Fee hikes worth the cost

Correction: The original version of this article published on Nov. 19 contained an error. The Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan was expanded to cover students from households making less than $80,000 a year. Students from families making between $80,000 and $120,000 a year will still pay tuition, but will be granted a one year holiday from the fee hike.

My “Principles of Economics” class has inculcated me with the following: As long as there is a growing demand for a commodity, producers will supply that good at increasing prices. This simple principle explains the second possible fee hike we now face within two years.

As earning a college degree becomes more common, its decreasing value is hardly a secret. And in this scramble for college diplomas, the competition to graduate from the most reputable school becomes more pronounced.

UCLA not only offers its students higher education, but also a degree from one of the most prestigious schools in the nation; and among the various University of California schools, the eminence is not exclusive to this university. The increasing tuition is part of an effort to preserve UC academic superiority. The quality of the UC schools, the demand for a college education and the maintenance of excellence ultimately allow the UC Regents to continue raising fees, even against student opposition.

If I were to continue my economic analogy, degree “inflation” would be the appropriate term. The reality is, regardless of how expensive tuition is becoming, graduating college is essential to obtaining the same opportunities a high school diploma once offered. The predicament leaves students with no alternative but to attend college, and by college, I mean the “best” school that admits them.

Although a multitude of factors comprises the superlative university for each individual, national ranking plays an enormous influence on the majority. Personally, I found UCLA appealing because it is a top-tier school among colleges nationwide. Would it be too far-fetched to presume many of my cohorts are here for the same reason?

The influx of aspiring freshman applicants is growing, reaching a record number for the matriculating class of fall 2010. Despite the ensuing 8 percent tuition increase, the mass of students that wishes to attend this school continues to grow; the total number of applicants remains more than unscathed.
While I believe all Americans are entitled to an education, I also trust universities reserve the right to uphold their standard of excellence. Here, a form of preservation is increasingly expensive tuition.

To accomodate financially pressed families, the UC system will expand the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan so most students from households making less than $80,000 a year will be free from paying tuition. Previously, the plan was available to students from households making less than $70,000 annually. Students from families making between $80,000 and $120,000 a year will still pay tuition, but will be granted a one year holiday from the fee hike.

If California residents obstinately refuse to accept the fee hikes, in the end, it’s our loss.

The UC schools are highly admired universities on a national level, so recruiting out-of-state and international students is a very viable option (and one that is already being embraced for the extra revenue). Such a move is not outlandish when non-residents compose only 15 percent of the student body at UCLA compared to more than 30 percent at other public universities, such as those in Michigan and Colorado.

There was a “study-in” at Powell Library on Monday night in response to the potential 8 percent escalation in tuition (in addition to the 32 percent rise last year). The event aimed to illustrate that students here cherish an affordable education and their place at UCLA. While I advocate affordable education, I also wish for a brilliant education. And currently, cheap and great don’t go together.

The maintenance of this university is a group effort, and the harsh reality is UCLA’s reputation is in danger. To claim that I was unconcerned by UCLA’s recent slip in US News and World Report’s ranking would be a blatant lie.

We can blame a myriad of rationalizations for the temporary slide, among them being the budget cuts. But the bottom line is UCLA may soon be cut from the first page of US News undergraduate rankings while I twiddle my thumbs in anxiety.

For me, the fact that UCLA can and will continue to increase tuition to uphold its excellence puts the future value of my college diploma at ease. I realize that as long as this school is affiliated with other top-notch universities, a UCLA diploma will be in high demand.

Don’t think fee hikes should be a fact of life? E-mail Lee at [email protected]. Send general comments to [email protected].