While Cal State Long Beach students are familiar with increasing student fees, students at San Diego State University are preparing for a much larger fee increase of up to $500.
Beginning next fall, SDSU students may be required to pay a larger sum per semester as part of a proposed “SDSU Student Success Fee,” which would provide funding to hire more faculty members, among other things, according to a website about the fee.
SDSU Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Kathryn J. LaMaster said the campus has been discussing the possible fee increase for a few years now.
“Last year, student success was a big part of our plan, and it started to get traction and become a bigger idea,” LaMaster said.
Currently, SDSU students pay $647 in mandatory campus fees per semester, according to the CSU website. If the SDSU Student Success Fee passes, fees could increase from $200 to $500 more per semester, according to the website.
The SDSU fee increase was proposed because there have been drastic budget cuts to the CSU system, CSU spokesman Mike Uhlenkamp said.
“It is to provide meaningful access and quality education,” Uhlenkamp said. “The bottom line is to preserve or enhance academic life for students.”
If approved, the increase would be used to hire more tenure-track faculty and provide additional funding so the university can enhance student success through expanded academic programs, according to the website.
LaMaster said the fee increase is essential in fulfilling the university’s needs.
“It is absolutely important for the future of the campus,” LaMaster said. “We want to make sure we continue to strive towards excellence, hire quality faculty, add classes and serve the needs of the universities’ population.”
Uhlenkamp said students can offer comments about the proposed fee increase at one of 28 forums to be held at SDSU this month.
“We are inviting the student population to come and listen to a presentation where we describe the state of the economy and talk about four different possible levels [of] the fee … [as well as the] option of no fee,” LaMaster said. “After the presentation, [students will] fill out a form to choose what option they want.”
SDSU students, though, will not be able to vote on the fee as it lies in the hands of Cal State University Chancellor Timothy P. White.
The chancellor can either approve the increase or keep the fee at its current amount, CSU spokesman Mike Uhlenkamp said.
If White approves the increase, students will be able to pay the fee in increments rather than paying the full amount immediately, according to a website about the fee.
LaMaster said it is too soon to tell what the student’s thoughts are on the proposed increase.
“We have only had four forums, it’s still a little early,” LaMaster said. “More students are hearing about it everyday, and conversation around the campus will grow and hopefully more students will participate.”
Uhlenkamp said White will take the student voice into consideration.
“It is a deliberate process,” Uhlenkamp said. “The chancellor will review the students’ input and will ultimately make the decision.”
