SAN FRANCISCO “”mdash; The UC Board of Regents approved an 8 percent fee increase Thursday, raising fees to $11,124 for fall 2011.
Broader financial aid will be available through the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, granting a one-year waiver to families earning between $80,000 and $120,000 annually.
Regents discussed the increase for about 40 minutes. Individual regents expressed reluctance in approving another fee hike but said no other options remained in the face of rising costs.
State funding is also 10 percent below levels three years ago even with restorations made in the budget signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Oct. 9.
The University of California also must address rising mandatory costs exacerbated by a pension fund that went unfunded for 20 years.
“I came here with full intention of voting against this,” said Regent George Marcus. “But the case was made very, very, very compelling.”
Assemblyman Paul Fong read aloud a letter to the regents from John Perez, speaker of the California Assembly.
In the letter, Perez voiced opposition to the increases and said the legislature “worked hard to restore prior year funding reductions to the UC.”
He added that the legislature did not have time to discuss potential budget solutions with the regents after UC President Mark Yudof announced the proposal Nov. 8.
Regent Eddie Island offered support of the proposal but said he was disappointed that more options were not presented to the regents. He also said that annual student fee increases present a risk to the long-term viability of UC.
“We will yet meet the iceberg if don’t change way we’re doing (things),” Island said.
Student Regent Jesse Cheng and Student Regent-Designate Alfredo Mireles Jr. both dissented against the proposal.
Cheng said students have made enough financial sacrifices for education at UC.
The final vote on the fee increase was 15-5.