CSUN University News Clippings

Cal State committee approves 10 percent fee hikes

(May 13, 2009)

By Matt Krupnick
Published: 5/12/09

California State University students are on their way to paying higher fees next year.

A panel of Cal State leaders on Tuesday approved 10 percent hikes for all undergraduate and graduate students. The full board of trustees will vote Wednesday in Long Beach.

The decision comes less than a week after the University of California also approved higher fees, voting for an increase of about 9 percent. Like UC regents, Cal State trustees decried the fee hikes but said the state had left them no choice.

“I don’t think anyone likes where we’re at today,” said Cal State trustee Melinda Guzman.

Student leaders could not be reached but have said they believe the university has other options besides raising student fees.

University administrators said financial aid would prevent most needy students from paying the higher costs, which would amount to $306 more for undergraduates, $354 for teaching-credential students and $378 for graduate students.

Cal State leaders said the governor and state legislators had forced the university to slash its budget by so much that the 23 campuses have to rely on students to make up some of the difference.

With the higher fees, undergraduates would pay an average of $4,155 per year, including campus-specific costs.

One trustee said he plans to oppose the increases during Wednesday’s vote.

“It sends a strong message to the Legislature if we refuse to supplement our income with student fees,” said the trustee, Curtis Grima.

Board members have made similar statements in past years, but university leaders have yet to oppose state lawmakers. With California’s budget crisis deepening, trustees acknowledged they could not continue to serve the state without raising fees.

With the state unable to pay the university for every enrolled student this year and next, Cal State had planned to cut enrollment by 10,000 next year. But Chancellor Charles Reed told trustees that high student demand would limit that cut to 3,000 students.

With the state budget unlikely to improve, the higher-than-expected enrollment was making life even more difficult for the university, he said, and next year could be worse.

“We tried,” Reed said. Having more unfunded students “will give us a tough decision for 2010-11.”

Publication: Contra Costa Times