Officials at Sonoma State University are considering shutting down the college for 10 days to try to help overcome budget cuts from the state.

The university is expecting to receive about $5 million less from the state, and closing the school for two weeks would save $1.8 million, according to Lynn McIntyre, vice president for university affairs.

If approved, the plan would mandate unpaid furloughs and would affect all 1,800 school employees. It would close the campus on days when students are not attending classes, and would not cut into state-regulated classroom hours, McIntyre said.

"It's not a salary reduction. It doesn't affect their (employees') health benefits or how their retirement is allotted," she said. "It cannot affect the instructional program, so it won't hurt the students in any way."

But eliminating days instructors use to prepare for class, grade exams and conduct research would lessen students' experience on campus, according to Victor Garlin, professor of economics and president of the California Faculty Association chapter at SSU. It would also require instructors to put in the same amount of work for less pay, he said.

"Although they (instructors) would have a pay dock of two weeks, the length of the semesters is not going to be cut," he said.

The plan cannot be adopted without approval from statewide union leadership, as well as CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed.