Students at Sacramento State may pay an extra 10 percent in undergraduate fees and 40 percent in graduate fees this fall if Gov. Arnold Schwarzegger’s proposed budget for higher education, announced today, is adopted.

– –

The plan, calling for fee increases for both California State University and University of California systems for the 2004-05 fiscal year, would raise undergraduate fees at Sacramento State from $827.50 to $910.25 for students taking less than six units.

– –

Students taking more than six units would see an increase from $1,256.50 to $1,382.15 per semester.

Students could even be charged extra fees if they take more units than they need to graduate. Most undergraduate majors at the CSU require 120 units, and an additional per-unit fee could be charged after 132 units.

– – The budget also proposes cutting $240 million (nine percent) from the CSU system, which could possibly prevent 20,000 students from enrolling in the system. The budget was slashed by $531 million during the 2003-04 fiscal year.

– –

In order to cope with the amount of students being turned away from the CSU system, Schwarzenegger proposes that 10 percent of CSU first-time freshmen be redirected to community colleges.

– -“While we continue to share the pain of the state’s fiscal crisis, the public must realize that these budget reductions will negatively impact student access to the California State University because all qualified students will not be admitted,” CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed said in a news release.

– -Richard West, CSU executive vice chancellor and chief financial officer, said the CSU will work with the Governor’s Office, the Department of Finance and legislators to seek flexibility in the fee levels and in the areas where the governor has suggested the cuts be made.

– –

“We would like the ability to take the cuts where they would least hurt students and the quality education the CSU provides,” West said.

– –

“Fewer students admitted means fewer educated citizens entering the workforce to stimulate the economy and provide the jobs that the governor stressed in his State of the State address,” Reed said. “Not investing in higher education will have a devastating impact on the state’s economic future.”

– –

Schwarzenegger will submit a revised budget in May. If the legislature approves the budget, it is expected to be adopted on July 1.

– –