Hold on to Your Cap and Gown, Whopping Fee Increase Proposed for Cal State College Students

Cal Poly Pomona will be one of the 23 Cal State campuses to be impacted by the proposed 20% fee increase the system's trustees will consider July 21. If approved, annual undergraduate tuition will top $4,000 for the first time.

Hold on to your cap and gowns, if you ever earn one.

 The California State University system next week is weighing a proposed 20% increase that would come on top of the 10 percent increase that the trustees already approved in May for 2009-2010. The vote is scheduled for July 21.

If passed, the latest fee proposal would result in an overall 32 percent increase for 2009-2010. The resulting $978 increase over a year ago would bring basic state fees for full-time undergraduate students to $4,026.

If approved, the increase is expected to generate an additional $236 million in revenue for the 23-campus system. One-third of the amount would be allocated for financial aid to assist the neediest students, CSU officials said.

The proposed fee increase is not part of other campus-specific fees that students pay for such services like health care.