Faced with at least $330.2 million in cuts for the 2003-04 academic year, the California State University Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to boost student fees by 30 percent, saying they have no other choice in light of a disastrous budget situation.

For Cal State University students, the increase raises annual student fees $474 for undergraduates (from $1,572 to $2,046 per year), and $522 for graduate students (from $1,734 to $2,256).

The tuition hike, passed on an 11-2 vote, is the second in just seven months. In December, the board voted to raise fees by 10 percent for undergraduates and 15 percent for graduate students.

"The CSU continues to be at risk because of the state's budget crisis," Chancellor Charles Reed said. "We may face even deeper cuts ahead, so the need for a student fee increase is necessary to maintain quality and access."

CSU officials maintain that student fees will still be the lowest among comparable universities.

Bob H. Suzuki, president of Cal Poly Pomona, defended the board's action in light of what he described as the "draconian economic crisis" facing the state.

"If fees were not increased, Cal Poly Pomona and the other CSU campuses would have to turn away thousands of qualified students and would not be able to offer all the classes students need, thus delaying their graduation and entry into the work force by as much as a year," Suzuki said. "The economic cost of these consequences to individuals and the state would be far greater and more damaging than the fee increase."

The increase in CSU fees will generate $190.3 million, which includes $63.4 million in financial aid for students, according to Patrick Lenz, assistant vice chancellor for budget.

In addition, the CSU will reduce enrollment growth by 2 percent and cut some 2,300 vacant or frozen full-time positions on the 23 campuses and Chancellor's Office.

Such faculty positions are forecast to be reduced by 3.9 percent while other positions will experience reductions of up to 11 percent.

Board trustee Ricardo Icaza and student trustee Alexander Lopez opposed the fee increase, arguing accessibility should be the top priority and that too little has been done to balance the budget in other ways.

"The CSU administration has shown a disturbing lack of effort, lack of creativity and lack of inclusiveness in dealing with the budget," Icaza said. "Our administration needs to try harder to protect students' education. We trustees are being asked to take actions that will drastically change the opportunity for Californians to get an education. I am not convinced these are the best solutions."

According to Icaza, other solutions to the budget crisis could involve seeking alternative funding sources, including foundation money; making cuts in management spending, such as allowances, travel and retreats; and postponing implementation of the multimillion-dollar Common Management System computer project.

Nearly 200 students, faculty and staff members attended Wednesday's meeting in Long Beach, holding signs which read, "No fee increases" and "Don't increase our fees." Many who addressed the board became emotional during the 2-hour meeting, some suggesting that they would take matters into their own hands.

"I want to appeal to my fellow students and to the professors here today, if the Board of Trustees increases fees, I say that we should strike," Cal State Northridge graduate student Michael Hale said as students and staff in the audience cheered. "We need student and teacher solidarity. We need to protect the CSU for the working class who are the most served by this system."

Shortly after the board's vote, students let out chants as they streamed out of Glenn S. Dumke Auditorium.

Outside the chancellor's office, about 45 students shouted, "Layoffs, fees, we've got to fight back!"

At Cal Poly Pomona, fee increases are not sitting well with students.

"That's a lot, and the part that gets me is that there have been so many cuts in classes and now they are going to increase fees," said 19-year-old Kristin Santamaria, who will be a junior in the fall.

With class cuts, school becomes less accessible for students, according to Santamaria.

"Some students are forced to take summer school because their classes are not offered during the year," the West Covina resident said. "Some have to wait two years before the class they need is offered...Graduation gets postponed, that happens to a lot of students here."

At the University of California, regents have also recommended raising student fees by as much as 30 percent.

The 5-4 committee vote on Wednesday is expected to be confirmed by the full board today.

College officials say the fees are unavoidable because of sharp cuts in state funding brought on by the $38 billion state budget deficit.

"We are now on the verge of doing great long-term harm to the academic quality of the University of California unless we take action," UC President Richard C. Atkinson said.

The UC committee vote recommended raising in-state student fees to approximately $4,974 per year, an increase of 25 percent. It also gave Atkinson the authority to raise fees another 5 percent if necessary.

To meet its overall shortfall, the University of California is expected to cut non-instructional programs by nearly $400 million, is considering borrowing as much as $50 million and will restrict enrollment for 2004-05.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.