Cal State Trustees Enact 8 Percent Tuition Hike
By David Garrick, North County Times, Escondido, Calif.
Oct. 28–LONG BEACH — California State University trustees approved an 8 percent tuition hike Thursday, despite impassioned pleas from several student leaders.
The increase will take effect in the fall semester of 2006, and will bring the cumulative tuition increases at the 23-campus system to 68 percent over four years —- and 90 percent over five years. The latest hike means that tuition per semester will have increased from $1,428 in 2001-02 to $2,427 in 2006-07.
The trustees also gave a tentative thumbs up to a plan that would raise tuition 10 percent each academic year through the end of the decade. That plan calls for tuition to reach $3,984 per semester by 2010-11.
More than 30 students from Cal State San Marcos were among the approximately 200 students who made their way to Long Beach on Thursday from campuses across the state.
Wearing sweat shirts from their individual campuses, the students swarmed into the Dumke Auditorium, hoping to convince trustees to reject the tuition hike and join with students to lobby Sacramento lawmakers for more higher education funding.
Eleven student leaders from nine campuses were selected to address the trustees by their fellow students, who were then forced to jockey for the limited number of public seats in the auditorium.
The student speakers made their case with statistics and some anecdotes about students struggling to cope with consecutive years of fee increases.
Among the speakers was Marc DeGuzman, president of Associated Students Inc. on the San Marcos campus.
“For the state to remain competitive, lower-income Californians must receive post-secondary education,” said DeGuzman. “We look toward the board of trustees to not make the system less accessible. How can you talk about raising student taxes when you are increasing salaries?”
DeGuzman was referring to an earlier item on the trustees’ agenda that granted 13.7 percent pay increases to six high-level administrators in the university system and to the presidents of all 23 campuses. The pay increases, which include a bump in annual salary from $203,376 to $230,232 for Cal State San Marcos President Karen Haynes, will cost the system $700,000 annually.
Many speakers criticized the executive pay increases, and members of the Academic Senate faculty lobbying group called the pay hikes “outrageous and ridiculous.” But other student speakers focused almost entirely on the need to convince Sacramento officials to stop balancing the state budget on the backs of college students.
“We cannot afford another increase,” said Carole Peters, from San Diego State University. “People are not enrolling because they can’t afford it. Is that what we really want for our future?”
Andrew La Flame, from Cal State Stanislaus, told the trustees that students are willing to pay some increase in tuition, but that 90 percent over five years is insane.
“We have been, we are and we would be willing to pay our fair share,” said La Flame. “This is a rally to celebrate the beginning of a campaign to pressure Sacramento.”
Hiro Okahana, of Cal State Long Beach, rattled off an array of statistics about low-income students in his attempt to persuade the trustees. He said that typically, financial aid covers only 43 percent of student costs, and that more than half the financial aid received by students comes in the form of loans that must be paid back.
“I don’t see any reason you can’t join us and fight with us,” Okahana told trustees.
Rex Richardson, from Cal State Dominguez Hills, took a more anecdotal approach, explaining that he has had to take an extra job and work more hours because of the recent fee increases.
“I looked up and suddenly realized I was spending more time at work than studying,” said Richardson. “You’re only raising tuition by 8 percent, but you are changing access for some people by 100 percent.”
Rebecca Balderas, from San Jose State, took a more political approach, comparing higher education to an economic engine that will be choked by higher taxes and fees.
“We understand the state has the board of trustees in an awkward position,” said Balderas. “But please help us send a message to Sacramento that higher education needs to be a priority.”
The trustees approved the tuition hike with very little debate. Trustees Murray Galinson and Robert Foster said they empathized with the students, but stressed that there was nothing they could do.
“We are caught in a bind here,” said Foster, explaining that the state has other funding priorities in addition to higher education. “I don’t have a choice as a steward of this system.”
The only trustee to vote against the increase was the student trustee, Corey Jackson from Cal State San Bernardino.
“We need to make sure the public understands what’s happening to us,” Jackson told his fellow students. “Get used to driving all night to Long Beach and sleeping on the lawn, because we are going to need to do this again.”
Joe Wager, an official with Cal State San Marcos Associated Students, said his group had mixed emotions about what transpired Thursday. Very few students knew before the meeting about the plan for 10 percent tuition increases in coming years, he said.
“They kind of surprised us with that 10 percent every year plan,” said Wager. “People are now going to have to pay $4,000 per semester. That just doesn’t make sense.”
President Haynes said she was pleased to see so many students from Cal State San Marcos make the trip.
“The political engagement on our campus is wonderful,” said Haynes. “This issue needs to go to the Legislature. Our students need to persist in their message that the system needs adequate funding.”
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