Sonoma State University has imposed a hiring freeze as it faces a $21 million budget shortfall for the 2025-2026 academic year due to declining enrollment.

The freeze, effective immediately, was announced Thursday during a public meeting with faculty, staff and students led by Interim President Emily Cutrer.

“We need to start planning for this $21 million deficit. That’s a huge number, especially after everything the campus has been through and accomplished,” Cutrer said.

The deficit is blamed on an 8 percent reduction in the state budget, higher operating costs, salary increases for faculty and staff, and an enrollment decline of 6 to 10 percent over several years, the university said in a press release.

Enrollment for 2024-25 stands at 5,783, down 38% from its peak of 9,408 in 2015, the university said.

Sonoma State would need 3,500 more students to erase its current deficit, according to the university.

The university faced a $17.3 million deficit in 2023-24, reducing it to $7.4 million by 2024-25 through attrition, streamlining some business operations and universities and employee buyouts.

In July, the academic departments were restructured into three colleges: the College of Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts; the College of Science, Technology and Business; and the College of Education, Counseling and Ethnic Studies, according to the university website.

In addition to the hiring freeze, the university will suspend non-essential travel and purchases.