Governor's new budget calls for higher student fees

Taco Bell grilled stuft burrito – $1.99. Quarterly campus parking pass – $90. Ten percent increase on student tuition if the governor’s state budget is approved – $252 more per student each year.

California State University students could be dishing out more dough starting this fall if a new budget proposed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is approved. The plan relies on receiving $1.3 billion from student fee increases, an amount that was paid by the state last year. However, this year the state administration is holding out its coin jar to students.

“It’s a tax on students. It’s the state administration’s responsibility to cover higher education and make CSU students a priority,” Associated Students Inc. President Todd Maki said. “The public institution was founded to be accessible for the average person to get a higher education.”

Many of those who oppose student fee increases are looking to the state to buy out the fee hikes to take the burden off students.

“If the government can pay for education then that’s how it should be,” said Dimitri Antoniou, an environmental management protection junior. “It’s hard enough to send students to universities so this would probably just discourage more individuals.”

However, budget supporters said students should contribute more to their own tuition.

“Student fees are part of the CSU revenue mix. The state funds the largest portion of the CSU budget and student fees are the second component of the budget,” said Clara Potes-Fellow, director of media relations for the CSU system.

Fees have been on the rise for the past few years, and this most recent one would almost double what they were in 2002. CSU undergraduate students would be expected to pay $2,772 a year, $252 more than last year with the new budget.

This brought up the question of where the money was going.

“Moderate and predictable fee increases help the university system fund operational costs, hire qualified faculty and staff, and grow education programs,” Potes-Fellow said.

Nearly $129 million would be used to essentially cover salary and benefit increases for CSU employees.

“Comparing apples to apples, CSU employees are underpaid compared to similar universities nationwide,” said Michelle Broom, Cal Poly public relations and market coordinator. “It is about retaining quality faculty and staff.”

The $4.3 billion budget would also dedicate nearly $80 million to account for a 2.5 percent student enrollment growth. About $40 million would go towards State University Grants and financial aid while around $10 million would be spread among academic technology, library improvements, and faculty recruitment of kindergarten through 12th grade math and science teachers. A shortage in highly trained teachers in pre-college education brought the need for extra funding for recruitment.

“I think the best thing is funding for K-12 teachers to help get kids to college. But it’s like, OK, we’ll help them get there, but will they be able to afford it?” kinesiology senior Juan Ramirez said.

Most of the areas in the budget focus mainly on long-range goals and university needs that students would not necessarily benefit from in their college careers.

“It’d be cool if the actual increases were used towards something that was beneficial to my education but ten percent is way too much. So, I can’t support an increase for something I know I won’t see,” Ramirez said.

The state administration’s role in covering the fee increases last year has given students hope that they may be relieved of the additional fee hikes again this year.

“Because we did it last year, we hope that we will be able to communicate to the legislation to positively help CSU students, to take the burden off,” Maki said.

Maki and at least 15 other Cal Poly students from ASI will go to the capital and lobby against these increases during subcommittee meetings in March and April. The subcommittees will accept testimonials, including those from students who pay their own way through college and would have trouble with the extra student fees.

“I know that there are many people who go here who are paying their way through college and a fee increase will hurt them now academically if they have to work longer hours, or later on from paying back increased loans,” computer engineering junior Daniel Hiranandani said.

Other issues that will run through the budget developing process include the governor’s proposed plan to cut $7 million in funding for campus-outreach programs. These programs work to get low-income, disadvantaged and first-generation college students into and ready for the university system.

The fee increases have also been criticized since the state administration covered increases in 2006, which was an election year. These accusations pointed at political motives behind the state’s generosity. There are, however, other explanations for the fee hikes.

“We need to start by recognizing that the funding model for the CSU system is a shared cost model,” said Larry Kelley, Cal Poly vice president of finance. “In the good years, the state pays for an increasing share and the students aren’t asked to increase their fees. Last year the state provided the equivalent to a ten percent fee increase through state revenues. This is now a make-up year.”

The next step for the governor’s budget takes place in February when it will be reviewed by the Legislative Analyst Office.

“By June 15, the state should have a budget that reflects a compromise of the state’s most important priorities and the available revenue,” Potes-Fellow said.

Maki suggested that students contact local legislators such as assemblyman Sam Blakeslee and Sen. Abel Maldonado to express concern about the issue. “Let them know the honest truth, how you feel about student increases,” Maki said.

In related news, 23 campus presidents and five other top officials were approved for a 4 percent salary raise by trustees of the California State University system on Tuesday. This will put most of their salaries well above $240,000 a year.