Lowering School Fees

With a substantial rise in tuition for most universities in California, it is crucial that the leaders of the California state college system think of creative ways to combat budget problems. Here’s an example of how the administrators of our schools can help college students battle the increase in fees.

I am a student at UC San Diego and I live in Hillcrest, where rent is substantially lower than in La Jolla. Since the UCSD Medical Center is located just two blocks from where I live, I have access to the shuttle that runs back and forth from La Jolla to Hillcrest.

The best part of the shuttle is its frequent schedule: every half hour. If a student took the shuttle twice a day, he would save approximately $45 a month. In UCSD’s academic quarter, this equates to a savings close to $125.

With fees increasing more than 40% in the past two years, this amounts to quite a savings for the students. The shuttle is just one way the community can work together to lower the cost of education.

There are other transportation alternatives available at UCSD, but nothing as exemplary as the Hillcrest shuttle. If shuttles ran as frequently to other parts of the city, students could live in neighborhoods where rents are lower. Subsequently, they wouldn’t have to purchase parking permits (a savings of about $300 per quarter).

RANDY KATZKE

San Diego