Regents look to raise out-of-state tuition at UCs

Wednesday, February 3, 1999

Regents look to raise out-of-state tuition at UCs

FEES: Proponents hope to balance budget while remaining
competitive

By Dennis Lim

Daily Bruin Contributor

Lianne Chew, an undergraduate student from New York, has a
message she wants to give Gov. Gray Davis and the UC Board of
Regents.

"Look for money somewhere else," said Chew, in response to
proposals from both the governor and the board to increase
non-resident tuition fees.

In budget proposals released by the governor and regents, both
suggested increasing non-resident fees to help balance the UC
budget. The regents suggested an increase for non-residents tuition
fees 4.5 percent, while the governor favors a 10 percent
increase.

The fee hike will help compensate for the $50 million shortfall
between what the UC asked for this year and what Davis offered, and
will help the state balance the state budget.

"The increase is a means for helping the state balance its
budget while allowing the governor to follow through on his promise
to keep student fees affordable," said Judy Day, principal budget
analyst for the governor.

This increase, if applied, will impact Chew and roughly 15,000
other non-residents in the UC system who pay about $9,500 more than
the average students.

Last year, the California legislature froze fee levels for
resident undergraduate students until 2001, Day said.

Brad Hayward, a spokesperson for the UC Office of the President,
stressed that the regents, who will have the final say on any fee
increase, have yet to taken any action on the matter.

"Proposed increases are not final," Hayward said. "The
university and the governor will meet in the spring to discuss gaps
in the budget."

"By that time, these conflicts may be gone and there may be no
need for fee increases," he said.

In May, the California Legislature will decide if the economy is
good enough to grant the $50 million the UC requested making a fee
hike unnecessary.

Though the regents have not discussed proposed budget cuts or
the possible fee increases, Regent Stephen Nakashima took a
tentative stance on student fees.

"In general, I’m against any increase in student fees,"
Nakashima said.

"However, I haven’t seen the exact proposal so I won’t make a
more definitive position until then."

A 4.5 percent increase in non-resident tuition would generate $5
million for the UC, while a 10 percent fee hike would bring in $11
million, Hayward said.

Chew believes such an increase in tuition would decrease the
number of non-residents applying to the UC’s.

"I know a lot of out-of-state students who made their college
decisions based on money," said Chew, a second-year education
student. "This is definitely something that would have steered them
away from going out-of-state."

Day and other non-resident students disagree with Chew.

Even if tuition fees rose by 10 percent, the largest proposal
thus far, student fees would only increase to $936 more a year per
student, said Day.

"That’s not that far off from what the fee level is now," Day
said. "And it certainly isn’t far from the out-of-state fee levels
at other public institutions."

David Aung, a second-year international student, believes the
cost of a UC education compared to other, more expensive private
institutions will continue to attract non-resident students.

"The UC’s are a really good bargain," said Aung, a
business-administration student. "They have a really good
reputation and even with the increase they’re still cheaper than
the private schools."

"This isn’t something that would have made me change my mind if
I had to apply to school all over again," he said.Related
sites:

The Regents of the University of California

The California Home Page

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