KMPH Fox 26 Central San Joaquin Valley News Source in Fresno, California Entertainment, News, Sports and Weather | UC Merced Students React to Latest Fee Hike

UC Merced Students React to Latest Fee Hike

By Clint Olivier

FRESNO - Despite protests, a regents committee for the 10 campus University of California system has recommended a 32 percent boost in student fees to go into effect over the next year and a half or so.

Beginning in January 2010, undergraduate students will see a hike of 585 dollars.

Then, for the 2010-11 year, they'll go up an additional 1,334 dollars.

"I guess since they voted today, then he didn't win the argument," Eleni Valas said.

U.C. Merced psychology student Eleni Valas says a friend traveled to UCLA to urge the committee not to raise fees. He was joined by hundreds of other students.

Demonstrators kept it peaceful, but 14 students were arrested after they refused to leave the hearing when asked.

Now Valas and the other 34 hundred or so U.C. Merced students have to come up with the money for the additional fees or withdraw to attend more affordable colleges.

"Fortunately for me I don't think that's going to be the case, I don't think it will, but it's sad when students miss out on opportunities like that," she said.

"We want to make sure people aren't discouraged to at least try and get into the University of California," Patti Waid Istas said.

Merced's Patti Waid Istas says there's help for some students looking to avoid the increase.

The Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan is available to students from households making less than 70 thousand dollars a year.

"The students will not pay fees. And here in the Valley I think that's a significant number to keep in mind," she said

Patti Waid Istas says 53 percent of students at U.C. Merced qualify as coming from low-income homes.