Fresno State Tuition Hike | ABC30 Fresno | abc30.com

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By ABC30

Friday, July 17, 2009

Fresno, CA "But you as students are the people who can hold them accountable."

Fresno State student, Russell Statham has a tough assignment next week.

Statham is the only student on the Board of Trustees for the entire California State University system.

On Tuesday, he'll meet with the board in Long Beach to discuss raising tuition by 22%. That's in addition to the 10% increase that was approved back in May.

"I take this decision very seriously, and it's a very difficult one because it will impact so many people in so many ways."

Statham talked about the upcoming vote at Fresno State Thursday. Faculty and students representing 7 different CSU schools attended the town hall style meeting, including Cal State Stanislaus senior Katherine Lurye.

If the fee hike passes, she'll have to shell out $900-more-dollars a year in tuition.

"My parents were both laid off their jobs, so they can only support me so much, and then I have to figure out how to do it on my own."

A tuition hike is just one of several changes CSU schools are facing as they deal with a $584,000,000 dollar budget shortfall.

On Wednesday, one of the employee unions at Fresno State approved a 2-day a month furlough for most of its administrative staff, a move that could impact student services. "And the library, all of the librarians will be on furlough two days a month, so how it's actually gonna look at the end of the day, we don't know yet until we see how all of the units have voted."

CSU Chancellor Charles Reed posted this statement on YouTube Thursday, describing the situation students and faculty is facing as dire. "I have never seen a massive reduction come so fast in the 40 years I have been in this business. It's nothing short of a mega meltdown financially."

The meeting to discuss a fee increase is this Tuesday in Long Beach. Several of the students at Thursday's meeting plan to attend.