The increase in student fees recently approved by the UC Board of Regents continued the trend in higher fees within UCLA and other four-year public universities nationwide.
While it may be difficult to compare UCLA’s student fees to other public universities, due to the varying school-year breakdowns, such as quarter versus semester term lengths, there has been an upward trend in UCLA’s student fees over the past few years.
According to the fee archives on the UCLA Registrar’s Web site, the annual system-wide student fees paid by in-state residents have been on the rise since the 2000-2001 academic year.
The last time that student fees took a sharp increase was in the 2003-2004 academic year, after UCs faced $410 million in budget cuts ““ the equivalent of the funding for UC Berkeley at the time ““ according to the UCLA Registrar archives.
It’s the fluctuating levels of state funding, a large source of revenue for public institutions, which can often account for shifts in fee levels in public universities, said Sandy Baum, professor of economics at Skidmore College and a senior policy analyst for the College Board.
“They’re not getting enough from the state, and they’re using tuition to replace it,” Baum said.
The annual student fees for a California resident attending UCLA for the 2008-2009 year are $8,967.50, up from $7,713.23 the previous year. This increase is a result of the fee hike that the regents approved in May, and also the Green Initiative Fund, which was approved by students in the student council elections in the spring. The fund consists of a $12 annual fee to create a pool of funds to be used for sustainability projects.
When including the 7.4 percent increase in student fees approved by the UC Board of Regents, UCLA’s student fees are slightly above the national average of $6,185 for in-state residents at four-year public universities.
The increase in student fees at UCLA, a decision that was protested by several students at the regents’ meeting in May, came as a result of the proposed 10 percent state budget cut by Gov. Schwarzenegger.
The UC would have lost more than $300 million as a result of the proposed budget, but a revised plan allocated $98.5 million back to the budget in state funding, placing the university back to the same operating levels as in the 2007-2008 school year, according to a statement from the UC Office of the President.
Still, according to the statement, the university would still fall short of monetary funds necessary to cover inflationary cost increases, enrollment growth, and investment in other programs such as mental health. The increase in student fees would help offset this cost, though not its entirety.
An expected $70 million in savings is expected to come from student fees after funds are set aside for financial aid, while another $68 million is expected to help offset costs due to cuts and savings in administrative spending, according to a statement from UCOP.
“The decision to raise student fees is always an agonizing one. But given the current state budget situation, these increases are necessary, as one part of our effort to preserve the quality and accessibility of the university’s programs to the greatest extent possible. We will continue to place a high priority on student financial aid as part of our commitment to affordability,” said former UC President Robert C. Dynes, in an earlier press statement.
In the fall of 2007, the College Board, a nonprofit organization that offers college information for students, released its annual “College Trends” report.
According to the report, in the past decade, there has been a 4.4 percent average increase in public universities in the 2007-2008 year, after adjustment for inflation.
However, the national averages in the College Board’s report make it difficult to discern the wide disparities within the public university system itself ““ something the report acknowledges.
A four-year public university for an in-state resident can cost as little as $5,018 in southern states, and as much as $8,076 in New England, according to the College Board.
Prices for four-year public universities vary widely not only from state to state, but within the state as well, as evidenced by the California State University system, where annual fees for students are as low as $3,048.
Baum said that though finances can be an issue for families, student fees are not what typically keeps students from attending universities.
She said that ultimately, students and their families don’t pay the advertised price as a result of grants and financial aid, which lowers the published price.
“The fact is that what matters isn’t the sticker price,” she said, rather it is “the price you actually pay.”
According to the College Board, about two-thirds of all full-time college students pay less than the advertised price for a university because of financial aid.
Generally, students whose family incomes are below the $60,000-a-year mark would not have to pay the increases since a Cal Grant, federal grant, or UC grant would cover the costs, according to a statement on the UCOP Web site.
Regardless of financial aid, when compared to other large public research universities like the University of Michigan, UCLA’s student fee rate is lower.
At the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, one of three campuses for the university, the annual fees for an in-state student are $10,447.
At the University of Virginia, another large public university, the annual fees for in-state residents are $9,505, while the University of Texas’ fees fall closer to UCLA’s, at $7,670.
While such recent increases in fees have followed an upward trend in recent years, there is little chance of the fees faltering like they did in the 1990s, especially with the current economy.
Unless the state’s budget allows for larger appropriations for public education, public universities such as UCLA might continually find themselves unable to fund all of their programs, forcing more cutbacks and possibly higher student fees.