Tuition hike tentatively approved in California

Several hundred University of California San Diego students gathered on the walkway in front of Geisel Library in a sit-in to protest a proposed hike in tuition of up to five percent for the next five years. Artemio Olivas, a UCSD junior, raises his fist in protest during the sit-in with his classmates.(AP Photo/The U-T San Diego, John Gastaldo} Several hundred University of California San Diego students gathered on the walkway in front of Geisel Library in a sit-in to protest a proposed hike in tuition of up to five percent for the next five years. Artemio Olivas, a UCSD junior, raises his fist in protest during the sit-in with his classmates.(AP Photo/The U-T San Diego, John Gastaldo}

By Associated Press November 19, 2014 4 min read

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – A committee of the University of California’s governing board voted Wednesday for a tuition increase during each of the next five years over the protests of Gov. Jerry Brown, legislative leaders and students.

After running a gauntlet of protesters, the committee voted 7-2 to approve the plan recommended by UC President Janet Napolitano that would raise tuition as much as 5 percent annually.

The proposed tuition hikes still must be reviewed by the full Board of Regents on Thursday.

Before the vote, several members of the board who won’t be voting until Thursday made impassioned speeches.

“The state hasn’t invested appropriately in the UC system but has managed to find money for expensive projects such as high speed rail,” Regent Bonnie Reiss said. “What we are saying is the experience of the last decade is the state is an inherently unreliable partner in investing in state public higher education.”