Demonstrations will erupt across California today as students protest the soaring cost of education — but the fury overlooks the fact that fee increases actually help poorer students by providing more money for financial aid.
The state of California is no longer subsidizing every college student's education. Instead, students whose families earn at least $70,000 per year are footing more of the bill, making it possible for students whose families earn less to pay no tuition at all.
The new "high tuition, high aid" model represents a profound shift that has taken root as California universities make good on a promise to accommodate every qualified student — even as the state faces year after year of billion-dollar deficits. Many experts say that without new taxes, there's no going back to free school for everyone.
That's bad news for students whose families earn more than $70,000 per year and will pay up to 30 percent more in tuition this year compared with last. About one-third of recent fee increases at the schools in the University of California and California State University systems go toward expansion of aid programs. The rest of the fee increases go toward instruction and student services.
Striking students disagree with the analysis. "This argument is not supported empirically," said UC-Santa Cruz graduate student Erin Ellison. "Research shows that applications from students of color decrease when tuition goes up.
There is sticker shock, and they don't believe the promise of support. It is very limiting."Fees at UC next year will top $11,000, while CSU's fees will be $4,827, the result of both systems raising fees 32 percent over one year. Increases in tax credits and Cal Grant programs will help some middle-income students with family incomes below $180,000, according to UC and CSU.
Canada College professor Robert Ovetz, who is helping organize local protests today, called it "a backdoor privatization of education as the state's share of its responsibility declines."
But Steve Boilard of the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office said fees are not the enemy. "They allow the