Written by
Nannette Miranda, ABC7
SACRAMENTO, CA - To offset a $100 million mid-year budget cut from the state, community college tuition is going up $10 a unit to $46 a unit in May 2012.
A student taking 15 units will have to pay $150 more a semester. What hurts even more is students just saw their tuition go up $10 a unit this fall semester.
The news leaves students wondering how they're going to come up with the money.
"I have to see what I can do," Student Joshua Chadwick said. "My parents have stepped in more than they used to, which I hate. I'm almost 26. I hate having to go to my parents for money. It's ridiculous."
The latest $10 fee hike, though, only offsets a third of the $100 million cut.
Chancellor Jack Scott said many campuses will lose faculty and offer fewer classes.
Student Aundreia Shappelle said community college is now a 4 to 5-year plan.
"The first day of class we have people sitting on the floors, waiting in the halls, praying to get into classes and half of us don't get in," Shappelle said. "So you have to push your graduation date even further now."
However, the Brown administration points out while California will lose its distinction as the cheapest community college system in the country, it's still a deal.
"Of the 50 states, even with this $10 increase, we will be number 49," California Finance Department H.D. Palmer said. "Only the state of New Mexico will be lower than California."
"For $46, I'll take the hit," Student Kristof Mazur said. "Am I happy about it? No."
Still, some CSU transfer students said community college needs to be cheap in order to be able to attend a four-year college.
"I've only been at Sac State for two years. I have $20,000 in student loans," CSU Transfer Student Nora Walker said. "So had that been twice that, there's no way I could have gone without community college."
About 56 percent of community college students received tuition waivers for being low income last year.
The Chancellor's office predicts that could jump to as much as 70 percent with the $10 fee increase.
ABC7/KGO