In light of continually rising tuition, the California State Student Association has sponsored AB 970, a bill designed to limit the impact of future tuition hikes.
“Over the past ten years we have seen a constant trend and even more recent trend of tuition increases that we need to start counteracting,” CSSA President Gregory Washington said.
AB 970, which is also sponsored by Assemblyman Paul Fong, would mandate a six-month period from when a tuition increase is announced to when it would go into affect.
The bill would make any future increases in tuition more “predictable,” Washington said.
While this does not block future increases, the bill gives students more time to plan, he added.
During this six-month period, the Chancellor’s office would also have to break down how the increase in fees would be used.
“It’s not the end all deal solution that we are hoping for,” Washington said.
But the system-wide student government president says sponsorship of this bill is the highest level of involvement the CSSA can have.
“Sponsorship allows you to be collaborative with the writing of the bill and submit changes for it,” Washington said.
In addition to sponsorship of AB 970, CSSA is working to increase financial aid for students.
CSSA believes if there were an increase in financial aid for students, it would countereffect tuition increases, Washington said.
AB 970 has gone through both the Assembly Higher Education Committee and the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Washington says the bill has been sidetracked because of the current issues with the budget but hopes the bill will go to the floor next month.
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