Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

Board blames increase on state’s budget woes as angry students protest

LOS ANGELES – The University of California Board of Regents approved a 32 percent tuition (roughly $2,500) fee hike last Wednesday and thousands of students at UCLA protested the authorization.

Starting next year, students will pay an additional $585 in January, with a second increase of $1,344 coming in the fall, according to the LA Times. The Times reported that UC education fees will cost close to $10,300, plus about another $1,000 for campus-based charges, for a total that would be about triple the UC cost a decade ago. Room, board and books can add another $16,000.

Filipino-American students will feel the cost of these recent fee hikes.

In an earlier protest, many Fil-Ams were concerned about the impact the potential fee hikes would have on their middle class parents and on other students who don’t qualify for financial aid.

Fil-Am Jan Victor Andasan and John Christian De Vera were among those who joined hundreds of students, teachers and University of California employees at UCLA who walked out during the first day of classes to protest other UC and state budget cuts.

The fee hike was in response to the state’s continuing budget woes.

Lawrence H. Lokman, Assistant Vice Chancellor University Communications, told the Asian Journal in a previous interview that the members of the UC Regents understand the frustration of students and faculty.

But the fact of the matter is "California is cut to the bone," he said. (Joseph Pimentel/AJPress)

( www.asianjournal.com )

( Published November 21, 2009 in Asian Journal Los Angeles p. A1 )