Faculty and student-led organizations gathered at the Student Union’s patio area Tuesday evening to voice their concerns regarding a proposal to increase tuition for all students.
The California State University (CSU) proposed a multi-year tuition increase by 6% each year for five years and would start during the beginning of the 2024 academic year.
Library and information science masters student Trizha Loren Aquino helped organize the Students 4 Fair Tuition Campaign alongside fellow student organization members.
Loren Aquino said the campaign team was founded to promote student discussion and action following the CSU tuition proposal.
“We knew we wanted to do something on campus because it’s a topic that we needed to raise awareness on,” she said.
She said the primary goal for the campaign was to get people interested in giving a public comment either by email or in person at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach on Sept. 12 to vote on the proposal.
“(Public comments) are the most direct form of public action,” Loren Aquino said. “You can do it in person or online ... we wanted to make sure we got those directions out there somehow.”
Flyers were handed out to students on Seventh Street with a summary of the CSU Board’s proposal and a QR code with information about how to take action.
She said SJSU was her first choice for graduate school because it is the cheapest program for her desired degree.
“I was a community college student and transferred to a four-year university,” she said. “I, from the beginning, have always needed to look for more affordable avenues of education.”
Loren Aquino said she worked full-time throughout her undergraduate years.
According to the CSU Multi-Year Tuition Proposal, nearly 60% of undergraduate students enrolled in the CSU system have the full cost of their tuition covered by grants or waivers.
The California State Student Association (CSSA) is a student-led organization that strives to improve the lives of CSU students by advocating for student needs and engaging students in system-wide, state, and federal higher education policy making, according to its bio.
Estevan Guzman, the director of legislative affairs for Associated Students and political science and government sophomore, said the proposal for tuition increase by the CSU Board has been on CSSA’s radar for the past three months.
“Throughout this time, I have seen a lack of consideration for students,” he said.
The plan proposed by the CSU raises the cost of a full-time student’s annual tuition from $5,742 to $7,682 by 2028, according to a CSU webpage.
“(California State Student Association) is taking active steps to make our voices heard, but we require all of you to be active and voice your own personal experiences for us to win,” Guzman said.
History senior John Duroyan is a member of Students for a Democratic Society SJSU and spoke at the event.
Students for a Democratic Society SJSU is a progressive student-activist organization that tackles social and economic issues, according to their Instagram bio.
“While many students are knee deep in debt, we are barely given any relief,” he said. “And instead of extending a helping hand, we are saddled with ridiculous measures like this tuition.”
Duroyan said students have already paid thousands of dollars for tuition while enduring the high cost of living in the city.
“(The proposal) is a blatant attempt of pinning students against faculty, and a poor attempt at that,” he said.
Duroyan said the CSU Board should be able to meet faculty demands without placing burdens on students.
“Students for a Democratic Society SJSU condemn this 6% proposed tuition hike by the Board,” he said. “We see that this tuition will do nothing but hurt students while putting money into the pockets of administration members who do not care for their students, faculty and staff.”
Sociology Lecturer Chris Cox is the California Faculty Association (CFA) representative for racial and social justice.
According to its bio, the CFA is a union of 29,000 professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors and coaches working toward transforming higher education into a more inclusive environment.
“The CSU has money in its figurative bank account ... it can pay its bills,” Cox said. “It does not need to short-change us to pay its bills.”
He said the CSU needs to rework its system if it wants to increase enrollment rates of both undergraduate and graduate students.
“The people who are studying should be able to get a high quality education and walk out of here without 20 years of student loan debts hanging over their heads,” Cox said.
He said the proposal follows a trend of individuals at the top of the CSU Board of Trustees running the CSU system as if it were part of the corporate world.
“Be careful to not fall so quickly for whatever game they want to play ... we all have to be mindful and do our homework,” he said. “When they say ‘There is no money,’ we have to ask, ‘Is that right?”
The event came to a close as Trizha Loren Aquino offered instructions on how to give a public comment.
“Giving a public comment is a space to make your voice heard,” she said. “Share your thoughts, opinions and your story because these are all things that are vital at providing input on policies that are going to affect all of us.”
