Cal State University students may face a 9 percent tuition increase next fall, bringing their average annual cost of attendance up to $7,017. Cal State Long Beach students may pay as much as $6,738.
The university system’s Board of Trustees will vote on Nov. 16 whether to raise tuition by $498, but, if it approves the hike, it will also ask state legislators to “buyout” the tuition increase before the upcoming academic year.
The CSU is planning to ask the state for $397 million in additional funding. This includes $138 million to cover the cost of the tuition increase and $190 million for enrollment growth.
The university system does this amid an increasing possibility of additional cuts in state support. Before the end of this year, the CSU will likely face $100 million in cuts on top of the $650 million it faced last summer.
The board executed a similar plan in 2010 when it raised tuition by 10 percent for the 2011-12 academic year, but it failed to convince legislators to cover the cost of that increase.
CSU officials said this type of maneuver gives students time to prepare for an increase if one is needed.
“We don’t want to catch students off guard,” said Erik Fallis, a CSU spokesman.
Since 2009, the CSU has approved five separate tuition increases, nearly doubling the 23-campus system’s cost of attendance.
In fall 2008, students paid $3,048 on top of mandatory campus fees. If the 9 percent hike is approved, students will pay $5,970 on top of mandatory campus fees — a 96 percent increase.
The average mandatory campus fee is $1,047. CSULB charges students about $768.
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