2008 Woodie Awards
Campaign moves to stop college tuition hikes
Goal to put intiative on Nov. 2008 state ballot
John C. Osborn
Issue date: 11/7/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
A group of students, parents and concerned Californians will aim to stop rising college tuition in California.
The Tuition Relief Now campaign works to put on the Nov. 2008 ballot a proposition that would stop tuition increases for five years and tie future increases to inflation at Cal State Universities and Universities of California.
Joined by The Greenlining Institute, a multi-ethnic public policy organization, the goal is to organize campuses, students and parents to get the support needed to place the initiative on the ballot.
This could be the first ever student-led ballot initiative in California history.
"We see tuition being a major factor that the people of the State can control," said Greenlining Institute Director of Special Projects Chris Vaeth during a press conference today.
The group will be filing the initiative with California Attorney General's office this week - the first step in a several month long progress. He said they expect to start gathering signatures in January.
Years of failed attempts by students to slow down or stop tuition increases through the legislature motivated the group to take it to the people.
"The legislature and the Governor don't always make things happen that people want to happen," Vaeth said.
Organizers at campuses from Humboldt State to San Diego State have been educating students on the initiative, said Greenlining Institute Higher Education Fellow Valeria Fike-Rosales during a press conference today.
The initiative campaign is volunteer-driven, and will include reaching out to high schools, colleges and parent organizations. The campaign will also seek to register young voters in the process.
"We anticipate registering at least 100,000 new young voters," Vaeth said.
In order to get on the ballot, the group needs to get 434,000 signatures by April 17, 2008.
California State University spokesperson Paul Browning was not aware of the ballot initiative and couldn't comment.
Tuition at California State Universities increased from $1,428 in 2001 to $2,520 this year. The Board of Trustees plan to pass another 10 percent increase if the State Legislature doesn't provide the money.
The Greenlining Institute is a coalition of 40 organizations that represent low-income communities in California. It does so by introducing laws and encouraging bank investment that benefit those communities.
The Tuition Relief Now campaign works to put on the Nov. 2008 ballot a proposition that would stop tuition increases for five years and tie future increases to inflation at Cal State Universities and Universities of California.
Joined by The Greenlining Institute, a multi-ethnic public policy organization, the goal is to organize campuses, students and parents to get the support needed to place the initiative on the ballot.
This could be the first ever student-led ballot initiative in California history.
"We see tuition being a major factor that the people of the State can control," said Greenlining Institute Director of Special Projects Chris Vaeth during a press conference today.
The group will be filing the initiative with California Attorney General's office this week - the first step in a several month long progress. He said they expect to start gathering signatures in January.
Years of failed attempts by students to slow down or stop tuition increases through the legislature motivated the group to take it to the people.
"The legislature and the Governor don't always make things happen that people want to happen," Vaeth said.
Organizers at campuses from Humboldt State to San Diego State have been educating students on the initiative, said Greenlining Institute Higher Education Fellow Valeria Fike-Rosales during a press conference today.
The initiative campaign is volunteer-driven, and will include reaching out to high schools, colleges and parent organizations. The campaign will also seek to register young voters in the process.
"We anticipate registering at least 100,000 new young voters," Vaeth said.
In order to get on the ballot, the group needs to get 434,000 signatures by April 17, 2008.
California State University spokesperson Paul Browning was not aware of the ballot initiative and couldn't comment.
Tuition at California State Universities increased from $1,428 in 2001 to $2,520 this year. The Board of Trustees plan to pass another 10 percent increase if the State Legislature doesn't provide the money.
The Greenlining Institute is a coalition of 40 organizations that represent low-income communities in California. It does so by introducing laws and encouraging bank investment that benefit those communities.
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