2008 Woodie Awards
Tuition Relief Now hopes to freeze rising costs
Karla Rivas
Issue date: 3/26/08 Section: The Future of Humboldt State
Every week, Mathew Herrera commits 20 hours of his own time to gather signatures on campus and around his community for the student-led Tuition Relief Now campaign.
He is one of the many students who are working on their own time to gather a total of 434,000 signatures by April 17, in order for a law to make it onto the November 2008 ballot. The law would generate more than $2 billion in revenue for public education in California by imposing a one percent tax increase on the wealthy.
The California State University (CSU) budget for fiscal year 2008/2009 is being cut by $386 million. This means that in order for CSUs to be able to fill the gap that will enable them to run efficiently with less cash, the solution is to hike student fees by 10 percent.
Tuition Relief Now is a campaign that is pushing for a bill to make student fee increases illegal. If passed, the College Affordability Act of 2008 can freeze student fees for up to five years. Under this law, any future increases can't exceed the rate of inflation in California, which means students don't have to work harder to go to school.
Herrera said student fee hikes have gone up 300 percent past the rate of inflation since 1991.
Ami Patel, lead organizer of Tuition Relief Now, said to make up the difference for the budget cuts, "this law will generate a new source of revenue created by a one percent tax on million-dollar earners, after they earn their first million."
California students, spurred by concerns over tuition costs, turned to the Greenlining Institute, a multi-ethnic public policy organization that helps disenfranchised groups. After students met with Greenlining in the summer of 2007 to discuss issues about education affordability, Greenlining decided to take steps to help the students, Herrera said.
Valeria Fike-Rosales, lead organizer of Tuition Relief Now, said, "We recently came into higher education, about a year and a half ago. "Greenlining sees students as a vulnerable population. They've been taken advantage of by student fees, predatory lending, credit cards, textbook costs and the cost of living."
He is one of the many students who are working on their own time to gather a total of 434,000 signatures by April 17, in order for a law to make it onto the November 2008 ballot. The law would generate more than $2 billion in revenue for public education in California by imposing a one percent tax increase on the wealthy.
The California State University (CSU) budget for fiscal year 2008/2009 is being cut by $386 million. This means that in order for CSUs to be able to fill the gap that will enable them to run efficiently with less cash, the solution is to hike student fees by 10 percent.
Tuition Relief Now is a campaign that is pushing for a bill to make student fee increases illegal. If passed, the College Affordability Act of 2008 can freeze student fees for up to five years. Under this law, any future increases can't exceed the rate of inflation in California, which means students don't have to work harder to go to school.
Herrera said student fee hikes have gone up 300 percent past the rate of inflation since 1991.
Ami Patel, lead organizer of Tuition Relief Now, said to make up the difference for the budget cuts, "this law will generate a new source of revenue created by a one percent tax on million-dollar earners, after they earn their first million."
California students, spurred by concerns over tuition costs, turned to the Greenlining Institute, a multi-ethnic public policy organization that helps disenfranchised groups. After students met with Greenlining in the summer of 2007 to discuss issues about education affordability, Greenlining decided to take steps to help the students, Herrera said.
Valeria Fike-Rosales, lead organizer of Tuition Relief Now, said, "We recently came into higher education, about a year and a half ago. "Greenlining sees students as a vulnerable population. They've been taken advantage of by student fees, predatory lending, credit cards, textbook costs and the cost of living."
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 7
Rachel
posted 3/26/08 @ 1:48 PM PST
I'm Rachel Rodriguez. I was represented in this article as not supporting 'Tuition Relief NOW'.
I did not comment on Tuition Relief NOW because the reporter contacted me at BAD times on Saturday, EASTER Sunday and Monday. (Continued…)
Ami Patel
posted 3/26/08 @ 2:51 PM PST
Please visit http://www.tuitionreliefnow.org for more information or to volunteer.
Thanks for all of your support!
More Rachel...
posted 3/26/08 @ 9:52 PM PST
HEY check out the ASSEMBLY BILL that has come out of Tuition Relief NOW... It has the exact language of the initiative, but with more support from the republicans. (Continued…)
Mateo
posted 3/27/08 @ 3:51 PM PST
On Tuesday, the Assembly Higher Education Committee voted to approve AB 2372, the College Affordability Act of 2008. And our student leaders filled up more than half of the hearing room!
This bill is identical to the ballot initiative. (Continued…)
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