SAN FRANCISCO
The University of California system overcharged 35,000 graduate and undergraduate students $33.8 million in fees four years ago, a state appeals court has ruled.
The San Francisco-based appeals court determined Friday that the Berkeley and Los Angeles campuses broke promises to freeze fees at the amount the students paid when they first enrolled.
Classes had already begun when UC raised fees in 2003 because of deep midyear budget cuts.
With interest, the university owes nearly $40 million.
The university is considering an appeal to the state Supreme Court, a spokesman said.
The ruling upholds a decision last year by a San Francisco judge. If the university doesn’t appeal, the case returns to the lower court to distribute the money.