Higher education leaders this week are set to adopt some of the priciest tuition rate hikes in a decade for California's two public university systems.

Students at California State University and the University of California say the expected 30 percent boost for both school systems will be tough to absorb, despite months of warnings that fee spikes were coming.

"There's really no question we will be paying more," said Peter Ucovich, president of Associated Students at California State University, Sacramento.
"The question is how many of us will be able to afford it ... who will have to delay or even quit? And what does this mean about the long-term affordability of going to college in California?"

Said CSUS senior Erin Hicks: "Personally, I feel lucky that this is going to be my last year. I can manage it."

Academic officials lament the fee hikes but insist that, without them, the consequences would be far worse: mass layoffs, fewer courses and diminished quality at UC's nine campuses and CSU's 23 campuses. Both systems already raised fees 10 percent for the spring 2003 semester.

"I don't see how we can continue to provide the level of access and quality without asking students to pay more," said CSUS President Alexander Gonzalez, who just finished his first week in the campus' top post. "But I do think we can't lose sight of who public higher education in California is meant for."

Ultimately, the state's $38.2 billion budget shortfall could squeeze close to $1 billion out of the UC and CSU budgets for the coming academic year.

The slated cuts are so profound that UC and CSU officials warn that a 30 percent fee increase likely won't be enough to solve the problem. Last week, UC President Richard Atkinson floated the controversial idea of turning students away next year.

The governing bodies of UC and CSU meet Wednesday to vote. The UC Regents will consider an unusual two-part plan that would raise fees by 25 percent and give Atkinson authority to boost them an additional 5 percent.

"We have to make clear the magnitude of this budget problem," said UC spokesman Brad Hayward. "These deep cuts are leaving us with fewer and fewer options."

Still, UC and CSU leaders insist the higher costs won't undermine California's tradition of providing top-notch higher education at a modest price.

Under the 30 percent scenario, a full-time CSU undergraduate would see fees go to $2,046 from $1,572 -- a $474 boost for one year. For CSU graduate students, fees would rise to $2,254 from $1,734.

A 30 percent increase for a resident UC undergraduate would raise fees to $4,984, or about $5,300 once other mandatory campus fees are added. UC graduate students would face 25 percent increases -- up to $5,019 a year -- and pay roughly $6,346 with other campus fees.

Hayward said UC tuition would still be $1,200 below the average at four comparable institutions: University of Michigan, University of Illinois, University of Virginia and State University of New York. But students maintain that California's higher cost of living is ignored in those comparisons.

Both CSU and UC will return one-third of the revenue from the higher fees to financial aid -- enough, officials say, to shield the neediest students. UC also plans to offer some financial aid to middle-income students with family incomes ranging from $60,000 to $90,000.

"It may seem counterintuitive that fees are going up and we are saying, 'don't worry,' but that message really needs to get out," said UC Davis Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef.

Even with assurances of aid, Vanderhoef expects students will insist on deeper spending cuts before higher fees are set.

"But if you just make cuts, you have to worry about how far you go and whether you can ever recover," Vanderhoef said. "We have to ensure that we don't let the quality suffer, no matter what."

Most observers agree the student fee system is woefully in need of reform -- something that has proven politically impossible for years. Lawmakers kept fees steady for more than seven years as the state enjoyed unprecedented budget surpluses.

Steve Boilard, director of higher education in the Legislative Analyst's Office, said a fee plan that's adjusted year to year would be best for students and for the universities.

With the cost of community college also slated to rise this year, some say the timing might be right.

"I think we need to take advantage of the fact that the issue is salient," Gonzalez said. "Reasonable fees and more regular increases over time would make all of us less vulnerable to the tremendous swings in the budget."