Students on the CSU Stanislaus campus Monday were bracing for the possibility of a vote later this week that could bring further fee hikes.
Although California State University Board of Trustees decided to delay their vote on the second proposed tuition fee hike within the last six months - the reprieve will be short-lived.

According to the office of the chancellor for CSU, trustees were scheduled to act on raising student fees for the 2003-04 year on Wednesday in Long Beach, but chose to delay the vote for two reasons: Gov. Davis is scheduled to release the May revision to the state budget on the same day and depending on the recommendation more cuts could be on the horizon; and secondly, the delay will allow student and faculty advocates to voice their concerns and present possible alternatives to trustees.

“Another fee increase will significantly impact the working-class student,” said Artemio Pimentel, California State Student Association chair. “The potential for disaster is huge.”

Pimentel, a CSU Sacramento student, will travel to Long Beach along with members from the California Faculty Association to speak against the proposed 25 percent fee increase for undergraduate students and 20 percent hike for graduate students.

“We can no longer balance the state budget on the backs of students,” said Pimentel. “It needs to change.”

According to Pimentel, 80 percent of CSU students work - 36 percent work full time, but a fixed income provides little or no wiggle room within their personal budget for their education.

Mary Stephens, vice president of business and finance at CSU Stanislaus, said in the past CSUS has not experienced a drop in enrollment tied to fee increases, but it’s difficult to discern at what point that might change.

Currently, CSUS funnels one-third of all student fees back into financial aid so those who cannot afford the tuition can still acquire a higher education, but should the number of paying students drop, it could put a strain on the availability of financial aid.

Becka Paulsen, assistant vice president of financial services at CSUS, said 40 percent of all CSUS students receive some kind of state, federal, or university financial aid.

“It is never pleasant to raise student fees,” responded CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed in a release. “But, if we are to continue to provide access to California’s students, they must increase.”

Stephens added that in addition to the current budget crisis forcing cuts, other costs such as benefits and cost of living have also risen, which have further forced the issue of tuition hikes.

In December, CSUS raised tuition costs by 10 percent for undergraduate students and 15 percent for graduate students after the governor slashed the CSU system’s budget by $125.4 million. CSUS’s share of the reductions translated to $1.5 million for the 2002-03 academic year.