UC considers raising student fees

KELSEY RETTING/Daily Bruin First-year Asian American Studies
student Diana Ngo, who works at the Coop’s Pizza
house, said that "If people took into consideration what students
go through, a lot of them have to work."

By Andrew Edwards DAILY BRUIN CONTRIBUTOR
[email protected]

Though Gov. Gray Davis’ May budget revision keeps UC
student fees at current levels, there is talk among UC
administrators that increases in fees may be necessary in the near
future.

In fact, UCLA’s Vice Chancellor of Budget and Finance said
many UCLA officials advocate a fee increase, though they are not
actively pursuing a fee hike at present since it is a priority of
the governor to keep fees low.

“There has been quite a bit of conversation that the
University might have to raise student fees,” said Steve
Olsen, Vice Chancellor of Budget and Finance.

Olsen said he was personally in favor of raising student
fees.

As the state faces financial troubles caused by the post Sept.
11 economic downturn, a student fee increase has been suggested by
many to fill a multi-million dollar budget hole. Davis chose to cut
UC programs rather than to raise fees.

Davis “held the line,” on student fees, said Chuck
McFadden, spokesman for the UC.

KELSEY RETTING/Daily Bruin Third-year biochemistry student
Jason Wong said, "It sucks," in reference to the
raising of student fees.

Most cuts in UC funding proposed in the governor’s May
revision are directed at outreach and research programs. Olsen said
that under the current budget the UC would not suffer as far as
instruction is concerned, though he described the financial
situation as “quite perilous.”

Even if the quality of instruction is not compromised, if fees
do go up, some UCLA students may need to find jobs or work longer
hours.

“(Increasing fees) would definitely force a lot of people
to get jobs,” said Michael Leung, a fourth-year psychobiology
student.

For many, it is tough to balance work with studies.

“It’s a lot when you have sixteen units and you
could be studying instead,” said Anchulee Raongthum, fourth
year anthropology student, who said she works 15 hours a week.

Those in favor of a fee hike say that Davis’s proposed
cuts would impact key programs.

UCLA administrators are “extremely concerned about cuts
that have been proposed,” Olsen said.

He added that officials across the UC system, not just at UCLA,
are discussing possible fee increases.

Olsen cited cuts in funding for university partnerships with
K-12 schools and the elimination of $36 billion that had previously
been allocated to UCLA annually as a replacement for revenues that
otherwise would have been raised by student fees.

“These things add up after awhile,” he said.

At this time, discussion on a possible fee hike is still in its
early stages.

“I think the best way to put it is that there is no
specific proposal to raise fees,” he said.

Currently, student fees are set in the state’s annual
budget. Some within the UC have suggested an alternative
method.

There have been discussions towards the development of a
long-term plan that would take student fees out of the”ups
and downs” of the state budget, said Chuck McFadden.

McFadden stressed that at present this idea has gone “no
further than conversations.” He also said that it would not
be accurate to refer to the proposal as an actual plan.

“It’s really no more than people talking about the
desirability or feasibility … of some long-term arrangement
whether student fees would not be subject to a roller coaster
ride,” he said.

Though the idea of taking fees out of the annual budget process
is still in its infancy, some at UCLA see it as a step in the right
direction.

“I think it would be better in the long-run. It allows
them to focus instead of allocating general funds and spreading it
around,” Leung said.

Though a fee hike is a possibility in the future, McFadden
pointed out UC efforts to keep higher education affordable.

“Bear in mind … that the UC has not raised student fees
for seven consecutive years, which is a pretty good track
record,” he said.