California State University, Fresno received a one-time allocation of $1.4 million from federal funds as part of the economic stimulus package.

According to a video transcript from President John D. Welty, the federal funding will reinstate more than 200 course sections to the spring class schedule and retain about 50 lecturers for the semester.

Welty spoke about the importance of the received funding.

“Although the funding is provided on a one-time basis, it is good news for our campus and the system and will allow us to help students get the courses they need to progress in their studies,” Welty said in a press release.

He stated that the money received will be allocated back to the major divisions at Fresno State, and those funds will be made available to use as needed in order to complete the year.

Provost and vice president for academic affairs, William A. Covino, Ph.D., said that each college made requests of how much money they would require to help fund their specific areas of need.

“I asked the colleges to send requests that designated areas of high demand that would help students with their progress for a degree,” Covino said.

Covino said the money allocated covered most, if not all, of the requests made. He also said that each college understood how much money was received and made realistic requests based on that amount.

“They sent me their requests and I totaled them up,” Covino said. “I really didn’t do much. I allocated what was requested.”

Of the 200 sections reinstated for the spring, Covino said the money would be spread throughout each college. Everything from general education courses to major courses will be affected, according to Covino.

“The College of Arts and Humanities received the most money because it was the college facing the prospect of cancelling the most courses and laying off the most instructors,” Covino said.

Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, Vida Samiian, said that the department was appreciative of the funding.

“I was very pleased because we were going to have to make cuts for the spring,” Samiian said. “We basically saved 20 positions.”

President Welty said that he is happy there is now stability in the budget for this year and is hopeful there will be no need for a midyear reduction.