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LA Times - November 19, 2009 | 5:43 pm
...It seems the recent decision by the University of California Board of Regents to increase student fees by 32% has caused not only a "students vs. regents" demonstration at UCLA's campus today, but also a "students vs. non-students" quarrel in our comments sections.
The fee hike that everyone is arguing about (justifiably so) will come in two steps by fall 2010. Basic UC education fees will rise then to about $10,300, plus another $1,000 for campus-based charges and an estimated additional $16,000 for room, board and books.
No wonder there is such a heated comments war in our blogs: With the raise, the cost of a UC education will be triple what it was a decade ago. Compared to other U.S. four-year public colleges, which have raised tuition and fees by an average 6.5% to $7,020 a year, a 32% fee hike is pretty notable.
On the L.A. Now blog, the battle rages on with two parties: non-UC students -- who seem to be a mixture of out-of-college adults, community college students and general California residents -- and current UC students. The former argue that current students are being unreasonably demanding.
Balancing the budget is never easy, is it?
Here is what the non-UC students have had to say so far:
Pablo defends his own interests against the fee hike protestors: Listen up, UC students. I'm about to lose my job and I'm close to losing my house. Do you want me to sell my 10-year old car so that I can pay for your incredibly cheap tuition?
He also said: Who taught these people that they were entitled to free (or unreasonably cheap) stuff in life?
Duken4evr believes UC students should explore other means available to pay for their education: They can always go to community college like the rest of us. Screw those spoiled brat UCLA students. Hit up your rich mommies and daddies for the difference. Cry me a river. What a bunch of useless losers.
SoCalReality presents a parent’s point of view: This state is bankrupt! Your FREE education ended at High School. You want to be treated like an adult, act like one and PAY YOUR OWN WAY. The UC system already subsidizes your education with fees below their cost. What you want is continuing "Student Welfare" on the backs of us Tax Payers; go to a cheaper collage or to a Cal State like my kids. But NO, you want caviar education paid by others. GROW UP!
And Reality takes a stand about the actual educational material: IF UC wants to save some money...get rid of the worthless soft-science degrees such as gender and ethnic studies and make those profesors get real jobs instead of pusing their anti-American rants on the tax payer dime!
Then UC students took a stand (after the jump):
UCLA STUDENT expressed his/her point of view: As a UCLA student, in the thick of things, getting a student job, student loans and summer jobs are not enough. The student jobs that everyone suggests we get are not available, there are fewer of them, and they are limiting the amount of hours we can work each week. Many of these jobs are also at minimum wage. Furthermore, do you not think we already have student loans and summer jobs? We are already struggling to make ends meet, and for many, these fee increases are going to break our backs. The protests, however, are not just about the fee increases, it is also the devaluing of our degrees. In an effort to save money, they have fired all the "lecturers" at UCLA. They are also trying to decrease the number of classes we need to get our degrees. This means we are putting out less qualified less informed students. At this rate, not only will we be paying more, we'll be paying more for less. Before you ask us to stop whining, consider the reality of our situation.
Concerned Gaucho talked about the reality of the hikes for low-income students: I am a current UCSB student and the fee hike is going to seriously hurt my chances of remaining here. As a low-income student, I do not have the ability to ask Mommy and Daddy for money. I pray that the state will somehow compensate some federal funding because a shift to private assistance will hurt the "public" school system.
And the kiss of death, at least to any UCLA Bruin or anyone who can't afford a private school, is what John had to say: After these fees hike, it might be cheaper to go to USC than UCLA. USC at least gives plenty of financial aid...link to complete LAT article
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