By Brittanie Gutierrez |Staff Writer|

The California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees approved a $270 tuition increase to take place fall 2017.

According to a statement released from the CSU Office of the Chancellor on March 22, the tuition increase will “generate $77.5 million for student success initiatives.”

“If our advocacy efforts do not result in adequately funding the trustees’ budget request, the revenue generated by this increase will allow us to add faculty, courses, advisors and other resources to improve students’ opportunities for success,” said CSU Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Steve Relyea.

At CSUSB, students have felt the impact of lack of courses available due to faculty shortages.
During registration time, stress is at an all-time high because the process becomes a game of ‘who can click the fastest.’

“Every quarter there are students having to scramble around to try to add a class or sit in classes hoping for a spot to open up,” said student Alejandra Ronquillo.

A course may be available only during certain terms, which can cause complications with graduating on time.
“I would like to see an increase in the number of courses offered. It can be hard to get a class that only has one section open,” said student Shelly Gunther.

The revenue that will be generated from the increase will be geared towards student success efforts, one of which will be the Graduation Initiative 2025, which plans to double graduation rates.

“With California currently on pace to fall one million bachelor’s degrees short of the number required for the future workforce, CSU campuses can graduate an additional 500,000 students over the next decade with sustained funding for the initiative,” according to the CSU Office of the Chancellor.

In a community and campus like CSUSB, where most students attend due to affordability, the $270 increase is not taken lightly, despite benefits.

Currently, tuition is $5,472, excluding the purchase of books and a parking permit, which could potentially cost another $300 and even $1,000.

By fall, it will now be $5,742—minus those necessities mentioned.

“I think it’s going to put a lot of unnecessary financial stress on a lot of students. And not just students who don’t receive aid,” said student Reyna Holguin.

According to the CSU press release, the increase will not affect those who receive some form of financial aid services.

“I think it’s going to make it harder for people who already have to pay out of pocket and for the people who take out loans because it’s less money they have towards books and stuff,” said student Brittany Logan.
This is the first tuition increase since 2011. The increase was raised by 10 percent, from $4,440, to the current cost of $5,472.

That increase was $1,032, nowhere near the $270 increase.

Regardless of their academic standing in the undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and teacher credential programs, all students will have to pay the tuition increase.

“There are many of us that have chosen CSUSB because it is a place close to home and there are a lot of us who have chosen this campus because it’s the most affordable,” said Ronquillo.

“With the rise in tuition this may no longer be the case,” continued Ronquillo.