Napolitano postpones proposed tuition increase until fall quarter
By Jeong Park
Feb. 18, 2015 8:17 p.m.
The University of California will not raise tuition for the upcoming summer sessions, UC President Janet Napolitano announced in her lecture at USC Wednesday.
“Because (budget) discussions are still ongoing, and because the Legislature is still at work putting together the state budget, I am announcing here today that UC will not implement a previously approved tuition increase,” Napolitano said in the lecture.
She said the University is doing this as a good-faith gesture with respect to ongoing negotiations, and to free students from uncertainty and unpredictability.
In November, the UC Board of Regents passed a proposal to increase tuition by up to 5 percent annually for the next five years if there isn’t a sufficient level of state funding. According to the proposal, the tuition increase would begin in summer 2015.
This delays the potential tuition increase to fall quarter, although Napolitano said she hopes the hike can be avoided.
Currently, UCLA undergraduate students pay $271 per unit and graduate students pay $339 per unit for summer session classes. An undergraduate student who takes 12 units during the summer pays about $3,400 for the session, which accounts for other fees as well.
California Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) praised the announcement in a statement.
“With the Assembly beginning our top-to-bottom review of UC’s budget (Wednesday), I am sure we will be able to identify savings, as well as increased state funding, that will help ensure UC remains a world-class treasure,” Atkins said in the statement.
Compiled by Jeong Park, Bruin senior staff.
