1983_09 Insight September 1983

              Ed..,
FEE RECEIPT I
CARD
NAME (PLEASE PRINT)
CITY. STATE, A ZIP CODE
...can you aft
The years finally catch up on students
j Yesterday |
By Rhonda SJostrum
Inaight Reporter
Chances are that if you attended CSUF 10
years ago, your major worry was whether you
would pass that biology exam or finish tbe history
midterm. For some students attending CSUF this
fall, their primary concern is whether they can afford to pay the escalating students fees.
Student fees at CSUF have quadrupled over
tbe last 10 years, and 270 percent of this increase
has occurred within the last two years. Fulltime
students at CSUF are now paying four times as
much as students did 10 years ago, and seven times
as much as students did 20 years ago.
In 1948 student fees were $22.50; in 1958, $33; in
1983 $50; in 1978 $103; and now in fall, 1983, fees have
risen to $366 per semester.
Student fees for tbe Fall semester are 20 percent higher than last spring. The main reason for
the skyrocketing of fees is the State University fee
or what some call "tuition."
William Corcoran, Dean of Student Affairs, explained that a change in financing is the primary
reason for tbe dramatic rise in fees.
"Up until a few years ago student fees were used specifically to finance whatever the state I
wouldn't, such as student services," said Cor
coran. "The fees were established by tbe Trustees
to be used for items that don't directly affect
education, such aa the college union <
for health services."
Before tbe fee increase, tbe state paid for admins tra ti ve costs, educational biddings, and supplies and materials. However, today the extra fees
are used to pay ?or what tbe state doesn't cover.
In essence, student feea pay for everything
"except faculty salaries," according to Dr.
William Coughran, director of budget planning.
"Tbe State University fees pay for material and
other items that deal with tbe delivery of education, except teachers salaries."
Tbe term "tuition," as defined by Corcoran,
"ts a fee used to finance tbe coat of instruction."
So, essentially, student fees and tuition are used in
two different contexts.
The State University fee, $201 for fullUme
undergraduates this semester, first surfaced
under tbe name of a "surcharge" in the Spring
Semester, 1982. The surcharge and tbe subsequent
State University.fees are a direct result of Gov.
George Deukmejian's recent effort to balance the
state budget. t^,
In tbe middle of the 1981-82 fiscal year,
Deukmejian launched a three percent cutback In
funding to public institutions. This sudden
discrepancy between tbe projected budget and the..
actual funds available resulted in full-time CSUF
students paying an emergency surcharge of $46 for
smester, 1962.
following semester, Fall, 1982, the
emergency item surfaced again on the schedule of
fees under tbe term "State University fee." The
growing rate was $75. Today, only a year later, this
fee stands at $201, or a 400 percent increase over
tbe original emergency surcharge.
According to Corcoran, the fee is here to stay.
A bright note for the students in this game of
fiscal fitness is that fees may be stabilized for at
least this academic year, according to Coughran.
"We ought to make it through tbe year without
Utional feea," said Coughran. "It appears tbe
i is for income to tbe state to increase for
fiscal year."
However, if tbe last three semesters are any
may again be reaching into
Coughran also stressed the importance of the
extra fee to CSUF, which is anticipating a revenue
of over six million to be added to the 1983-84 fiscal
budget. Tbetotal budget is expected to be well over   _
.$87 minion. ] {       -m
"Without the fee, CSUF would have dwUcabxir^T)
suffered," explained Coghran. He estimatecl IhkVZXJ
over 530 courses would have been cut without the
State University fee revenue.
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(Figures below are comp**t«d«
semester basis. Prices InoVH
University   fee   aad   heatthi
undergraduate students.)
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J    Today      |
Slight enrollment increase despite fee hike
By Todd Hansen
Insight Reporter
Despite student outcry over the recent $125 fee increase at CSUF, there
has been very little effect on the university's enrollment this semester.
Figures as of Sept. 13, show that
student enrollment was up 191, to 16,261
students on campus—a 1.2 percent increase over enrollment at the same
time last fall.
Dr. Harold Best, Director of Institutional Research, said tbe true indicator of enrollment figures is the full
time equivalent — or FTE, number and
here were also has been an increase.
Tbe preliminary figures show the
FTE number up from 13,507 last year to
13,758 as of the end of the second week,
a 1.86 percent increase.
The FTE represents tbe number of
students that there would be on campus
if the total amount of units taken at
was divided by 15. It is used in
the allocation of state funds.
The taxpayers provide approximately $4,050 for each FTE student.
Beat said CSUF needs an annual
FTE average of between 13,200 to 13,700
in order to get full budget allowances
from tbe state. To reach that average.
Best said this semester's FTE number
must be around 13,800 to compensate
for the generally lower spring figure.
Best waid that tbe expected 35,000 to
40,000 adds and drops this semester
would affect tbe FTE number
somewhat, but that be would not know
to what extent until September 26, when
tha drop period ends.
Registrar Robert Board said
withdrawals are only up a slight 0.2 per
cent from last fall, and only 1.6 percent
from tbe fall of ISM.   ~V
With the $125 increase, why has
enrollment remained cos tint*
Best said he feels the fee Uke is
relatively small, and that the university
haa "safeguards to protect tbe broke
CSUF's I
He also said tbe threat of student
fees at tbe Junior college level may
have driven some students to CSUF.
Beat noted that tbe minority
population in tbe Fresno area is climbing, and that CSUF's minority enroU-
it fjveyt
1.2 p-
Beat credits a "positve minority
policy" that r    '
Best waa critical of tbe media
coverage of tbe fee increase. He thinks
the publicity created a "phantom fee
structure" that made the increase
seem greater than it really was.
Although enrollment did not decline
this semes ter, Best said be is concerned
about tbe long-term implications.
"Continuous fee increases will have
an impact," said Best.
Best also noted a problem with the
"baby bust" which baa left fewer
18-year-olds in tbe community, to enroll
In tbe university.
Along with the baby bust, Best said
the high school drop-out rate is increasing dramatically. Both elements, according to Best, can nave as great as an
impact on enrollment as a fee hike.
Registrar Board shares Best's concern about the fee increases 4
"I think the state is being shortsighted," said Board.
Board said tbe university has $4 of*
spending power for every $5 It had f ive
years ago.
"I don't know bow much you can
cut without hurting the quality of
education,' Board said.
Concern for educational quality is
growing as leas money reaches the-
academic programs on campus.
Dr. Gene Burton, dean of the School
of Business, said students might as well
"attend junior colleges if the university
system cuts its programs."
"As a parent I would rather pay the
higher fees than see the quality of my
child's education cut," Burton said.   •»-
Burton feels  that tbe financial
Haak fears effects of future CSU fee
Tomorrow
3
By Ed Wiley III
Insight Reporter
In the wake of recent fee Increases,
CSUF President Harold Haak baa called
for a public policy statement that would put
a ceiling on the level of fees in tbe CSU
system.
In an interview with Insight, Haak
said, "If you keep increasing, increasing,
increasing indefinitely, sooner or later
you're going to get the straw that broke the
camel's back."
At the same time, Haak held out tbe
hope that an Improved economy could lead
to cuts in CSU feea next year.
Fees have gone up from $135.50 in 1961
to $366 in 1983, a 170 percent increase.
In a wide-ranging interview, Haak also
discussed whether CSUF it becoming a
trade school, how recent athletic successes
have afected CSUF's academic credibility,
and the current search for a new vice presi-
ut fee
cuts in 1964.
"One would hope that tbe economy is
turning around," said Haak. "With a
healthier economic environment, one
would hope that fee incroases will not continue. In ted, the gomuia wrote tbe
chancellor a leti^ indicating that he hoped
next year it could be possible to cut back
the fees, at least at tbe university level.
"Tbe first thing, which I need to
underscore, is the need to have some kind
of public policy sUtement which would put
a cap on fees." Haak said.
Haak said that although be Is more in
favor of a return to low fee education in
California, a fea cap-would be a more
realistic alternative to the current fee
If a fee cap Is e
students would pay a fixed amount of 15 to
20 percent of the cost ol education; the state
would be assured of tbe maximum that,
tbey could be charged.
"It wouldn't have to go up to the maximum, but at least it would fix a maximum
cap," Haak said.
in order for the public policy statement
to get passed by the state legislature, stud
Haak, the California Pos tsecondary Education Commission must first agree that a
more "realistic" policy is needed.
CPEC is a direct advisory group to tbe
"a very influential posl-
"It'safactthat-tnW
pacted by the fee lucre.
Haak said that this-!
feea meant an lratreas
funds. CeVrBemesm:
aid
"In fact, this tisnes.
aid office anticipated-tb
they got the fintuidat A
up to within $10 of whaM
income students face the greatest difficulty
The university's financial aid program
effectively handles low-income students,
Haak aald, and high-income students
already have adequate finances, but
middle-Income students are often without