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If you're an in state student, you probably have already heard on the news this morning that Arnold has announced a 10% fee increase for next year.

If you're out of state, it will be a 20% increase, bringing fees up to around $24,000 a year plus room/board.

GRaduate students will get a 40% increase in fees.

No word yet on how programs will be affected - the UC's had already announced a hiring freeze earlier this year and indicated that they may need to cut some programs or limit admission depending on how much the budget cut amounted to. Since the budget's main cuts for education are going to be focused on higher ed programs, I suspect we will see these types of things in the months ahead.

By Dstark (Dstark) on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 02:59 pm: Edit

For in state students, tuition is still a deal. Ten percent increase in dollar terms is going to be less of an increase than many schools. Out of state is going to cost $24,000 for all UC's? Sounds too rich for most of them.

By Barrons (Barrons) on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 05:35 pm: Edit

My friend with an out of stater at UCSB will have a stroke.

By Becks777 (Becks777) on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 06:11 pm: Edit

Wait....are the budget cuts really a big deal?, or is it just one of those things you hear in the news but are hardly affected by it. Can californians really feel it. I mean, a 10 percent increase is not a lot right, fees go up every year

By Coureur (Coureur) on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 07:21 pm: Edit

Well, this 10% increase comes on the heels of a 30% increase just last year. 10% here, 30% there and pretty soon these things start adding up to some real money.

By Andrey1225 (Andrey1225) on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 01:14 am: Edit

didn't Arnold espouse education and no hikes in college tuition throughout his recall campaign? i honestly could have sworn i remember him talking about not raising fees....he's also cutting a bit from primary and secondary education, which isn't what he promised either. im beginning to think he really isn't a middle-of-the road Republican, but an evil one bent on special interest domination at the expense of vital programs. bush did the same thing: campaign as a centrist but become wholly conservative as soon as he took office. this is why all good people are democrats...

By Welshie (Welshie) on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 02:43 am: Edit

Not to burst your bubble Andrey but CA is drowning in huge debt and cuts are necessary, same with increase tuition. These reforms might not be the most popular but it's nice to see that someone finally has the guts to take the unpopular, yet appropriate, action. As far as Bush goes- he isn't the conservative you have him cracked up to be. In his term, federal spending has increased by 23.7% and new Medicare reform is the greatest (and most expensive) in many years. Last, but not least, Mr. Bush is opening the borders far more than any conservative would traditionally agree with.

-Jesse

By Barrons (Barrons) on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 12:55 pm: Edit

Audrey, many states have had similar or worse cuts and life marches on. Uva had a 40% cut from the state and has managed to maintain programs. There is much much fat in most university budgets.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 01:02 pm: Edit

I agree with Dsstark - for instate students, fees will still be a bargain - the average cost of comparable public universities, according to our morning newspaper, is over $8,000 for in state students - even with the increase the UC's will still be below that. The cal states are a real bargain - even with the increase, they're still under $3000 a year. When you look at the actual cost, they're still a bargain.


But, for out of state students, it will be a big increase - over $4,000 - with more indicated for next year.

Honestly, I'm not sure why anyone from out of state would still want to go to a UC when you could go to many good private schools for close to what you'll pay at a UC (and perhaps even less if you consider the possibility of financial aid and merit money).

One other thing I noted in media coverage this morning: in addition to the fee increases, the budget calls for caps on freshman enrollment for next year. Hope everyone who applied to UC's has a back up plan just in case.

By Shauna (Shauna) on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 11:06 pm: Edit

Yup, Carolyn...in addition to the fee hikes, they will cut their freshman class by 10%.

Yikes. Let's just hope Ah-nuld doesn't cut the scholarships, because that's the only way I'm going to be able to go...contingent on me actually getting IN.

Shauna

By Kluge (Kluge) on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 - 01:08 pm: Edit

The quoted "tuition" doesn't include about $1000 in extra (and mandatory) "fees" at every UC and CSU campus. And Welshie, re: "unpopular, yet appropriate" actions, I'd dispute that characterization as to the popular, yet inappropriate, cutting of the auto registration fee to 1/3 the level it had been at from the 1930's until 1999 (which was when the "temporary" car tax rebate was instituted because of the flood of income tax money coming from the dot com boom.) Cutting taxes on luxury cars while increasing tuition is just shifting the burden from the affluent to the young - and that's not what I call "reform."

By Barrons (Barrons) on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 - 07:34 pm: Edit

One pays plenty of tax on a luxury car when it is purchased. Once is enough. Tabs should be in the $50-$100 range and no more.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 10:51 am: Edit

An article in this morning's newspaper covered the UC regents meeting that was held on Monday.
Apparently there is a possibility that the regents will ask for a BIGGER fee increase next year for both instate and out of state students than the percentage the Gov. has requested in order to prevent cuts in faculty funding, research, etc.
It is not definite yet - just on the discussion table - keep an eye on www.ucop.edu for updates.

By Massdad (Massdad) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 11:19 am: Edit

...and this is big part of the reason I discouraged my D from applying to any UCs this year. We are out of state, and I don't think UC tuition at over 24K per year and rising is such a great deal.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 12:44 pm: Edit

We are out of state, and I don't think UC tuition at over 24K per year and rising is such a great deal.
>>

MassDad - I agree totally. I think the UC's will still be a good choice for in-state students but to me, it has never really made sense to pay private school tuition for a public school education with all of its attendent potential drawbacks.

By Tsdad (Tsdad) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 02:00 pm: Edit

24K? A little bit less than we're paying at USC.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 02:32 pm: Edit

Add in room and board at the UC's and you're looking at $31,000 or so - similar or not much less than you'd pay at many good private colleges elsewhere. And, certainly a LOT more than you'd pay as an in-state student at your own state's public schools.

By Kluge (Kluge) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 04:36 pm: Edit

Carolyn, I'd question your assessment of the in-state cost of UC vis-a-vis other state's public schools. While "tuition" looks good, the "fees" and dorm costs at other state's schools are significantly less than at any California school - UC or CSU. Tuition+"fees"+room&board cost for in-state UC is already significantly higher than the same figure at most other public universities, not lower. This is an example of fiddling with numbers to hide true costs - pretty common these days. (Actually, we don't have "tuition", do we? Just "fees.") I compared the total cost of my son attending a Washington school to UC and found that even paying out of state tuition in Washington the total cost was similar.

By Dstark (Dstark) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 04:56 pm: Edit

Kluge, what out-of-state schools equivalent to the UC's are cheaper for California students?

By Kluge (Kluge) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 05:34 pm: Edit

I'm not aware of any out-of-state schools "equivalent" to the UC's which are cheaper for California students. There are many public schools in other states which are cheaper for their residents, but out of state tuition brings the total cost for California students going out of state to the same range as going to UC. Example: UC Riverside gives an estimate of $19,500 total cost per year for California resident students. Washington State U total cost estimate is $15,500 for Washington students, $23,500 for California (hence, out-of-state) students. U of Ore is similar to Wash in-state, a little higher out-of-state. And as to what is "equivalent" - well, that may be in the eye of the beholder.

By Bluebins (Bluebins) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 05:37 pm: Edit

Cal Grants are (quietly) getting cut in half. The Cal Grant makes a low income student more attractive to a private school because low income students were bringing Cal Grants with them worth up to $9700. Not anymore.

By Dstark (Dstark) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 05:39 pm: Edit

So, Kluge, based on your 5:34 post, the UC's for in-state students are the best deal when comparing public institutions, price wise. People might want to leave the state to get a different experience, but not to save money.

By Jamimom (Jamimom) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 05:43 pm: Edit

My S is looking at UCLA and USC as an eastcoaster. There would be a significant difference between the costs of the two schools, enough to cover the distance cost issues of going to school that far away since airfare will have to figure in strongly and more items will have to be purchased that could justs be thrown into the back of the wagon here. However, it may be a lot easier to get into USC as an out of stater, and housing is probably more availabel at the private school.
The cost of sending a student to a top private college is really close to $50000 a year unles you are careful and frugal. IF you are honest about all of the costs, the visits, the dinners out, the junk bought, the tab can really skyrocket. My friend who has always been tight with his money and counts every dime that goes out told me that his son's Harvard education ran him easily $200,000.

By Kluge (Kluge) on Thursday, January 15, 2004 - 06:11 pm: Edit

Dstark: Correct. While most other states' public university total cost estimates run about $12,000 - $14,000 for their residents, compared to $19,000+ for Californians at the UC's, the non-resident surcharge usually brings the cost to a Californian of being an out-of-state student elsewhere to $20,000 - $25,000.
I'm no expert - I just go by the estimates the schools themselves provide on their websites.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 11:53 am: Edit

I see your point Kluge but where on UCR's web site does it say estimated cost per year for instate is $19,000? When I look at UCR's financial aid page estimate of costs (http://www.finaid.ucr.edu/handbook/cost.html) it estimates cost for students living in University housing to be $14,706. Maybe the difference in your number includes books and spending money?

By Kluge (Kluge) on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 01:07 pm: Edit

Your numbers are from 2000-2001, Carolyn, and hence 30% + lower than the current figures. But you make a good point. The "total cost" estimates from different colleges include estimates for books, transportation, and "personal". Logically those items will vary more from student to student than from campus to campus, yet the "books" figures I've seen vary by 50% (from ~ $900 to ~ $1400) and the "personal and transportation" estimates have similar variances. The site I got the $19,501 number from is here: http://www.finaid.ucr.edu/cost.html
It would be handy to have a "basic" number which just included all fees (whether called "tuition" or not) and the standard dorm room & board cost. At the UC campuses that number runs from $15,300 at Riverside to about $17,000 at Berkeley and UCLA. For comparison, U VA gives $11,740 for those same basic costs for in-state students; U Mich about $14,500; U Wash $11,800. So UC isn't a "bargain", even when compared to other highly regarded public universities.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Friday, January 16, 2004 - 01:27 pm: Edit

OK, I got it now. Yes, based on that information I'd say the UC's are no longer a bargain, especially when you consider factors like class sizes, class availability, etc. at some campuses. In fact, some students may actually do better to apply to private schools that give decent financial aid. That's what happened to a friend's daughter who applied to UC Davis and the University of Redlands in addition to several other privates. She ended up with almost no grant money from UC Davis - all of her financial aid was in the form of loans. Meanwhile, the University of Redlands offered her a solid package that included merit money, financial aid grant, work study and a much smaller loan amount.

I wonder if as the prices of the UC's go up Calif. students (and guidance counselors) will start considering other options such as the cal states and privates more often. I also read this morning that part of the new education plan is to accept students for UC's with the understanding that they will complete their first two years at a community college. It appeared that this was going to be a different program than the current TAG program (think that's the name).