Sonoma State graduates feeling optimistic about university's future amidst uncertainty

With commencement season rapidly coming to a close, on Saturday, Sonoma State University was commending its graduates on their resilience.  

The last year has been a hard time for the campus in general, due to huge budget cuts to sports and academic programs. But now there seems to be a renewed sense of optimism, not just for the graduates, but for the future of the university, as well. 

When the graduates from the fields of science and technology entered the commencement venue on Saturday afternoon, they were celebrating achieving a degree after a year of the most trying circumstances.  It was something acknowledged by University President Michael Spagna.

"I think the class of 2026 has to be one of the most resilient collections of students this university, or any university, has ever had," he told the crowd. "And that deserves a round of applause."

In January of 2025, it was announced that due to a huge budget shortfall and declining enrollment, the university was ending all collegiate sports. It was also eliminating a number of majors, including physics.  That came as a shock to Math and Physics major Madison Ambriz.

"We learned that what we are pouring our hearts and souls into was getting cut via an email in the middle of a class," she said.  "It was like all of a sudden you were in the middle of a normal school day and then, well, it doesn't matter anymore.  Like, literally, nothing mattered!"

But the loss of sports didn't just affect the student-athletes. It was like the life had been sucked out of the campus experience, and enrollment took another hit because of it.

"Yeah, I think it was a pretty big blow, unfortunately," said SSU grad Gilberto Cornejo. "A lot of people, a lot of students were really sad about that."

But it appears that someone was listening, because there has been a change of direction under the new President Spagna.  After taking office in January of 2026, he signaled a reversal when it comes to sports, in an interview on the campus radio station:  

"For student athletes, it's so important in terms of leadership and support. For overall students, it's great in terms of their experience and student life.  And it's just as important for the community," he said.  "And I'm taking a very serious effort to see if we can reinstate Division II athletics here at Sonoma State University."

A task force looking into bringing back sports has recommended the reinstatement of men's basketball, golf, soccer, cross country, and track and field.  And for women: basketball, golf, soccer, cross country, track and field and volleyball. There's even talk of adding a new sport: women's flag football.  

The recommendations include lower-cost sports that can generate a high degree of "school spirit and community engagement." There is even a plan to update the outdoor facilities at the Student Recreation Center, adding a beach volleyball court and climbing wall.  

The school has made its cuts and now it's trying to add back things that will attract enrollment again.  

"There's so many positive things about sports that I don't even need to get into," said Madison, who had been active in club sports.  "But the fact that it brought so many people together, I think is really the most important part."

SSU recently named a new athletic director and is getting a one-time, $8 million grant from the state to reestablish its sports program.  President Spagna said he will announce his final decisions about sports on June 30.  

And as for physics, Madison said the major has not only been reinstated, but she hears there is a plan to upgrade the physics Department building.

"It feels like they understand the gravity of not having a physics department.  Which I'm OK with. They get it now. They picked it up; we put it down. Sorry, that was bad.  That was really bad," she said.

For Madison, like most of her classmates, this is a time for optimism, in the midst of a good deal of uncertainty.

"I don't know what's next, you know?" she said.  "I learned that if I pick what's next, it will never happen.  So, I'm just here.  I go to work every day.  And we're going to see what happens tomorrow!"

Come to think of it, that pretty much describes how the university is dealing with ITS changing environment, as well.