The institution on Thursday published its proposal to begin raising undergraduate and graduate school tuition by six percent annually, starting in the fall 2024 academic year, according to a report by CalMatters.
For undergraduates, that would mean an increase of $342 in the first year. However, nearly 60 percent of Cal State's students would be unaffected by the tuition hikes because they receive state financial aid.
Tuition for those who pay would rise steadily, from about $6,100 in the first year of the hike to nearly $7,700 by 2028-29.
The series of hikes has no end-date; instead, the proposal said Cal State leaders would reassess the plan after five years.
The system's Board of Trustees will hear the sweeping proposal at the July 11 meeting, and, according to the agenda, vote on whether to approve the tuition increases in September. Board members could choose to change the policy or delay the vote, as is their general right.
If approved, Cal State will launch itself into a new era that's a stark departure from the past 11 years, in which it raised tuition only once.
The move is one way the university intends to close a growing $1.5 billion gap between the revenue it collects and the money it needs to spend on student academics -- a catch-all term that includes instructor pay, tutoring support and other costs tied to educating and graduating students.
Senior staff and members of the board signaled at the May meeting that a series of tuition hikes was imminent.
