UC Board of Regents Approve Fee Hikes

The UC Board of Regents approved system-wide student fee increases at their UCLA meeting today.

The entire board, with the exception of Regent Eddie Island, Student Regent Ben Allen and Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, passed the 7 percent educational fee increase and 10 percent registration fee increase for all UC students.

Under the increases, which will be effective this summer, resident undergraduate students would pay $7,126 in mandatory system-wide fees while non-resident undergraduate students would pay $7,713.

Despite a restoration of $98.5 million for the university under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's revised budget that was released yesterday, the board also approved a 5 percent non-resident undergraduate tuition fee increase. This increase would raise fees by $953 to $20,201, effective fall 2008.

Although regents said the increase was unfortunate, many noted that its benefits would be reflected through financial aid. Thirty-three percent of the fee increase revenue will go towards financial aid for undergraduate students, while 50 percent will go towards graduate student aid.

"We have addressed fees for low-income students and you just heard it," said Board Chair Richard Blum. "Over one-third of our students are students that will not see any increases."

A board committee's initial approval of the increases prompted an outcry among more than 100 students at yesterday's meeting. After the committee approved the increase, 16 students formed a human chain in protest and refused to leave the vicinity, causing them to be arrested for the willful disturbance of a public meeting.

But Blum said tuition fee increases were not the primary issue and urged attendees to focus on lowering other costs, most notably housing.

"It is true that the costs of going to the University of California keep going up at a frightening rate," he said. "A little over two-thirds of that is the cost of living, the cost of transportation, the cost of housing. Fees are only a quarter to a third of that."

Today marked President Robert Dynes' last regents meeting. He will step down on July 15 and will be replaced by University of Texas Chancellor Mark Yudof.

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