ARCATA -- It was a dark day at Humboldt State University on Friday, as HSU President Rollin Richmond announced a round of employee layoffs, effective on July 1.

Richmond said informing the employees of the layoffs was the hardest thing he's had to do in his 20 years of working in higher education administration.

"This is the worst thing I've ever seen," he said. "I've never seen anything like this."

The university employs 339 full-time faculty members, 293 part-time faculty members, 460 full-time staff members, 188 part-time staff members and has 89 management employees.

State budget reductions are forcing the university to lay off 21 permanent employees and two more part-time employees in its Plant Operations Department. The department employees 92 people, including custodians, electricians, painters, builders and groundskeepers.

"You will see grounds degrade, grimy classrooms and a campus that looks a lot dirtier," said Physical Services Director Bob Schulz at a press conference on Friday. "We are removing people who are doing work we desperately need done, and we can no longer promise that we can keep the campus looking as attractive as people are used to."

Schulz estimated the Plant Operations Department has suffered a 44 percent reduction to its budget.

"This is the worst possible news I could give employees," Richmond said.

With the shaky state budget, the employee cuts may get larger. Richmond said the university is trying to preserve as much as it can in the academic sector. However, the future of the budget looks grim and there are no guarantees about anything.

Richmond also wanted the community to know construction of the $26.8 million Behavioral and Social Sciences Building is being built using Proposition 47 funds.

"We are legally prevented from using those funds for other things," he said.

"Our emphasis is to keep as many employees in the classroom as possible," Richmond said. "Plant Operations took the largest cut because its the department least connected with students."

The university will also be focusing on campus safety, Richmond said. HSU is trying to keep at least two police officers on duty at all times. Currently, six officers, three sergeants, a lieutenant and a police chief are employed by HSU.

Richmond said state budget cuts forcing employee layoffs harm the reputation of universities, making it hard to recruit staff because there is no guarantee jobs will exist in the future.

"It's easy to cut our funds, but not easy to rebuild programs once you've lost them," he said.

Richmond said community members can help by letting their elected representatives in Sacramento know their colleges and universities are in danger because of the budget crisis.

The university will be assisting the laid-off employees in finding new jobs.

"I just can't say enough about the quality of people at Humboldt State," Schulz said. "This is a tragedy."

"I trembled when I signed the letter to inform the unions of the layoffs. This affects individual lives and their families," Richmond said. "I want them to know we care about them in this anxious, disorienting time."