California's public university system is looking to increase its tuition for the 2024-2025 school year.
According to California State University's website, the university is considering a "multi-year tuition proposal." The website states that the proposal is a "revenue sustainability plan for system-wide tuition, nonresident tuition and the graduate business professional program fee."
"The CSU’s first priority and commitment continues to be to pursue full funding from the state and to collaborate with partners across the system to make the case in Sacramento for the level of new funding that supports student success," a statement on the proposal reads.
The proposal would impose an annual 6% tuition increase that is projected to "generate hundreds of millions of dollars."
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The proposal is expected to generate $148 million in revenue in the first year. CSU officials also plan to use that revenue to allocate $49 million to CSU’s State University Grant (SUG) program, a financial aid support program for low-income students.
Furthermore, the proposal would generate $840 million in revenue over five years.
The first increase in the 2024-25 academic year would be $342 for full-time undergraduate students.
Under the proposal, full-time undergraduate students would increase tuition from $5,742 to $6,084 in the first year. After that, tuition would increase by 6% each subsequent year, resulting in a full-time undergraduate student paying $7,682 a year by the 2028-2029 academic year.
Along with the tuition increase, trustees will evaluate the increases every five years.
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The LA Times reported, "Cal State officials say the hike is necessary to contend with a nearly $1.5-billion budget gap across the 23-campus system. A report released in May found Cal State is significantly underfunded, with its two main revenue sources — the state and tuition — covering only 85% of what it needs for student services, academic support, instruction and other expenses in the 2021-2022 year."
Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., promised a base increase of 5%, but it won't be enough to cover CSU's expenses the LA Times reported.
Currently, 60% of the system’s 460,000 students who have their full tuition covered through grants, scholarships, and waivers will continue to have their costs covered, officials said.
CSU officials want to keep the university affordable.
"We really care about affordability," CSU trustee Julia Lopez told the LA Times. "We really care about making sure that we don’t do anything that would in any way put barriers in terms of people attending the CSU."
One student group is planning to protest the tuition increase.
As of now, the tuition increase is still being discussed by trustees. Reportedly, they plan to vote on it in September.
The tuition increase would start each year for undergraduate and graduate students in the fall of 2024 through the 2024-2025 academic year.
CSU did not immediately respond for comment.
CSU comprises 23 campuses across the state and enrolls over 450,000 students.
