UC Tuition Hike Approved

Berkeley, CA – Amidst protestors, and the governor calling for a task force to look at improving efficiency in order to educate more students in a shorter period of time, the University of California’s Board of Regents voted to approve a tuition hike.

Students will now pay 5% more each year for the next five years unless the state devotes more money to the 10-campus system.

As reported yesterday, the tuition increase was opposed by legislative leaders and Governor Jerry Brown, who attended today’s meeting, although UC officials say the state has the power to reduce the total amount of the hike.

UC President Janet Napolitano explains, “With this plan we can invest in faculty.  This means we can increase course selection, speed time to graduation, and better support graduate education as well as undergraduate education.  But we cannot continue to do these things without additional revenue.”  She added this would bring clarity to the tuition and financial aid process for students.

One regent put the ball back in the Governor’s court, commenting Brown had recently vetoed a bill that would have boosted UC’s state funding by $50 million.  Another regent criticized the recent funding priorities for high-speed rail, water storage and a rainy day fund.

“All are important,” says Board Regent Bonnie Reiss, “but I say to our elected leaders, isn’t investing in public higher education an equally important priority?”

The full board approved the plan by a 13-7 vote.