Tag Archives: college fees

Former UCLA Student Body Prez Senator Dean Florez: Higher Education Fee Stabilization Bill

In order to further the lively discussion of funding of the California College and University system I have posted the exact text of Senate Bill 969 which was INTRODUCED by California State Senator Dean Florez on February 5, 2010.

The bill is to be known as: The California College and University Fee Stabilization Act of 2010



Florez, a former UCLA Student Body President and Candidate for California Lt. Governor, by introduction of this bill, provides for the stabilization of fees and allows those paying for an eduction in the CA College and University system some reasonable idea of what the tuition/fees for a four year degree will cost–The Cost The First Year Remains The Same Through Ones Senior Year.

It should be pointed out to those reading the text of this bill, or any bill, proposed legislation goes through a process in which modifications are proposed and/or made to a bill, and in a prefect world, make the proposed law “better.” Senator Florez, by introducing the bill has started the process in which interested/effected parties provide input to CA State Legislators to, as necessary, strengthen the bill and let them know of YOUR SUPPORT of the goal of the Legislation introduced. It is more common than not that a bill of any size or significance does not becomes law with the exact language and provisions that are present when a bill is introduced.

Another way of saying this is: Former UCLA Student Body President Florez has “opened the door for the public to provide input and support.” Just getting a bill introduced is often the biggest hurdle to new laws! Senator Florez has “thrown the ball” and it is up to the public to “catch the ball and run with it.” The introduction of the California College and University Fee Stabilization Act of 2010 is OUR TIME, OUR OPPORTUNITY. We have the opportunity to, to paraphrase President Obama: BE THE CHANGE WE ARE LOOKING FOR WHEN IT COMES TO HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS.

BILL NUMBER: SB 969 INTRODUCED

BILL TEXT

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Florez

  (Principal coauthor: Senator Price)

                       FEBRUARY 5, 2010

  An act to add Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 66150) to Part

40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to public

postsecondary education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

  SB 969, as introduced, Florez. Public postsecondary education:

California College and University Fee Stabilization Act of 2010.

  Existing law, known as the Donahoe Higher Education Act, provides

for a public postsecondary education system in this state. The 3

segments of the public postsecondary education system are the

University of California, which is administered by the Regents of the

University of California, the California State University, which is

administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and

the California Community Colleges, which are administered by the

Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges and the

community college district governing boards. The provisions of the

Donahoe Higher Education Act apply to the University of California

only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California

act by resolution to make them applicable.

  Existing law authorizes the Trustees of the California State

University to require that fees, among other charges, be paid by

students at that institution. Existing law requires the governing

board of each community college district to charge each student a fee

of $26 per unit per semester, effective with the fall term of the

2009-10 academic year. Existing provisions of the California

Constitution require the Regents of the University of California to

have all powers necessary or convenient for the effective

administration of the university.

  This bill would enact the California College and University Fee

Stabilization Act of 2010, which would place limits on increases in

mandatory systemwide fees, as defined, charged to students enrolled

in the 3 segments of public postsecondary education. The bill would

limit mandatory systemwide fees that are charged to resident

undergraduate students enrolled in the University of California, the

California State University, or the California Community Colleges to

a specified amount, based on the average total cost of education, as

defined, at the respective segment. The bill would prohibit each of

the 3 segments from charging a resident undergraduate student who

commences enrollment in an undergraduate degree program at that

segment for the fall term of the 2011-12 academic year, or any

academic term thereafter, mandatory systemwide fees in an amount that

is greater than the amount of the fees in effect at the time the

student commenced enrollment in the undergraduate degree program. The

bill would prohibit mandatory systemwide fees charged to resident

undergraduate students enrolled in the University of California and

the California State University from being increased, in any academic

year, by an amount exceeding 5% of the fees charged for the

immediately preceding academic year. With respect to the per unit per

semester fees that community college districts are required to

charge to students enrolled in the California Community Colleges, the

bill would declare legislative intent that those fees not be

increased by an amount exceeding 5% of the fees charged for the

immediately preceding academic year. The bill would prohibit an

increase in mandatory systemwide fees charged to resident

undergraduate students enrolled in any of the 3 segments that is

adopted on or after January 1, 2011, from becoming effective before 6

months have elapsed after the date on which fee increase is adopted.

  The bill would provide that the act does not apply to the

University of California, except to the extent that the Regents of

the University of California adopt a resolution making it applicable.

The bill would request the regents to adopt policies that are

consistent with the act.

  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.

State-mandated local program: no.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 SECTION 1.  Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 66150) is added to

Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:

     CHAPTER 3.5.  STUDENT FEES

  66150.  This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the

California College and University Fee Stabilization Act of 2010.

  66151.  As used in this chapter, the following terms have the

following meanings:

  (a) (1) “Average total cost of education” means the amount

calculated by dividing the total cost of education for the University

of California, the California State University, or the California

Community Colleges, whichever is applicable, by the total number of

full-time equivalent students enrolled at that segment.

  (2) For purposes of paragraph (1), “total cost of education” means

the following with respect to each of the following segments of

public postsecondary education:

  (A) For the University of California and the California State

University, the sum of appropriations and projected revenues from all

of the following:

  (i) The General Fund.

  (ii) Higher education fees and income.

  (iii) The California State Lottery Education Fund.

  (iv) Reimbursements.

  (B) For the California Community Colleges, the sum of

appropriations and projected revenues from all of the following:

  (i) The General Fund, including appropriations pursuant to Section

8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution.

  (ii) The State School Fund.

  (iii) The California Lottery Education Fund.

  (iv) Reimbursements.

  (b) “Mandatory systemwide fees” means the fees that all students

enrolled in the California State University or the University of

California are required to pay in order to enroll in courses for the

academic term pursuant to any law or any policy adopted by its

governing board. With respect to the California Community Colleges,

“mandatory systemwide fees” means the fees specified in paragraph (1)

of subdivision (b) of Section 76300.

  (c) “Regents” means the Regents of the University of California.

  (d) “Resident” means a student who is exempt from paying

nonresident tuition pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section

68000) of Part 41.

  (e) “Trustees” means the Trustees of the California State

University.

  66152.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

  (a) Fees at California’s public postsecondary educational

institutions, including the University of California, the California

State University, and the California Community Colleges, have

undergone steep increases in recent years.

  (b) Over time, fee levels have been erratic and unpredictable, and

have left families unable to realistically plan for the future.

  (c) Recent fee increases demonstrate a trend toward the state

shifting a greater share of the costs of attaining higher education

onto students and families.

  (d) Students and families face the increased challenge of paying

higher fees and an increased share of educational costs at a time

when state unemployment rates continue to soar and as families

continue to struggle to make ends meet.

  (e) Barriers to attaining higher education posed by skyrocketing,

erratic, and unpredictable fee levels come at a time when experts

warn that California needs to produce more college graduates to meet

the state’s workforce and economic needs.

  (f) If the state does not take action to ensure that more

individuals attain a college university education, California will

have one million fewer college graduates than it needs in 2025.

  (g) As of 2025, only 35 percent of working-age adults will have a

college degree in an economy that would otherwise require 41 percent

of workers to have a college degree.

  (h) Failure to address this shortage by, in part, ensuring that

skyrocketing, erratic, and unpredictable fees do not continue to

serve as a barrier to attaining higher education will hamper the

state’s economic recovery and threaten California’s ability to remain

competitive in the increasingly global economy.

  66154.  By enacting this chapter, it is the intent of the

Legislature to do all of the following:

  (a) Limit the increases in student fees at the state’s public

postsecondary educational institutions and help students and families

plan for the future by bringing predictability and consistency to

fee levels over time.

  (b) Enact a rational, moderate, and predictable fee policy that

recognizes the partnership between students, families, and the state

in preparing California’s future workforce.

  (c) Ensure that the share of costs that students and families pay

at the state’s public postsecondary educational institutions remains

below the national average and reflects a reasonable contribution to

expect from students and families.

  66156.  (a) For each of the following segments of public

postsecondary education, the mandatory systemwide fees charged to

resident undergraduate students for any academic year shall not

exceed the following amounts:

  (1) For the University of California, 40 percent of the average

total cost of education for that academic year.

  (2) For the California State University, 30 percent of the average

total cost of education for that academic year.

  (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that, for any academic

year, the mandatory systemwide fees charged to resident students

enrolled in the California Community Colleges, pursuant to paragraph

(1) of subdivision (b) of Section 76300, should not exceed 10 percent

of the average total cost of education for that academic year.

  66158.  Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of

Section 76300 or any other law, a community college district, the

trustees, and the regents shall not charge mandatory systemwide fees

to a resident undergraduate student who commences enrollment in an

undergraduate degree program at the respective segment during the

fall term of the 2011-12 academic year, or any academic term

thereafter, in an amount that is greater than the amount of the

mandatory systemwide fees that are in effect for the academic term at

the time he or she commenced enrollment in the undergraduate degree

program.

  66160.  (a) In any academic year, the trustees and the regents

shall not increase the mandatory systemwide fees charged to resident

undergraduate students enrolled in the respective institutions by an

amount exceeding 5 percent of the mandatory systemwide fees charged

to those students for the immediately preceding academic year. The

total amount of mandatory systemwide fees, as increased, shall not

exceed the limits in subdivision (a) of Section 66156.

  (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the fees charged to

students enrolled in the California Community Colleges, as set forth

in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 76300, should not be

increased by an amount exceeding 5 percent of the fees charged to

those students for the immediately preceding academic year and, as

increased, should not exceed the limit in subdivision (b) of Section

66156.

  66162.  (a) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of

Section 76300 or any other law, any increase in the mandatory

systemwide fees charged to a resident undergraduate student enrolled

in the University of California, California State University, or a

community college district that is adopted on or after January 1,

2011, shall not become effective before six months have elapsed after

the date on which the fee increase is adopted.

  (b) This section is subject to the restrictions on charging

mandatory systemwide fees set forth in Section 66158. This section is

not intended to permit an institution to charge fees in an amount

greater than permitted pursuant to Section 66158.

  66165.  (a) This chapter shall not apply to the University of

California, except to the extent that the regents, by appropriate

resolution, make this chapter applicable.

  (b) The regents are requested to adopt policies for increases in

mandatory systemwide fees that are consistent with this chapter.



I hope the introduction and exact text of this legislation is helpful.

Note: I am a private, totally disabled, retired citizen with an interest in the betterment of California.

This post was made without consultation or approval of Senator/Lt.Governor Candidate Florez, his Capitol staff nor Senator Florez for Lt. Governor campaign staff.

“Tuition Fees Are Too Low”

Remember that golden oldie from the Governor?  Well, he and the regents are fixing that, so never let it be said that Arnold isn’t doing the people’s business:

Trustees of the California State University system this afternoon agreed to raise annual fees for undergraduate and graduate students by 10%.

The move means Cal State students will see basic fees rise $252 to $3,421. This does not include the cost of textbooks, housing or other expenses.

Meanwhile, the regents of the University of California, meeting today at UCLA, were considering a proposed 7% fee hike in that university system.

Under the UC proposal, student fees for state residents would rise about $495 to $7,347, including some individual campus costs but not including housing, books and other expenses.

In a time when billions more dollars are desperately needed to get our children proficient in seconday school, we’re making it more burdensome for them to obtain higher education.  If education is a jobs program, we’re sabotaging our economic future with these exorbitent university costs.