UC Board of Regents Committee Approves Tuition Increase

Thursday, a committee of the UC Board of Regents approved the proposed tuition increase plan. That being said, tuition will increase 5 percent per year for five years. The end result being a raised tuition price of a whopping 25 percent when the plan is complete. While the committee came to a consensus on the decision, the official passing of the plan came on Thursday. 

UC President Janet Napolitano stated at the meeting that “[t]his is a plan that is integral not only to the stability, but also to the vitality, of the University of California.” 

Details of the plan not only include raising tuition 5 percent each year but also include enrolling 5,000 more in-state students and 2,000 more out-of-state students over the next 5 years. 

Distractions such as the argument of "increased financial aid" were used to soften the blow, but ultimately students are left at a disadvantage due to the fact that they are still going to have to pull out more student loans.

Students from all 10 campuses stood outside the meeting and took buses from all over California to protest the decision, however it was ignored as the UC Regents committee went forward with their decision. 

"It's really upsetting [that] it affects so many communities and isn't just an issue here, but one that is a national issue," said ASUC Senator Dree Kavoussi.  

As an out-of-state student, I chose to come to a UC school for its world class education. The price of a UC out-of-state education is roughly $60,000 a year -- not including Greek life and extracurriculars -- which is comparable to the price of a private school's tuition.  

I admire the passionate activism that the students are encouraged to partake in at a UC school; yet, I cannot help but feel hurt and infuriated when the same institution that is supposed to encourage and foster the independent thinking and activism of students is the same one that is silencing us and adding a crippling cost to our education.