowances.

Students unable to apply for the winter term are advised to apply for the spring semester as soon as possible.

Students can file their applications online at www.csumentor.edu and check the status of their applications at 667-3152. To obtain an application, call 667-3070 or (800) 300-7420.