With the University of California considering annual 5 percent fee increases, Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins on Tuesday announced a plan that would reject the hikes and instead provide additional state funding coupled with other changes.
“The proposed fee increase of more than 25% is unacceptable — California students and their families have faced too many fee increases already,” she said. “Instead, UC should work with the legislature and governor to get UC the money it needs to remain one of the state’s world-class assets, without harming the California students and families the university was created to serve.”
Atkins’ plan calls for $50 million in new state funding, greater efficiency at universities, higher enrollment of California students, a cap on out-of-state-students and an accelerated fee increase for out-of-state students in line with other universities.
The Board of Regents, which includes Atkins, is meeting in San Francisco Wednesday to consider a proposal to hike tuition by 5 percent a year over the next five years. Under the proposal, in-state students would pay $612 more for the 2015- 16 school year, or $12,804. Out-of-state students would pay the same increased rate, plus a non-resident fee of $22,878.
Gov. Jerry Brown also opposes the proposed hike, as does Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, an ex-officio regent.
UC officials maintain the hike is necessary to help recruit more in- state students, offset salaries, which are on average $116,000 for faculty, and higher pension costs.
Atkins said that the university administrators need to ensure Californians are getting the most for their money by increasing the amount of teaching that is required and limiting increases in administrators’ compensation.
