Tuesday night’s State of the Student address was dominated by discussion of the proposed College Based Fees increase.
Associated Students Inc. President Angela Kramer and Cal Poly President Warren Baker held a town-hall style forum to discuss issues including diversity and sustainability, but once the discussion turned to the CBF referendum – which students vote on today and Thursday – it never went back.
More than 50 students and faculty members attended the presentation, which was split into three parts: Kramer’s speech, Baker’s speech, and a question-and-answer session.
Baker began discussing the fee increase by giving a brief history of the issue in order to tell students how and why the university is asking for higher student fees.
Some reasons he mentioned include the state legislature cutting the higher education budget, coupled with a mandated increase in university enrollment. He also said the cost of Cal Poly’s “learn by doing” programs are much higher than programs at other California State Universities.
The school is asking full-time students to raise their college-based fees to $362 next year, and an additional $200 over the next two years. Part-time students would pay half that.
“I wish we weren’t here at this critical juncture, but we are,” Baker said. He went on to say that, although he couldn’t give specific answers to what would be cut if the increase doesn’t pass, a lack of money would impede the progress of students wishing to graduate.
He also mentioned that the tuition and living expenses students would incur by not graduating on time would be more expensive than paying the higher fee.
English sophomore Sarah Storelli, whose attendance at the meeting confirmed her vote supporting the increase, agreed on this point.
“Because of tuition increases, it’ll save you money in the long run by not prolonging your graduation,” she said.
Baker pledged that if the fee increase passes, the university will mount a larger campaign than ever before to seek donations from private corporations and pressure the public to support higher education.
He reiterated that this is a non-binding advisory vote, but confirmed that during his tenure, he has yet to make a decision contrary to a student-advisory vote.
When questioned by the Mustang Daily, Kramer stated that she personally will vote no on the increase but said her vote shouldn’t influence anyone else’s.
“My initial reaction was that I’ll do anything to support my university,” she said.
“People who know me know I live and breathe Poly…When it comes down to it, my decision to vote no isn’t against the deans, the university, the provost or the president; it’s a statement against the legislature and the taxpayers that have decided that higher education is no longer a priority.”
When asked how the school would be able to support itself without the increase, Kramer said she thinks that sometimes people “play up situations like these to be a little worse then they will be immediately… Cal Poly won’t collapse from within in a fiery rage if it doesn’t pass.”
She also said that she has many reasons for wanting the fee increase to pass, and cited her wish for a fund supporting sustainability-focused student projects, which is most likely only possible if the increase is passed.
Another query from the audience concerned why the university is able to fund programs such as the Recreation Center expansion and the University Union Plaza renovation when the school “can’t afford faculty.”
Both Kramer and Baker replied that those funds come from different avenues than academic funds and it would not be possible to use these funds for classes. Furthermore, the plans for both of these processes go back much farther than the current budgetary issues.
Students had differing reactions to the forum and many had concerns about how the additional CBF money would be spent.
Computer science junior Andrew Musselman said that before the session, he was “strongly against” the increase, and now he is “moderately against it.”
“Honestly, I might even vote for it,” he said.
However, he expressed concern that the extra money won’t be used wisely. “I don’t believe they will always listen to the student committees and use the money effectively,” he said.