CSU Increases Fees to Sustain Enrollment, Classes and Services

Trustees request funding from Governor and Legislature to 'buy out' 2011-12 increase.

By

The California State University Board of Trustees today approved a two-step state university fee increase needed to sustain enrollment, classes and services for current students. The Trustees approved a mid-year increase of five percent —or $105—for 2010-11 that will go into effect Jan. 1, 2011 for the winter/spring terms. In addition, the Trustees adopted a 10 percent—or $444—annual increase for the 2011-12 academic year that would become effective for fall 2011.



However, due to financial aid, approximately one-third of all SDSU undergraduate students will be fully covered for the fee increases. Additionally, students not fully covered by financial aid will also benefit from newly expanded federal tax credits available for family incomes of up to $180,000.



"While we appreciate the funding that we did receive in this year's budget, the reality is our state support is roughly the same as it was five years ago and we have 25,000 more students," said Dr. Benjamin F. Quillian, CSU executive vice chancellor for business and finance. "In addition, part of the funding we received—$106 million— was one-time federal stimulus money that is being used at the state's direction to admit 30,000 more students. These students will be on our campuses long after this one-time funding has been exhausted, and we have to ensure that we have the ongoing resources to support them."



Due to the uncertainty of the state's fiscal outlook, and also to provide students and parents with additional time for financial planning, CSU is also planning a state university fee increase for 2011-12. The Trustees indicated that they will request the state funding needed to "buy out" the proposed 2011-12 fee increase. If approved by the governor and legislature, these funds would make it possible for the CSU to rescind the fee increase.



The CSU Trustees voted 14 to 2 to adopt the mid-year fee increase with Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado and student Trustee Nicole Anderson voting against the increase. Trustees voted 13-3 to adopt the 2011-12 tuition increase with Melinda Guzman joining Maldonado and Anderson in voting against the proposal.



SDSU Student Health Services Fee

In addition, SDSU President Stephen Weber approved a campus fee increase to support SDSU’s Student Health Services which will also go into effect this spring semester. After an alternative consultation process, the fee was recommended by the Campus Fee Advisory Committee, which consists of students, faculty and staff. It increases the student health fee from $85 per semester to $150 per semester (from $60 to $110 during summer session). This fee increase will protect the vital healthcare services offered by Student Health Services which are available to all students at no or low-cost.



Mid-Year Tuition Increase

In January of this year, the Governor's 2010-11 proposed budget assumed a 10 percent raise in CSU state university fees as part of an overall partial restoration in funding. In June, the Board of Trustees adopted a five percent increase after reviewing an Assembly budget proposal that would have provided funding for the remaining five percent. However, the additional funding was not included in the budget finally adopted by the legislature and the governor, leaving CSU resources approximately $64 million short of the governor's budget plan for 2010-11. The mid-year fee increase will allow the CSU to significantly restore services across the system including the addition of approximately 3,000 course offerings for winter/spring 2011. That number is expected to double in the 2011-12 academic year.



The five percent increase will take effect for the winter/spring of 2011 and will raise the state university fee by $105 per semester for undergraduate students, $234 for credential program participants and $252 for graduate students. Fees will rise from the current $2,115 to $2,220 for the spring semester for full-time undergraduate students.



Tuition Increase for 2011-2012 Academic Year

The Trustees also approved a recommendation to increase the state university fee by 10 percent for the 2011-12 academic year. The recently approved 2010-11 state budget provides partial restoration of about $260 million in state General Fund support for the CSU. In addition, the CSU received $106 million in one-time federal stimulus funds with the assumption that the funding will allow the university to serve a sharply increased level of enrollment. The planned 2011-12 fee increase would generate approximately $121.5 million in revenue (net of financial aid). This would ensure that CSU can provide adequate courses and sections to students, and allow campuses to make decisions that are needed now to support enrollment, student services and class offerings for next fall.



Full-time fees will increase by $444 per academic year for undergraduate students, $516 for credential program participants and $546 for graduate students for fall 2011. Undergraduate fees will rise from $4,440 to $4,884 per year.



The fee for the CSU Education Doctorate program is linked by law to the University of California graduate student tuition rate.



Finally, the board will ask the governor and the legislature to "buy out" the tuition increase by providing adequate funding in the 2011-12 state budget for CSU, allowing the university to rescind the fee increase.



CSU Tuition vs. Comparison Institutions

Despite prospective fee increases, CSU will continue to rank among the least expensive of comparable institutions in the country. Comparing CSU's proposed 2011-12 state university fee with the current tuition rates from comparison institutions, CSU's yearly fees of $5,834—which includes the current average campus fee of $950—would rank as the second lowest among 15 comparison institutions and would be $2,848 (33 percent) below the comparison average.



Financial Aid Available to Students

One third of revenue from fee increases will be set aside for financial aid. Through the awarding of State University Grants, Cal Grants and CSU tuition and fee waivers, approximately 180,000 undergraduate students— about 50 percent of all CSU undergrads and more than one-third of all SDSU students—do not pay fees and have their state university fee covered completely by financial aid. The CSU is also the largest recipient of Federal Pell Grants. Students with higher income or dependent students with higher income, may still qualify for many forms of financial aid and federal tax credits.