LOS ANGELES--With only one dissenting vote, the UC Board of Regents approved a 32 percent increase in student fees to be implemented over the next two semesters.

Starting next semester, resident undergraduates will pay $7,473 in systemwide educational fees, increasing to $9,402 by next fall. Combined with the $900 systemwide registration fee, the increase marks the first time that the cost of an undergraduate UC education for residents will exceed $10,000.

University officials said the increase is expected to generate more than $250 million in revenue next year.

Regent Eddie Island supported the increase, despite a record of opposing fee increases, leaving Student Regent Jesse Bernal as the only member of the board to vote no on the fee increase.

The move was protested by approximately 600 students, faculty and staff who assembled outside the meeting at UCLA. More than 20 campus police and California Highway Patrol officers stood ready at the entrance of the building, armed with riot gear, batons and tear gas.

Protesters held several rallies outside the meeting throughout the day to oppose what they said was a lack of public input on the issue of skyrocketing fees. Many said the fees would put a UC education out of reach for low income and middle class students and lead to what activists have called the increasing privatization of the university.

The increase passed the board's committee on finance Wednesday after disruptions led to the arrests of 14 people, including 12 students. The public was ultimately barred from the meeting after disruptions led to meeting delays three times. Bernal was also the only dissenting vote during the committee meeting.

Tags: FEES, UC BOARD OF REGENTS