Undergrad students at UCSD and other UC schools across California will not see a tuition hike this fall.
On Wednesday, the UC Board of Regents voted to freeze student tuition -- at least for now -- at this year’s level, which is $12,192.
All but one regent on the board voted to support Gov. Jerry Brown’s Proposition 30 tax plan on the November ballot, saying it was the best, most fiscally responsible option for the university.
With that, regents also endorsed the state’s 2012-2013 UC budget and agreed to freeze student tuition for the current academic year -- as long as Brown’s initiative passes in November.
Prop 30 would temporarily raise personal income tax for those earning $250,000 or more and state sales tax by one-quarter of a cent for four years. Those temporary increases would generate approximately $8.5 billion in new state revenue and help return stability to both California and the university.
However, if voters reject the plan in November, students could face a sharp, mid-year increase in tuition rates of as much as $2,400.
In addition to possible tuition hikes, UC would also be forced to consider cost-cutting measures such as academic program closures, hiring freezes and layoffs if the initiative doesn’t pass.
“Given this context, I am asking you, as the regents of this great university, to endorse this revenue initiative. I realize that it may not be the best tax policy possible. I realize that if I were a policy expert at a think tank, I might design a different initiative. But I am an officer of the University of California. You are its stewards. And this initiative is a step towards stability that we simply cannot afford to dismiss,” said UC President Mark G. Yudof on Wednesday.
After the vote on Wednesday, Brown dropped into the regents meeting to thank the board for their support.
Follow NBC7 for the latest news, weather, and events: iPad App | iPhone App | Android App | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Instagram | RSS | Text Alerts | Email Alerts
