CSU trustees asked to hike tuition 12 percent: Fall tuition break $5,000 mark

California State University has not wasted any time responding to the budget Gov. Jerry Brown signed today, which cuts CSU funding by at least $650 million for the coming school year.

Chancellor Charles Reed announced this afternoon that he will ask trustees to vote on a 12 percent tuition increase when they meet on July 12. The increase would be effective this fall, and comes on top of a 10 percent increase that trustees approved last year -- also to take effect this fall.

If trustees approve the newest increase, annual undergraduate tuition at the 23 CSU campuses will be $5,178 this fall -- or $948 more than it was in fall 2010.

"What was once unprecedented has unfortunately become normal, as for the second time in three years the CSU will be cut by well over $500 million," Reed said in a statement. "The magnitude of this cut, compounded with the uncertainty of the final amount of the reduction, will have negative impacts on the CSU long after this upcoming fiscal year has come and gone."

The budget Brown signed calls for cutting CSU and the University of California each by another $100 million if revenue expectations are not met by December.

Read more at Capitol Alert

LA Times: Cal State considers drastic plan in case of an 'all-cuts' budget

Facing a potential $1-billion reduction in state funding for the coming school year, California State University is considering "radical" measures that could include huge tuition hikes and enrollment reductions, officials said Tuesday.

The actions may be necessary to keep classroom doors open if tax extensions requested by Gov. Jerry Brown are not approved, Chancellor Charles B. Reed told trustees at a meeting in Long Beach.

The state already had approved funding cuts for the next school year of $500 million each for Cal State and the University of California. An additional $500 million may be demanded from each system if the temporary tax extensions are not approved by voters or the Legislature.

Under the contingency plan presented Tuesday, Cal State could be forced to raise tuition for full-time undergraduates by 32% next year, in addition to a 10% increase already approved for fall 2011. The contingency increase would mean an additional $1,566 and bring total annual tuition for undergraduates to $6,450. The total does not include annual campus fees that average $950.

"It's going to be radical and it's going to generate a lot of pain," said Reed, who will make formal recommendations to the governing board in July.

Cal State campuses also may resort to a waiting list for applications for winter and spring 2012 enrollment and hold off admissions decisions until a state budget is finalized.

In the worst-case scenario, 20,000 qualified applicants could be turned away, Reed told trustees.

"An 'all-cuts' budget would mean reducing 36% of our operating costs in one year and I don't know of a business in this country that can take that kind of reduction," the chancellor said.

Reed offered a number of other scenarios that could save $500 million, including closing the 10 smallest of Cal State's 23 campuses... to continue reading, please click here.

April 13: Higher Education Rally

Stand up for education!

Education is not a privilege it’s a right.

Statewide Mobilization for Education

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Rally at Carlson Bell Tower (in front of Coffee Bean): 12pm-1pm

March to Brotman Hall: 1pm-2pm

Join the April 13 Actions to Protect our Education: take class action with faculty and students on all 23 CSU campuses are gearing up for large-scale demonstrations on April 13 in support of a fair contract for faculty and quality education for students

 

We need your help and support in spreading the word please pass the through beach board and facebook posts.

SQE Long Beach Chapter contact information: Lbstate.sqe@gmail.com

Daily 49er: Student association responds to budget cuts, fee hikes

CSSA President & former Liberal Arts Senator Chris Chavez

Long Beach State is facing the possibility of furloughs, faculty layoffs and higher tuition as a result of Jerry Brown's proposed $1.4 billion budget cut to California's universities.

The proposed budget cuts would affect University of California schools, California State universities and community colleges. Of the $1.4 billion cut, $500 million would be taken from the 23 CSU campuses, similar to what was cut in 2009, according to Christopher Chavez, President of California Student State Association.

Although the state legislature has not yet approved the state funding, action has already begun.

Chavez went to the state capital to testify to the assembly of higher education committee Jan. 18. However, he admitted that the fight to end budget cuts for education would not be easy.

Gavin Newsom suggests challenging Jerry Brown's UC cuts

Will Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom be the advocate he is for the CSU system as well? CSU funding will certainly be a hot topic this year. From the Sacramento Bee's Capitol Alert:

In his first remarks at a University of California Board of Regents meeting this morning, Lt. Gov. and Regent Gavin Newsom proposed challenging half a billion dollars in cuts to the UC system proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Newsom said the regents shouldn't automatically accept the cuts and said, "I'm not convinced we're going to lose that half a billion dollars."

The remark suggested Newsom won't hew tightly to the Brown administration line as lieutenant governor, despite coming from the same party and sharing longtime family ties. Newsom, the former mayor of San Francisco, had expressed some concern about Brown's proposal to eliminate redevelopment agencies on Jan. 10, just minutes after taking the oath of office.

Wednesday's remarks at the Board of Regents meeting, however, reflected a stronger tone from Newsom. The lieutenant governor's office comes with a Board of Regents seat.