University of California asks for $100M to enroll thousands more

University of California President Janet Napoliano (center right) explaining UC’s financial needs during a breakfast meeting with ethnic media reporters. PHOTOS BY JUN NUCUM

OAKLAND, California — After agreeing with California Governor Jerry Brown to freeze tuition fees for another two years, University of California President Janet Napolitano is asking the State Legislature for more money so the university could enroll thousands more students.

Included in the increased enrollment target are students who could transfer from community colleges, usually the first in their families to go to college and mainly from ethnic and working class communities.

“We have given the legislature a plan basically $50 million this year, $50 million next year and increase enrollment by 10,000 students,” Napolitano announced at a recent breakfast meeting with ethnic media reporters organized by New America Media.

“We think that funding will allow us to maintain academic excellence, maintain a university where most students graduate in four years or a little more than four years, and allow us to continue to keep our arms open for the next generation of Californians,” Napolitano added.

Financial stress

The university system underwent huge financial stress during the recession but UC (survived) but had to “reduce overhead, cut positions, and on some campuses restrict course offerings, etc.,” Napolitano said.

More than half of in-state students pay no tuition as they come from families that make less than $80,000 a year, she said, but the UC proposal to raise tuition fees for in-state students created unrest until an agreement was reached with Gov. Brown to freeze student fees.

University of California President Janet Napolitano is dealing with big financial challenges.

Applications to UC have increased at the rate of 6 percent over the last years. Napolitano said that, contrary to the governor’s impression, the number of students who are graduating from high school with the requisite classes and grades and test scores, continues to go up and is not leveling off.

“More students, more young people are eligible to apply at the University. The numbers he’s been given don’t take that into account,” Napolitano disclosed.

As for high school students, including Filipino-Americans, who intend to go to college may get discouraged by the attempt to increase tuition fees, “We’re actively reaching out to communities across the state,” Napolitano said. “There are so many families that think they can’t afford UC. We’re letting them know that we offer substantial financial aid.”

UC’s system-wide tuition would remain at $11,220 through 2016-17. UC also aims to increase the number of students who transfer from community college, who are usually first-generation students from different ethnic communities who are nervous about whether they can handle a UC education.

Tuition hike in 2017

Beginning in 2017-18, tuition would rise at least by the rate of inflation, which would allow the university to maintain its financial aid program, lower the student-faculty ratio, increase course offerings and student support services and lessen the time it takes students to graduate.

“Now the University of California will turn to our state legislators for their much-needed support of the proposed budget and for funding to enroll more California students.” The governor has agreed that he would not oppose additional legislative funding for enrollment or other purposes.

According to 2008-2013 UC figures provided Filipino Americans freshman applicants have steadily increased from 3,937 to 5,125 or 5.15 percent of total applications. Dwindling Filipino freshman admissions rebounded from 2,975 in 2012 to 3,052 the following year, or 4.9 percent of total admission.   .

Among the notable UC campuses, Irvine has the most number of Filipino American freshmen enrolled in 2013 with 340 (a drop from 425 in 2008); San Diego with 289 (an increase from 176 in 2008); Riverside with 250 (a slight increase from 244 in 2008); Davis with 243 (an increase from 193 on 2008); and Los Angeles with 207 students (a slight decrease from 210 on 2008).

Like us on Facebook