UC, Cal State Fees to Increase

California’s two public university systems Monday approved their first systemwide fee increases in eight years to help offset proposed state budget cuts. They warned that more fee hikes, class reductions or other retrenchments may be on the way for next fall.

Despite protests that some students would have trouble paying the higher attendance fees, the leaders of California State University and the University of California said the only alternative was to cut back on class sections and other academic spending.

For in-state undergraduates, Monday’s actions mean an annual increase of $144 at Cal State schools and $405 in the UC system, with the first installments due this spring.

“It’s very clear that next year will be a much worse year than this year,” said Richard C. Atkinson, president of the nine-campus University of California system.

“We’ll have to consider virtually every possibility at that time, including major layoffs, cuts in instructional programs” and in other areas, he added.

The tone was the same at the California State University Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach, where Chancellor Charles B. Reed successfully argued for the board to boost fees for his 23-campus system. “When you have nearly a $30-billion shortfall in revenue,” he said, referring to California’s overall budget deficit, “everybody is going to feel some pain.”

The two meetings -- a rare instance of both systems’ approving increases on the same day -- came as many students were beginning their winter breaks or finishing final exams.

Still, for the Cal State meeting, an estimated 200 students came in busloads from around the state, arguing for the board to hold off on committing to a midyear fee increase. Many pointed to the hardship such increases would present students, many of whom are working adults or from low-income minority families.

Maribel Martinez, president of student government at San Jose State, said higher fees could result in student dropouts. In addition, she said, those who remain “are going to be paying more and possibly receiving less,” citing cuts expected to come in the next school year.

The UC Board of Regents session was conducted by teleconference from five locations around the state, including UCLA.

Stephen Klass, chairman of the UC Student Assn., spoke from the San Diego campus, where he is enrolled. He criticized the regents for voting on the increases when students there were on vacation and many were unable to return for the meeting.

He described the fee increase as “a backdoor policy” that “does not give students and families time to prepare.”

Together, the two systems had to deal with a $134-million reduction in state support in the middle of this academic year.

By a 13-3 vote, Cal State’s board raised systemwide yearly fees by $144 for undergraduates and $228 for graduates. The increases take effect next month, in the form of a $72 boost for undergraduates and a $114 increase for graduate students for the spring semester.

In the Cal State system, that will bring annual systemwide fees to $1,572 for California-resident undergraduates. On top of that, they pay about $500 for campus fees. For graduate students, system and campus fees typically will total more than $2,200 a year.

UC regents approved, 11-4, an increase that amounts to $405 more a year for their students. So for in-state undergraduates, systemwide fees will be $3,834, with about $1,000 on average extra for added campus fees and health insurance. The fee increase begins with a $135 boost for the spring term.

For professional school students, the regents approved additional fee increases that will translate into boosts ranging from $150 to $400 in the spring term.

Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, who sits on both the Cal State and University of California boards, appeared at both the Long Beach and UCLA meeting sites to argue against fee increases. Although the Cal State and UC systems are widely regarded as inexpensive compared with equivalent systems around the country, Bustamante called those assessments a myth, saying they neglect the high cost of housing and other living expenses in California.

Bustamante noted that one-third of the nearly $60 million raised overall by the rare midyear increases will be returned to the lowest-income students in the form of financial aid. However, he said, other students will be hit hard by the fee increases.

“What we’re headed for is a substantial cost being born again by the middle-class and middle-class families,” he said.

But a strong majority at both meetings said that postponing action would only make the university systems’ financial crises worse. Cal State trustee Robert Foster praised the students in the audience for their arguments. Still, Foster said, “there just isn’t enough money.

“The reason I’m doing this,” he added, referring to his vote in favor of the increase, “is I do believe that the enemy of the future is indecision today. I hope you understand that.”

Likewise, UC Regent John Davies, who voted for the increase, stressed that other parts of the university will be taking cuts and that students unfortunately have to share the burden. “We are trying to keep our fees as low as we can and still maintain quality. To me, it would be irresponsible not to spread the pain around as much as we can.”