CSU raises fees by 5 percent

The California State University Board of Trustees voted 10-2 Friday to increase undergraduate, graduate and credential fees by 5 percent for the 2010-2011 school year. Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado and and Trustee Russel Statham voted no on the fee increase.

Full-time undergraduate students will pay $4,230, a $204 increase. Graduate students will pay $5,097, a $252 increase.

Trustees also voted to increase fees for doctoral students to $9,546 and voted unanimously to remove the annual nonresidential tuition cap.

Students in the 23-campus system have seen their tuition rise six times since 2003. Full-time undergraduate students saw their fees rise twice last year, a $978 increase for the 2009-2010 school year.

Chancellor Charles B. Reed said in a public statement, “The board’s decision to limit the student fee increase to five percent is based on the Assembly budget proposal that provides additional state revenues. It will allow us to move forward with adding classes and sections for students this fall.”

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed 2010-2011 budget calls for a $305 million “reinvestment” in the CSU system and $60 million in enrollment growth.

The board has left open an option to look at the fee levels again if the proposed budget is not adopted.

In the past two years, the CSU has carried out several cost-cutting measures including furloughs, capping admissions and the reduction of classes and university services.