Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis’s Statement on California State University Vote to Increase Tuition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 14, 2023

CONTACT: press@ltg.ca.gov (916) 445-8994

Sacramento – Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis issued the following statement on the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees’ vote yesterday to increase tuition for CSU students:  

“Today I voted against a 5-year, 33% tuition increase for our CSU students. Simply put, raising tuition and further increasing the total cost of attendance puts even more pressure on the backs of hard-working students and families. Every time I visit one of our CSU campuses, I hear from students that are struggling to keep up financially and this vote stands in sharp contrast to the values of our state and our fight for more accessible and affordable institutions.

California’s world-class system of higher education has changed the trajectory of millions of lives, giving families like mine a chance to experience the California dream. By providing access to an affordable CSU education, we are able to drive socioeconomic mobility, spark innovation, and produce a vibrant economy that benefits all Californians. I am disappointed in today’s vote, but I will continue to advocate for our students of today and those we will serve in the future.”

The proposal, which passed by a vote of 15-5, will raise tuition by 6% annually for the next five years. An in-state student will see an increase in their annual tuition from $5,742/year to $7,682/year. Although the 60% of students who currently do not pay tuition will see no change, the remaining 40% (~184,000 students) will experience an increase in their out-of-pocket expenses. The new policy will generate hundreds of millions of dollars to address the system’s $1.5 billion budget gap.  

Her comments can be found here.