UC Students Protest Decision To Increase Tuition By 5 Percent Every Year For 5 Years
DAVIS (CBS13) — Tuition may be on its way up at UC campuses across California as a committee of the UC governing board tentatively approved a proposed five-percent tuition hike at all UC schools.
Gov. Jerry Brown told the committee on Wednesday that he opposes the increase and wants a task force to look for ways to restructure the system.
UC Davis demonstrators continued camping out at the administration building for the second day.
Students we spoke to like Elly Oltersdorf weren't happy about the decision.
"Regardless of whether or not the tuition hikes passed or didn't pass, the issues are bigger than that," she said.
The UC Board of Regents tentatively voted to increase tuition by 5 percent each year over the course of five years.
This would mean a student's tuition for the 2014-15 year would start at $11,220 before fees and room and board. By the fifth year, students will pay $14,319. A 10-year loan with no interest would cost $423 a month.
Sacramento State economics professor Sanjay Varshney says in order for the university system to stay competitive with other leading universities in the country, it has to keep up.
"The return on the investment may not be there," he said. "As the state funding cuts have kicked in, to keep the same revenue model in place, you have no choice but to increase tuition."
But Varshney says the real issue is the outdated university cost structure.
"The university curriculum, the university practices, the way we operate, they don't change that easily and I think the industry, the market, the country is basically demanding better answers from the university systems, saying 'the academic industry is overpriced and can become more efficient.'"
If the system doesn't restructure, Varshney predicts students might walk away from their higher debt, creating economic instability for the country that could trigger another recession.
Students say they plan to spend another night at Mrak Hall.
A full approval of the hike is expected tomorrow after a review by the full board of regents.
