ARCATA -- It just keeps getting worse.

Humboldt State University's share of state budget cuts -- previously estimated at $8.1 million and $9.5 million -- is now $10.1 million, President Rollin Richmond announced at a Friday press conference.

That's out of the California State University system's budget reduction of $305 million, a figure which would itself be more than one-half billion dollars if CSU trustees had not recently voted to raise tuition and fees, Richmond said.

HSU cut $2.8 million from its 2002-2003 budget, making a total cut of $12.9 million over two years. That's 16 percent of the total budget.

"In my experience in higher education of more than 30 years, that's the worst reduction I've had to take," Richmond said.

Between 40 and 50 lecturers will not be rehired for fall semester. Since plans for fall semester are already under way, even more people may find themselves without a job when spring semester begins.

This means fewer class sections, at a time when HSU enrollment is higher than it's been in years. Richmond said HSU, known for its small faculty-to-student ratio, will have larger class sizes in the near future. Courses once offered regularly may now be offered every other year. Richmond said the university is committed to making sure students can take courses they need to graduate. But their schedules may not be as flexible, which may in turn affect students' ability to work at their jobs while taking classes, he said.

Non-teaching staff are also affected. Some janitors have lost their jobs, and the University Police Department isn't replacing one officer.

The university is the largest employer in Arcata and one of the largest in the county. Richmond said the $10.1 million cut to HSU will mean a loss of about $30 million in local economic activity.

"I certainly go out and spend my money in this community, as do my colleagues," he said.

All HSU employees, including Richmond, will be paid minimum wage starting mid-August if the state budget hasn't passed. Around 3,000 people work at HSU.

The university also is striving to decrease its utility costs, and will shut down as many facilities as possible during the break between semesters, Richmond said.

He said the 2004-2005 year is expected to be similarly tough. The university staff is trying to attract more grants and outside funds, he said -- but the positions he'd hoped to create toward this goal are now out of the question.

He said he worries about the state's long-term future.

"California has got to look at its governing structure and its taxing system," he said.

He said the current term limits system means legislators aren't there long enough to feel they need to compromise, and encourages redistricting that means legislators aren't held accountable for their decisions. He also mentioned Proposition 13, the state's 1978 property-tax reform initiative. Richmond said it was justified at the time by California's inappropriate tax structure, but it's made other changes to the taxing system nearly impossible.

"I'm not a politician (but) I think it's time people started talking about it, got the populace as a whole to think about it," he said.