UCSB students react to regent’s tuition vote
Tracy Lehr
ISLA VISTA, Calif. (KEYT) Despite protester chanting “UC UC you can’t hide, we can see your greedy side,” the University of California Board of Regents approved a plan to continue tuition hikes.
The vote and protests took place on Wednesday afternoon on the UCLA campus.
UCSB students preparing for their Fall quarter finals learned the vote was 13-3 with only one student eligible to vote on the board.
Most students said they were not surprised.
They said they have never heard of tuition going down.
But that doesn’t mean they like it.
E.J. Raad who serves as the Associated Students External Vice President of Local Affair said he would like to know if there are others ways to deals with Trump administration cuts, less state funding, and inflation.
“I understand that it is nice that it will be more stable rather than having this kind of boom or bust system when it goes up or down depending on the economy but I just have a big issue with this seeming habit of always going to raising tuition being the first move to combat the funding cuts.”
Raad doesn’t think it will hurt enrollment because the UC campuses are so popular.
Students are upset that the vote allocates a smaller percentage to financial aid.
Manny Mares said students are already worried about the cost of living, too.
“The tuition is being raised and the amount of resources aren’t progressing at all it is stagnant and it just makes it harder we are struggling specifically like middle class students it is going to hit these students are struggling to eat they have to pay most of their tuition per quarter and it is horrible.”
A chemical engineering student said he felt lucky to be graduating soon and said he is already impacted by cuts.
A first you student Mary Geyer said she has noticed the cut to hours at he library.
Guyer said she is lucky to be on a full scholarship thanks to her father who is in the military.
The board of regents vote takes effect in the 2026 / 2027 academic year and continues a cohort model that started several years ago.
It can increase undergraduate tuition by up to 5 percent and locks the rate in for each enrolling class or cohort for up to six years.
Tuition that began in 1970 is up to $14,934 for in state students and $50,328 for non-residents.
And UCSB students said that does not include the cost of living in Isla Vista or on campus in a dorm.
Your News Channel will have more reaction to the changing tuition tonight on the news.