Many of the nation’s colleges and universities are raising tuition for students this school year, and the economic recession is having an effect on several Minority-Serving Institutions.
California State University, which has a large minority population, raised tuition and fees 20 percent for students this fall.
Joaquin Beltran, 25, a senior studying political science at California State University’s Los Angeles campus and president of Associated Students Inc., says there are several students who are being affected by the tuition hike.
“I’m one of those students,” Beltran says. “It’s those students who are working and living paycheck to paycheck. I can’t afford this increase.”
Overall, Beltran says the tuition rose 32 percent this year, including a 20-percent hike in July.
“We’re making it harder for students to maintain higher learning,” he says. “We’re hurting individuals, our state and our country.”
Timmons says higher education is considered a lesser priority. She says 32 states have had major cuts in higher education. ACE is collecting reports on what that means for tuition hikes because of budget cuts, staff layoffs and travel freezes.
