Katharyn Boyer, the lady in charge at the Estuary and Ocean Science Center of San Francisco State University, takes a stroll around Romberg Tiburon campus on Feb. 13, 2025. Amy DiPierro
So, like, the university has been trying to make the Romberg Tiburon campus financially self-sustaining, but it’s not really working out. It seems like the place might have to close down, which shows how tough things are for some Cal State campuses these days. Enrollments are down, the state budget might get slashed, and there’s a lot of maintenance work that needs to be done.
One researcher at the center is all about studying eelgrass, which is like this plant that’s super important for the bay’s ecosystem.
To some people, eelgrass in San Francisco Bay might not seem like a big deal. It kind of looks like seaweed and all. But to ecologists, it’s a big deal. It helps store carbon naturally, fights against climate change, and protects the shorelines from rising seas. That’s why Katharyn Boyer, a biology professor leading the center, has been focusing on how to keep the bay’s eelgrass meadows healthy. With sea levels going up because of climate change, this work is becoming more and more urgent.
For the past 20 years, Boyer and her team have been doing their thing at the marine research campus, not too far from San Francisco. They’re training the next group of scientists and conservationists, helping them get hands-on experience with eelgrass restoration. They’ve got these saltwater tanks where they keep eelgrass plants safe before planting them back in the bay. Boyer says, “You gotta take good care of the plants when you’re doing this restoration work. These tanks with cool water are just perfect.”
But now, the campus might have to shut down because of money problems. San Francisco State just can’t afford to keep it running anymore. Boyer is trying really hard to get enough donations to save the place, but it’s not looking good. The university is thinking about starting to close the campus in the next few months if they can’t figure something out.
It’s a tough situation, you know? Boyer said, “We’re struggling financially, and it’s getting harder to justify the costs. We do important work, and the community knows it. So, it’s really hard for us to accept this decision.”
The plan to close Romberg Tiburon is just one example of how lower enrollments are causing money issues at some Cal State campuses. While some schools are growing, San Francisco State’s enrollment has dropped by 26% in the last decade. This means less money from tuition and the Cal State system. And on top of that, Governor Newsom wants to cut funding for CSU and UC by almost 8%.
Other CSU campuses are feeling the pinch too. Sonoma State is cutting sports teams and the geology department. Cal State East Bay is closing a downtown center, and Sacramento State is slashing $24 million from academic affairs. Even Cal State San Marcos, which was growing fast, is offering retirement incentives to save money.
At San Francisco State, the provost says they’re cutting back everywhere. They’re losing about 30 faculty members each year, and only a few are being replaced. It’s tough because they don’t have enough resources to serve undergraduate students the way they want to.
The Romberg Tiburon campus needs about $4 million in repairs, but that’s just a drop in the bucket compared to the $8 billion maintenance backlog in the Cal State system. Nobody knows what’s going to happen next to the marine campus. Boyer is trying to find donors or other organizations that might want to lease the site. San Francisco State is giving the science faculty a chance to move to the main campus, but there’s not a lot of lab space available. This could make things really hard for non-tenured faculty and their graduate students.
It’s a tough situation, you know? Boyer said, “A lot of people’s careers and lives are on the line here.”
The Romberg Tiburon campus is like no other marine lab out there. Most labs are in remote areas where everything is all natural and stuff. But this one is right in the middle of the busy San Francisco Bay. Boyer says, “We’ve got all the problems and opportunities of a big population right here. It’s a unique spot for sure.”
The campus has some old buildings from its time as a Navy base, and researchers work out of a warehouse from the 1940s. The place is showing its age, with signs warning people to stay away from dangerous areas with chipped paint and stuff.
San Francisco State had plans to revamp the campus a couple of years ago, but it never happened. They were thinking about adding new housing and academic space, but it would need a private developer to step in. The university has also thought about giving the site back to the federal government or asking another school to take it over.
As the campus struggles with money, the faculty has had to start raising their own salaries through grants. They also make money by renting out space to other groups. But they still depend on San Francisco State for some important costs, like salaries for staff and tenured faculty.
Even with money problems, San Francisco State has been able to invest in other campus projects. They built a new science and engineering building and a student housing project. But without long-term funding for the Romberg Tiburon campus, Boyer’s eelgrass work might be in trouble. She’s planning to keep at it for now, but she’s not really sure what’s going to happen after this year.
Restoring eelgrass is tough work, you know? It takes early mornings, wetsuits, and lots of hard work. The marine campus is the perfect place for this kind of work, right by the water. If they lose that expertise, it’s not something they can just replace.