On Friday, Student Affairs held a student forum to discuss the proposed University of California tuition and fee increases. This plan will increase students’ tuition by up to five percent annually over the next five years.
Members of Student Affairs began the student forum by explaining the reasons for the increased tuition, which include the structural deficits of each of the UC campuses. However, Student Affairs said that financial aid support will remain the same despite these UC tuition increases.
Additionally, students had the chance to voice concerns over this tuition increase. Many students expressed anger over UC President Janet Napolitano’s decision to increase tuition.
“The fact is, this is wrong,” said Harley Litzelman, director of the ASUCD Office of Advocacy and Student Representation. “Education should be free. Moving in this direction is wrong.”
Students also questioned what the effects of the potential tuition increase would be on the students’ ability to afford an education, as well as spoke about the need for students to have a role in determining the tuition increase since they are the ones affected directly by this change.
A potential alternative to this tuition increase discussed in the forum was for the state to provide funding to offset the increase. This plan would require the support of California Governor Jerry Brown.
Adrian Lopez, director of State Governmental Relations at UC Davis, said that students will need to step up their advocacy in order for the legislature to listen to them. Many students voiced the possibility of UC Davis students visiting legislators in Sacramento to directly appeal to them.
On Nov. 19, this new tuition and financial aid stability plan will be brought to the UC Board of Regents.
