The UC Board of Regents approved a tuition hike for the coming school year of nearly 10 percent Thursday. That’s on top of an increase made earlier this year. At UC San Diego, undergrads will pay $13,225 in mandatory tuition and fees.
Graduating seniors across the system have seen mandatory fees increase by more than $5,000 since the fall of 2008, according to Alfredo Mireles Jr.,the student representative on the board.
“I must point out that the students who have been at the University of California during the last few years have, simply put, been failed by the leaders empowered to make decisions on their behalf,” Mireles said.
The newest tuition increase goes about 26 percent of the way toward closing the system's budget shortfall. In order to help balance California's budget, the legislature cut $650 million in funding for the University of California. If state revenues do not increase as much as legislators projected, the system could lose an addition $100 million in the middle of the school year.
Chancellors for several campuses testified that their schools have cut as much as they can without losing educational quality; so raising fees is the only choice.
UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne Fox said the school is already less attractive to candidates for competitive research programs.
“Is there a way in which we will remain competitive if we continue to raise tuition for graduate students? The answer is no, you will not remain competitive," she said. "We’re starting to lose students, we’re starting to lose faculty in competitions.”
UC staff say financial aid will keep about 55 percent of the system’s undergrads from having to cover any additional tuition costs this fall.
