ARCATA -- Humboldt State University staff, faculty and students heard a report Friday on how the campus plans to cope with budget cuts of still-undetermined size.

University administrators discussed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed state budget and its effects on HSU at a "budget summit" attended by several dozen people The HSU budget includes myriad categories, nearly all of which could be subject to cuts.

Here's what's known:

* HSU's budget is currently targeted for an 8.3 percent cut.

* Schwarzenegger has also asked the California State University system to cut enrollment, increase the student-faculty ratio, and increase student fees.

* Before the 2003-2004 school year began, HSU had reduced its budgets for academic affairs by 10.7 percent, administrative affairs by 15.9 percent, student affairs by 12.6 percent, the president's office by 13.9 percent and the "all university" budget by 12.5 percent.

Here's what isn't known:

* Many of the specific numbers in the proposal. For example, the amount of revenue from fee increases depends on how many students are paying those fees. The governor's office estimates it at $59.5 million from undergraduate fees and $62.9 million for graduate student fees, while CSU officials estimate the figures at $57 million and $60.3 million respectively.

* The fate of the Equal Opportunity Program, which assists low-income and first-generation college students. Schwarzenegger has recommended its elimination, but CSU officials, arguing that the program is vital for students, want to cut other programs instead.

* All the numbers may change after the March 2 election, which includes two state budget-related bond measures. The Legislature will not adopt a budget until at least June.

"That makes it incredibly difficult to plan," said Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs Rick Vrem. "We have to put together our schedule for the fall right now."

Vrem said the academic affairs division has reduced 35 full-time faculty and 22 staff positions -- in some cases, by not hiring substitutes for people on sick leave and the like, but also by reducing employees' hours. Several custodians have been laid off.

Other fallout includes no money for computer maintenance in the University Library and cuts to the university's counseling and psychologists, athletics and human resources staffs.

Biological Sciences Professor Milt Boyd said that the California Faculty Association is creating a coalition to "save the CSU." He said he plans to encourage businesses and the community to support HSU and recognize how serious its situation is.

With a direct payroll of $65 million and $50 million in student spending power "there comes the realization that HSU is the largest single contributor to the economy of this county," Boyd said. "It is more than timber. It is more than retail."

One-tenth of the California workforce -- and more than one-third of the Legislature -- is comprised of CSU alumni, said HSU President Rollin Richmond.

Community Relations Director Jane Rogers encouraged university employees and students to write to local representatives and members of the Legislature's Higher Education Committee.

"Behind these numbers you all know there's a human element," she said. "We all have stories to tell and it's important that we start telling these stories."