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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 16, 2000
Chuck McFadden (510) 987-9193
Charles.mcfadden@ucop.edu
UC BUCKS NATIONAL TREND OF STUDENT FEE INCREASES BY NOT INCREASING
THEM FOR THE SIXTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR
By not raising student fees for six consecutive years, the University
of California is bucking a national trend, according to a survey released
today by the College Board.
The survey shows college fees and tuition increased by an average of
4.4 percent at public four-year institutions nationally this year, with
students paying $148 more annually in academic 2000-2001 than they had
the previous year.
By contrast, UC's mandatory systemwide student fees did not increase
for the sixth year in a row because of funds provided in the 2000-2001
state budget. In fact, these fees for resident undergraduates decreased
a total of 10 percent during the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 years, and fees
for resident graduate academic students were reduced 5 percent in 1999-2000,
thanks to state funding.
In a separate tabulation, UC is one of only nine surveyed land-grant
institutions nationwide to avoid increases in student fees in academic
2000-2001, according to figures from the National Association of State
Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC).
The association extrapolated fee data for its members from the larger
College Board survey. The NASULGC survey included a mixture of 73 member
university systems as well as individual campuses.
"The College Board figures point up the fact that the University
of California continues to provide a superior education at extremely low
fees because of the generosity of the governor, the Legislature and the
people of California," UC President Richard C. Atkinson said.
Mandatory systemwide student fees at UC in 2000-01 total $3,429 for resident
undergraduates. With the inclusion of campus-based miscellaneous fees,
the average total for resident undergraduates is $3,964. This figure is
more than $1,200 below the average of fees charged at the four public
universities around the nation (Illinois, Michigan, SUNY and Virginia)
that UC uses for fee-comparison purposes. The average at those institutions
is $5,243.
Mandatory systemwide fees for resident graduate academic students at
UC total $3,609 in 2000-01. The total including campus-based miscellaneous
fees averages $4,747. This figure is more than $2,100 below the average
of the comparison group ($6,887).
Additionally, the 2000-01 state budget provides funds to make summer
fees equivalent with the rest of the academic year, beginning next summer.
Historically, summer fees have been higher than the rest of the year because
the state has not provided financial support for summer instruction.
The other NASULGC institutions that avoided student fee increases are
the California State University, University of Massachusetts at Amherst,
City University of New York, State University of New York, Oregon State
University, the University of Oregon, Portland State University and the
University of Wisconsin system.
The College Board reported that more than $68 billion in total aid from
federal, state, and institutional sources was available to students and
their families in 1999-2000, an increase of 4 percent over the previous
year after adjusting for inflation.
In California, an expansion of the existing Cal Grant program guarantees
college financial aid awards to graduating high school seniors and other
students who meet the program eligibility requirements. Students can begin
applying for the Cal Grant programs as early as January 1, 2001.
The College Board report is available on the Web at www.collegeboard.org/press/cost00/html/001016.html
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