2006 fee increases for the California State University system could hit transferring students where it hurts-the pocketbook. On Oct. 27 the California State University Board of Trustees approved a new budget proposal that would give the 23 CSU campuses $235.5 million. $107 million of this money could come from transferring Skyline students in the form of an 8 percent increase in Undergraduate Fees and a 10 percent increase in Graduate fees.

The increase in student fees presented in Governor Schwarzenegger’s Higher Education Compact allows for up to 10 percent for Undergraduate Fees and no less than 10 percent for Graduate Fees. The recent approved budget proposal is well within those boundaries. The plan suggests a step-by-step increase in CSU and UC student fees combined with state funding to pay for their budget, which has been damaged during our current budget crisis.

33 percent of the revenue acquired through the increase in student fees will be used as additional funds for the State University Grant financial aid program. The extra $32.7 million will provide financial aid opportunities to 5,100 students.

If funded by the state, not only would transferring students have to pay for higher fees but they might find themselves in a slightly more crowded school. The budget proposal also includes an increase in student enrollment by 2.5 percent, which would expand the population of CSU campuses by ten thousand students.

Transferring students from Skyline College will see more increases in the future, but CSU fees will still be the lowest in the country. For more information about transferring, the Transfer Opportunity Center can be found in room 2227 in building 2.