California State University’s Unnecessary Tuition Hikes
The nation's largest public university system, California State University (CSU), has decided to increase tuition 6% each year for the next five years. The tuition hikes are said to be helpful to the students by using the extra revenue to provide support for them to achieve success and give more resources to faculty and staff. A report found that the money the system generates from the current students, already covers over 86% of what it costs to meet the needs of students, staff, and for the universities. Moving forward with the tuition hike will inevitably hurt many students, specifically those that identify as first-generation, low-income, Black, Brown, and immigrant college students. Despite the united disagreement from students, CSU decided to move forward with this action.
Ignoring students' needs is nothing new to CSU. Whether it's tuition hikes or reforming Prop. 13, CSU will stop at nothing to get what they want, even if it hurts their own students. Their insatiable greed has led them to hike up tuition despite there being little to no need to. Instead of reforming Prop. 13 and demanding money from people whose bank accounts will hardly know the difference, they take money from students working multiple jobs to make ends meet. Society demands we have an education to make a comfortable living, but makes it impossible to afford one.
Image Credit: Damian Dovarganes
Facing $1.5B deficit, California State University to hike tuition 6% annually for next 5 years
OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ | AP News | September 15, 2023