California State University, Stanislaus, announced Tuesday that it will trim $6.4 million, or nearly 10 percent, from the next academic year's operating budget -- reducing everything from faculty lecturer positions to campus mail delivery.

The cutback will leave Stanislaus State with a $60.1 million budget for 2004-05.

Stanislaus State and the 22 other schools in the California State University system are sharing in the state's proposed $240 million cut to the CSU budget.

The cut comes on top of a $304 million hit to the CSU system in 2003-04. Stanislaus State's share of that was $3.6 million, or 5.3 percent of the operating budget.

Because of the latest reduction, the university announced, Stanislaus State will admit 365 fewer students in 2004-05.

A dozen employees -- nine permanent staff members and three managers -- received layoff notices on Tuesday, with effective dates of June 30. Officials said the three managers and one staff member face job losses. The remaining eight will be reassigned to other positions, some of them part time. The university will ask some employees to reduce their hours, officials said.

News of the cuts prompted people on campus to start referring to the day as "Black Tuesday," Associated Students President Cesar Rumayor said.

"I just don't understand what the state thinks we're going to do," said Rumayor, 24. "If you're for education, I don't know why you'd cut education."

Other cutbacks announced by Stanislaus State President Marvalene Hughes:

Eighteen temporary workers' jobs will end June 30, and six temporary workers' jobs will be cut to part time.

Twenty-eight vacant positions -- five management and 23 staff -- will remain unfilled.

The university will shorten public office hours in some departments, and reduce such services as advising, tutoring, evening escort shuttles and custodial work.

Classes will be larger and fewer in number, and admissions will be more selective and cutoff dates will be earlier.

Support services and programs will be reduced, and maintenance deferred.

The university did not give details on the reduced number of faculty lecturers. Spokesman Don Hansen said officials were working out the details.

"Staffing cuts and program reductions are regrettable but unavoidable in the face of continuing state budget cuts," Hughes said in a statement.

About 83 percent of the university's annual operating budget pays for faculty and staff salaries and benefits, she said.

Employees relay concerns

Frank Borrelli, the university's property coordinator and president of the campus chapter of the California State Employees Association, said he received 47 calls from employees Tuesday.

The callers included people who received layoff notices, people worried about getting laid off and others concerned they might be reassigned.

Borrelli said he wonders why the university does not use money from its budget surplus to keep people employed.

"We still have $4.7 million that was supposed to be rolled over to the next year's budget," Borrelli said. "I can't get a straight answer as to why that money is not being used to mitigate layoffs."

He said the university saved $4.7 million by not filling jobs and by keeping spending down.

Mary Stephens, vice president for business and finance, said that surplus is set aside to cover midyear cuts and one-time costs such as vacation payouts for employees who resign.

Last year's midyear cut was about $450,000, she said.

"We expect at least that, if not more, (this year)," she said.

The university has scheduled a budget forum for faculty, staff and students from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday in Room 130 of the Mary Stuart Rogers Building on the Turlock campus.