CSU Students Protest Proposed Fee Increase

KCBS-740, 4/24/07

Several hundred California State University East Bay students walked out of classrooms during the lunch hour today to protest a proposed fee increase.

The 2007-2008 CSU budget increases student fees by 10 percent, according to CSU officials. Current undergraduate tuition is $2,520. Raising it 10 percent, or $252, would bring tuition up to $2,772.

The CSU Board of Trustees approved the proposed budget in November and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger approved it in January, CSU spokeswoman Clara Potes-Fellow said today.

In June, the state Assembly and state Senate will have to put their stamps of approval on the budget before it can take effect. Those votes aren't expected until June 15 at the earliest, she said.

Potes-Fellow said that the fee increase is necessary in order to keep up with the increasing operating costs of the schools.

Students, however, fear that 10 percent increases will continue each year until 2010, significantly raising fees and making access to the schools more difficult for students.

Similar walkouts are planned at other CSU campuses across the state, including a walkout Wednesday at San Jose State University and a walkout Thursday at San Francisco State University, students organizers said.