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3rd Posting on Budget Deal With Tuition Freeze; The Aftershock

Byuclafaculty

This is our third posting on the budget deal now moving through the legislature that contains extra money for UC and CSU conditioned on a tuition freeze – all of which is conditioned on voters approving the governor’s November tax initiative.

Concerns are being expressed by both higher ed systems about the proposed budget.  CSU has already enacted a tuition increase which it would have to undo.  UC has not made a tuition decision but doesn’t like its hands tied in principle.  In theory, both systems set tuition independently of the legislature with UC having constitutional authority.  On the other hand, the legislature is not literally setting tuition but is trying to make an offer the systems can’t refuse.

From the LA Times this morning:

Lawmakers and the governor have no authority over tuition. The deal represents a bold attempt to use the state budget in their ongoing effort to force the University of California and California State University systems to keep the price of higher education in check… The Cal State Board of Trustees has raised tuition 9.1% for the fall. Officials said that rescinding the increase may not be feasible. “We haven’t actually seen the final budget language, but if it’s as described, we’re being asked to do the impossible here,” said Cal State spokeswoman Claudia Keith. “We passed a tuition increase that goes into effect this fall. We’ve already collected that money from our continuing students.”

University of California officials, too, raised concerns. UC spokeswoman Dianne Klein said the system may not be able to afford to hold off on a tuition increase on the promise that it would get money in the future. The UC Board of Regents had discussed the possibility of avoiding a 6% tuition increase if an additional $125 million were available in the budget year that starts Monday. But because the money would not be available until the next budget year, “there’s still a hole that we have to fill,” Klein said…

Full story at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-state-budget-20120626,0,1925801.story

It seems unlikely, despite the concerns, that we are going to refuse to go along:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeldwfOwuL8&w=320&h=195]

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