(Another) tuition hike looms

Come next fall, students attending Chico State could be paying an additional $498 in fees. That’s if—and it’s a big if—the state does not approve a budget increase for the California State University system for the 2012-13 fiscal year.

The CSU Board of Trustees met Wednesday morning (Nov. 16) to vote on the budget request, which includes an increase of $330 million. The 9 percent tuition hike would go into effect should the state deny the increase. (Put into perspective, in fall 2011 a Chico undergrad paid $6,862, up from $6,207 in 2010 and $2,070 back in 2001.)

“The CSU’s request is for the state to provide a level of funding so that a tuition fee increase is not needed,” explained Joe Wills, Chico State’s director of public affairs. In a bit of good news, however, Wills confirmed that there will be no midyear increases, even in the case of “trigger” cuts—cuts to the budgets of various agencies, including the CSU, should state revenue fall short come December.