Students at the CSU system plan to protest proposed fee increases

Trustees at the Cal State University system are scheduled to consider several fee increases that would take place even if Prop. 30 passes on Nov. 6.

The fees are: The "graduation incentive fee" which would charge seniors who've earned 150 semester or 225 quarter units and additional fee per unit. This $372 fee would encourage "super seniors" to graduate fast.

The "repeate fee" of $100 per semester unit. In addition, students choosing to repeat courses will not be permitted to enroll in more than 15 units in the term.

Third-tier Tuition Fee. Currently, students with six units or less are charged at one rate, and students who take more than six units are charged a second rate. This recommendation proposes adding a third tier in which students enrolled in 17 or more units would be charged for each unit taken above 16 units at a rate of $200 per semester unit. According to the CSU staff report, adding a “third tier” to the CSU resident student tuition fee structure would "improve the fair distribution of needed classes to each undergraduate student. The third-tier would also dissuade students from signing up for extra course loads (and then often dropping courses later in the term) and avail additional course sections and 'seats' to be available for all students and give every undergraduate a better opportunity to carry a full course load."

Students at San Jose State are scheduled to demonstrate on Nov. 8, and at CSUMB on Nov. 13 at 3 p.m. in front of the library. The CSUMB rally will take place a day before Trustees are set to meet in Long Beach to consider the proposed fee hikes.