Over 172,000 of the 412,000 students in the CSU system rely on financial aid to pay for college, according to the California State University website.
Students say they are concerned about receiving financial aid once the California State University Board of Trustees approves of a 12 percent tuition hike for the 2011-2012 academic year.
“Cal State East Bay offers students more than $69 million in grants, loans, scholarships and other financial aid each year,” said a CSUEB financial aid office assistant.
However, with the growing financial concerns in the United States, students are becoming increasingly concerned with their future financial aid.
“I am concerned about not receiving financial aid because that is the only way I am able to afford school and living on campus,” said CSUEB student Kameron Wilks.
In 2011, the state of California approved a budget which reinstated a percentage of funding to the California State University system.
At the same time, with the state’s growing debt, budget cuts and tuition hikes were also approved.
“While we appreciate the funding that we did receive, the reality is our state support is roughly the same as it was five years ago and we have 25,000 more students,” said Dr. Benjamin F. Quillian, CSU executive vice chancellor for business and finance.
Students across the CSU system say they fear the upcoming school year and how varying issues in the state will affect their education.
“The budget cuts worry me because I’m not able to take as many classes, especially being a masters student, I couldn’t take any graduate classes this summer,” said San Francisco State masters student Susan Jeet.
For CSUEB students, budget cuts affect the number of classes being offered and the sections available to them, which prolongs graduation for many.
Some students do not see this as a concern, as classes have already been cut and drastically altered.
“The budget cuts are not going to really affect my classes, besides the fact I will not be receiving a refund check like I usually do,” said Wilks.
The tuition fee increase will be an additional $294 per semester in addition to the ten percent for fall that had been approved last November.
According to CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed, one third of the revenue from the fee increases will be used for financial aid students.
“Even though they say we’ll still get financial aid, I’m worried,” said Jeet. “I can’t get the classes I need, forcing me to stay in school longer and pushing me further into debt with the loans I receive.”
