Trustees approve 30 percent tuition increase for fall

By Zamná Ávila
Summer On-line Forty-Niner

"Let's go out and picket!" was one of the first shouts heard after Chancellor Charles B. Reid announced the CSU Board of Trustee's decision to increase state university fees by 30 percent for the 23 California State University campuses Wednesday.

After much debate and pleading from students and faculty members the cries for the waiver of the fees were dismissed by a unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees from the CSU system. While a University of California regents committee recommended up to 30 percent increase in fees which will be expected to be approved Thursday

CSU undergraduate students are thus facing an estimated increase of $137 for 0 to 6.0 units and a $236 boost for 6.1 units or more per semester. Graduate students face an even higher increase from $151 for 0 to 6.0 units per semester and $260 for 6.1 units or more.  These figures do not include the other mandatory fees. While the $282 per unit non-resident fees remain the same, foreign and out-of-state students still have to pay the 30 percent increase in addition to the base tuition.

Officials at the Chancellor's Office hold that the CSU system is still the least expensive in comparison to other state universities throughout the United States. Dávid Abella, vice president of external affairs for Associated Students Inc. and San Francisco State University pointed out that the statement is misleading.

"The California State University system is comprised of 23 universities and there is no other system in the nation, in the world in comparison. Comparisons are made to single universities that is not a fair comparison because of the size and magnitude of CSU. Also when you factor in the cost of living, education in the CSU system does not fall in the middle it falls near the top," Abella said.

John Travis, president of the California Faculty Association, urged board members to view the increase as a matter of last resort.

"We are opposed to the increase because we feel have no alternative.  We have shared in the past some viable options to search for additional resources that will help forestall or at least mitigate its impact," Travis said. "As an academic community we deserve an opportunity to engage in a discourse with all the constituencies of the institution to determine such things as fee increases are required. We don't believe we are there yet."

While the CSU system has allocated one-third of the increase to go to students that get state and university financial aid grants, those that do not qualify for these grants may find state university fees this next semester especially cumbersome.

"The fee hikes are going to most impact those that will least afford it, most of the students will have to either increase the amount of their loans or working two jobs," Kim Gerome, assistant professor at Cal State University Hayward said.

Some students like Michael Hale from Cal State University Northridge voiced his anger.

"It doesn't take a Ph.D. economist to know that an almost 40 percent increase in a year will lead to college dropout," Hale said. "This tuition increase may further trickle down on diversity. I want to appeal to students, professors, and community members. If the Board of Trustees increases the fees, I say that we should strike."

"It is unfortunate that our elected officials are lying to us and mismanaging our funds, and that this board of trustees is betraying their purpose and ignoring our mission statement of the CSU system," disappointed student, Miguel Paredes said.

In the mist of protest, Vanessa Camarena, CFA representative and Cal State LA student said students are considering walkouts in hopes of urging the Board of Trustees reconsider the increase when the fall quarter begins.