Faced with record high enrollments and the need to hire more faculty, the University of California and California State University are considering raising tuition for the first time in six years.
Leaders of both institutions say they need more funding to maintain the quality of the nation's largest public university system, which includes Cal State's 23 schools and the UC's 10 campuses.
The proposed annual hikes — of $270 at Cal State and $280 at UC schools — are being discussed this week by the governing boards of both systems.
About two dozen students protested Tuesday outside Cal State's Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach, California. Critics say the hike would put a bigger burden on students already struggling to finance their education and force more drop outs.
