"Money is really tight": Board approves significant CSU tuition hike
SACRAMENTO - The California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees approved a tuition increase on Wednesday. This will be a 6% annual increase over the next five years.
CSU leaders were initially considering an ongoing tuition increase every year, but the board changed its plan to just five years after backlashing it received from students.
"Students have financial insecurity, food insecurity and housing instability," said Michael Lee-Chang, a member of Students for Quality Education at Sacramento State University.
Lee-Chang mobilized students, faculty and community members to oppose the tuition increase and sent a letter to the board of trustees blasting the proposal.
"You don't need to tax students to basically figure out your mismanagement and misuse of funds," said Lee-Chang.
He told CBS13 his mother is selling her home and moving into her workplace to help support him through college.
"Money is really tight, especially gas money," said Jaylee Rosa who is a second-year student at Sac State.
The increase will go into effect in the 2024-2025 school year, raising the cost that year by $342. By year five, it will cost nearly $2000 more than it does now.
The annual undergraduate tuition for CSU would increase from the current $5,742 to $6,084 in the 2024-25 school year. The total would jump to $6,450 the following year, then to $6,840 in 2026-27, then to $7,248, and ultimately to $7,682 in 2028-29.
"I think a lot of kids are going to drop out," said Dante Reynoso.
It has current community college students like Simrat Brar rethinking their futures at Sacramento State.
"This hike in tuition fee is going to cost me some trouble," said Brar.
Passionate protestors showed up to the CSU Board of Trustees meetings in Long Beach this week.
Lee-Chang said he was frustrated that the board did not let everyone into the meeting to speak during public comment.
"You don't need to tax students to basically figure out your mismanagement and misuse of funds," said Lee-Chang.
The letter in opposition to the board pointed to executive compensation paid by the CSU system, noting the $795,000 annual salary of new CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia.
Many students also questioned why reserve money cannot be used to cover CSU's $1.5 billion shortfall.
The board said that money does not get replenished and is only for emergencies.
"You cannot use one-time money for any recurring obligations," said one board member during Wednesday's meeting.
CSU leaders claim that 60% of students will not be impacted by the increases because their tuition is covered by grants or waivers.
"I didn't really want to go into college, but I saw this as a good college," said Reynoso. "If they keep raising the price, I don't know."
CSU leaders said the tuition increase will generate an extra $148 million in the 2024-2025 school year alone, but they also said it will not fix the funding deficit.
"It is a lot more stress when we really should just be focused on school and getting good grades," said Megan Willms who is a second-year student at Sac State.
The California Faculty Association union called the proposed tuition hike a "shocking and unconscionable" measure that would bump student costs by 34% over the five-year period.