Tuition fee increases lead to hardships for students

Secretary of State Affairs for Associated Students Inc. Roberto Torres speaks during Wednesday's rally.
Photo courtesy of The State Hornet

Tammie Singleton is a single mother of one. She took time off from her job at a downtown Sacramento nonprofit agency Wednesday to be at a student rally at Sacramento State to protest the proposed fee hikes for California’s public universities. Singleton splits her time between work and classes at Sacramento State, where she is studying part-time to become a social worker so she can fund her daughter's education. But with fee increases looming, she foresees a difficult road ahead.

"If they raise my fees, it will prolong my time here at CSUS," said Singleton, who held a homemade protest sign. "It already takes me a tremendous amount of time at the CSUS and the increase will make it difficult to keep my family afloat."

According to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s budget summary, the state’s 2008-09 budget calls for the University of California to increase fees by 7.4 percent for all students; the California State University system would see fees increase by 10 percent. The summary also states that it is possible that the governing boards of both major institutions will act to further increase the fees beyond the proposed levels.

“This year’s proposed 7.4 percent (for the UC) is just around $500 - while that may not seem like a lot, that’s a month’s rent for most people,” said Courtney Weaver, legislative director for the University of California Student Association. “How many hours does that mean that student is going to have to work to make up that money?”

“So it really does have a huge impact on the day-to-day life of most students, especially if they are facing fee increases year, after year, after year,” she said.

The governing boards of both UC and CSU claim in the summary that the fee hike is vital to maintaining the quality of their institutions. If finalized, these increases will be the fifth in six years for both state university systems.

The increases come at a time when higher education faces significant budget cuts due to the sizeable state budget deficit. According to a letter to Gov. Schwarzenegger by California Director of Finance Michael C. Genest, the budget deficit for 2008-09 could be as much $14.5 billion.

Although the student body is overwhelmingly against the fee hikes, some students said they understand that fee increases are necessary.

Jessica Swensen, criminal justice major at Sacramento State, is one of those students.

“Initially the thought of raising tuition rates was discouraging,” Swensen said. “While I know some programs may be cut due to the budget, an increased tuition may allow certain programs to continue to be offered.”

The governor’s budget summary states that both the UC and CSU remain competitively priced in comparison to other state universities, with CSU being the lowest in the nation. But since the 2001-02 school year, undergraduate tuition has jumped considerably at both institutions: The UC has seen a 92 percent increase in tuition rates during that span, while CSU has absorbed a 94 percent increase in fees.

Dina Cervantes of the California State Student Association said Gov. Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget would have a major impact on the CSU system.

She said, “$386.1 million will be cut from the budget as a result. Ten thousand students will not be able to go to a CSU. This is important because the CSU is a pipeline for minorities to enter higher education."

Cervantes also said she believes the budget will have statewide implications as well.

"The CSU solution argues that we provide people to the workforce,” Cervantes said. “Because the CSU provides students to California's work force, every dollar invested into the CSU system California gains four in return. We would be able to boost the economy."

Sacramento State University President Alexander Gonzalez said middle-class students stand to be hit the hardest because they do not qualify for financial aid.

Decreased amounts of state aid, coupled with increased fees, could also make it difficult for many students to continue their educations.

To offset low-income students, the summary calls for both systems to take one-third of the fee hike increase from undergraduate enrollment and set it aside for financial aid.

Singleton relies heavily on scholarships and realizes that with the higher fees, more people will be looking at scholarships to make up the difference - making the process all the more competitive.

"There is not much more that I can do with an active child,” Singleton said. “I guess I will just have to cut back on classes.”

The fee hike is expected to raise $68 million for the UC and $97 million for the CSU in the coming year.

For Singleton, that provides little comfort; still, she said she remains hopeful.

"I think collectively as we go forth, we will be heard,” Singleton said. “And the point is to be heard."

Writing by Walter Engman. Reporting and research by Anna Torres and Fernando Gallo. Editing by Fernando Gallo.


Sacramento State students demonstrate during Wednesday's rally.
Photo courtesy of The State Hornet

Student fees adjusted for inflation from 1990-2007.



Comparison of student fees to other economic factors from 1996-97 to 2006-07.
Taken from California Postsecondary Education Committee website at http://www.cpec.ca.gov/Accountability/FeeEconCompare.asp?Y=10