Cal State Bakersfield is freezing spring enrollments after the state chancellor's office gave administrators lower growth targets than anticipated.

While the university can grow by about 220 full-time equivalent students this year, that's half of earlier projections. Now that summer and fall enrollments are already way up, spring applicants will be turned away.

Applications already turned in for the spring term will be processed.

Fall and winter enrollment is still open to state residents. No more applications for out-of-state residents and international students will be accepted for the next three terms.

Melissa Bentley, 20, a junior at CSUB's Antelope Valley campus, is already enrolled and safe from being turned away, but she said limiting enrollment will hurt prospective students.

"That's definitely unfair. What's the point in trying to continue your education, trying to better yourself. There is nowhere to go," Bentley said.

The decision to cut growth is disappointing, said CSUB Provost Jim George, but unavoidable given CSU Chancellor Charles Reed's directive to cut growth due to state budget cuts to the 23-campus CSU system.

The system is getting 13 percent less from the state for the 2003-04 academic year than it did in the last, George said. Some of that will be offset by about a 35 percent increase in tuition, but cuts will still be required and ultimately fewer students served.

"The system and really state government is changing the rules. They're saying don't grow, no longer serve all the students who are eligible," George said. "The consequences for education is that the promise that all will be welcome if they're qualified seems to be gone."

CSUB is one of six CSU campuses that won't be accepting any more spring applicants. Most will at least restrict enrollment. CSUB's spring quarter begins March 29.

A decision to allow spring applications later could happen, but it's not likely. Freshman applications are up 50 percent this year over last and summer and fall enrollment has already exceeded growth limits. Fall quarter traditionally has the largest student population.

Students with special circumstances, such as teachers needing one additional class to obtain or maintain their credentials, will be considered for spring admittance.

CSUB's Associate Vice President of Admissions Homer Montalvo said the university was originally projected to grow by 900 actual students, from about 7,600 to 8,500.

Growth targets are based not on actual head counts, but on full-time equivalent students.

CSUB originally planned to grow about 510 full-time equivalent students to 7,100. Recently administrators were told that number would be just 6,807. Schools that exceed their growth targets can be penalized financially in the following year's budget.

"We've always had a history of trying to provide access. ... This is the first time that we have had to take this kind of a step," Montalvo said. "We were one of the few (CSU campuses) that were allowed to grow as fast as we could. A lot of students used us as a backup. That won't be the case anymore."

Associated Students President Roger Eagleton, 21, blamed state politicians for limiting access by cutting the CSU system's budget.

"It's definitely a disappointment. It's unfortunate that because of the state's mismanagement of its fiscal situation that students will have to pay for it," Eagleton said.