Cal State board mulls 5-year plan for 6% tuition increase
California State University trustees are currently deliberating on the possibility of implementing tuition hikes over the course of the next five years. While the majority of students will be shielded from the impact due to grants or waivers, the repercussions of this decision will still be deeply felt throughout the nation’s largest public university system.
The proposition presented to CSU trustees entails a gradual 6% increase in tuition over five years, commencing in the fall of 2024. This would result in an additional $342 per year for students, culminating in a total increment of $2,000 by 2027.
If approved, it would mark only the second occasion in 12 years that CSU has raised tuition fees. The chief financial officer of the system asserts that this consideration is necessary due to the escalating costs associated with running a 23-school institution, surpassing the revenue generated.
According to CSU, the current deficit in funding stands at $1.5 billion. The proposed increase in tuition would generate $840 million over the span of five years. However, opponents argue that this comes at a significant cost to CSU students.
Bella, a sophomore at San Jose State University, expressed her concerns, stating, “It would impose an immense amount of stress on the students, as well as their parents.” Echoing this sentiment, Greg Woods, a professor at SJSU, lamented, “Unfortunately, by burdening more students with financial hardships, we are impeding the very goal of self-improvement and education.”
On average, undergraduate students at CSU currently pay $5,700 per year in tuition. By contrast, tuition within the University of California system exceeds $14,000. It is important to note that these figures do not encompass accommodation costs.
While CSU professors advocate for a salary increase, their union opposes the proposed tuition hike. Subsequently, students have announced plans to stage protests during the trustees’ meeting in Long Beach on Wednesday and Thursday.
