CSU
fees may rise 30 percent layoffs to come
By Zamná Ávila
Summer Forty Niner
After
a long summer break California State University
students may come back this fall to find
themselves paying a 30 percent increase
in tuition fees. The proposed increase by
the CSU chancellor will be under the consideration
of the Board of Trustees during an upcoming
meeting on July 16, 2003.
Last month the Chancellor’s Office announced
it was considering a 25 percent increase
in fees. However, due to legislative changes
to the proposed budget, the CSU chancellor
Charles Reed is now proposing a 30 percent
increase for state university fees. The
fee would be in addition to the 10 percent
increase carried by students for the spring
of 2003.
The state university fee is one of the many
measures Gov. Gray Davis is taking in response
to the $38 million deficit currently besieging
the economic state of California.
Armando Contreras, administrative assistant
to Cal State Long Beach President Robert
C. Maxson, states that the fee increase
would only be for the state university fee,
it does not include health fees, or Associated
Student Inc. fees.
“Last year the increase was 10 percent,
now the proposed increase is 30 percent,
an estimated $236 per student from $786
to about $1,020,” said Contreras. These
figures would bring the total cost per semester
from $944 to an estimated $1,180.
According to university officials, Chancellor
Reed did not propose the percentage of the
increase randomly. Initially, Gov. Davis
included a 25 percent reduction in funding
with the expectation that the board would
increase the fees.
The governor proposed a cut in January of
about $448 million in reduction and un-funded
costs, which represented about 17 percent
of the cut to the CSU system. However, after
a revision made in May he cut another $69
million, a total reduction of $517 million.
According to Robyn Mack, associate vice
president of Budget and Human Resources
at CSULB, the 30 percent increase would
generate about 50 percent revenue, about
$227 million.
The Board of Trustee will also be considering
a 2 percent enrollment cap and possible
staff and faculty.
“The problem is that we still don’t have
a budget. The state legislature cannot agree
on a plan with the governor,” said Mack.
“It appears that the July 1 deadline will
be missed.”
Clara Potes-Fellow, media relations manager
for the Chancellor’s Office says other alternatives
to the state university fees have been considered
including the layoffs, enrollment caps,
and travel and office expenses. Some of
which have already been implemented, some
which will be implemented beginning July
1.
“The good news is that CSU is still the
least expensive university in the nation,”
says Potes-Fellow. “The average tuition
in other states is $4,500, with the increase
tuition at CSU would be $2046. Still half
of what students pay in other parts of the
country.”
In terms of layoffs, campus presidents would
decide how to apply the reductions. Academic
classes will not be cut. Contreras stated
“if we were to cut classes and layoff faculty
it would mean a delay in graduation for
students.” The money from the fee increase
will be used to ensure that academic classes
will not be cut. CSULB is one of the few
campuses that will be able to keep their
instruction whole because of anticipated
planning. However, non-instruction cuts
will occur within administration, athletics,
student service, and library services.
“I know that it’s going to be painful for
our middle income students, I just ask the
students to see the problem of the deficit
and the effort of the board, the other alternatives
is higher fees or faculty cuts,” said Mack.
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