The board of trustees for the Cal State University system approved a tuition increase of 15 percent today.
Tuition will increase 5 percent for spring 2011 and 10 percent for the 2011-12 academic year.
Lt. Gov. Abel Madonado, an ex officio member of the board, and student trustee Nicole Anderson were the only present members to vote against the 5 percent hike. Melinda Gomez joined the two in voting no on the 10 percent increase.
Both Maldonado and Anderson were vocal in their criticism of the increases in Tuesday’s meeting.
“This may seem like a small increase … but over time, it’s really adding up,” said Anderson, referring to the CSU’s multiple fee increases.
The board plans to ask the state to “buy out” next year’s 10 percent increase. Anderson, however, was skeptical on Tuesday that an actual increase would help this appeal.
The increase would amount to a “free pass” for legislators, she said.
“The Legislature is the root cause for the lack of funding,” Anderson added.
California Assembly Speaker John Perez was vocal in his criticism of the tuition hike — repeatedly questioning on Tuesday the boards’ economic claims.
“The numbers are not as dire as that representation,” said Perez , referring to a chart presented by the trustee’s committee on finance.
The committee on finance approved on Tuesday the motions to raise tuition, 6-1, and voted 14-2 on the 5 percent increase and 13-3 on the 10 percent increase, today.
“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.