Cal State raises undergraduate student fees by 5%

The California State University Board of Trustees on Friday approved a 5% fee increase for undergraduate students for the fall, taking action at a special board meeting in Long Beach.

The fee hike translates to a $204 increase for full-time undergraduates, bringing the total university fee to $4,230 for the 2010-2011 academic year. Including campus fees, the cost for an undergraduate to attend a Cal State campus would rise to $5,097.

The trustees also increased fees for graduate business and professional degree students by 5%. They also approved a 10% fee increase for doctoral education students and eliminated a cap on non-resident tuition for out-of-state students.

The fee increases are expected to help close a $100-million funding gap. The university is counting on additional state revenues and could consider more fee increases in November.

Last fall, undergraduate fees rose 32%, after an unprecedented reduction in state support, resulting in a deficit of $584 million.

Before the meeting, about 30 students held a protest, arguing that trustees should consider alternatives to fee hikes.