Community College Students Say Fee Increase Unbearable - SLIDESHOW
Comments (2)
Hundreds of community college students gathered outside of the Governor’s office in Downtown Los Angeles on Friday.
Angered students protested Governor Jerry Brown’s proposed $10 a unit fee hike, chanting “What do we want? An Education! When do we want it? Now!"
Third-year community college student and organizer of the protest Elizabeth Valldejuli said, “Students cannot afford any more fee increases or class cuts. They think that a ten-dollar increase is not a lot, but it is. Students are surviving off of ramen. We have already had fee increases, and we will not let them pick on us anymore.”
Valldejulli’s speech motivated the crowd, as they continued marching down Spring Street shouting, “They say cut back, we say fight back!”
“I am tired of waiting to register for classes because there aren’t any more available. I thought that I would be done in two years, but I am on my third year. The students are the future of California. I want to graduate and have a career, but I can’t do that if they continue increasing fees,” Valldejulli went on to explain.
Scott Clapson, one of the many passionate students in the crowd commented, “They are taxing the students. It is shameful that our governor wants to raise fees on students. They need to stop spending as much money on prisoners and start spending it on education. Our mayor is a product of a community college. We need to show them that we can make a difference.”
As the protest came to a close, the participants grabbed a box of Top Ramen on their way out, ironically showing what the proposal would do to them.
“I have five daughters, and I am tired of feeding them ramen. But if they keep increasing my tuition I’m gonna have to. Going to school has changed my life, and I need to have the means to continue my education,” April Abrecrombie added.
Comments
I work full time and attend CC part time. This increase makes a dramatic difference when part-time attendence use to cost me $250 and now has jumped to $450, not including other fees, books and materials.
And especially that I pay ALL of this out of mine own pocket. No parents to help, grants, or scholarships, JUST ME! Then you add how cost of LIVING in California is increasing, YES $10 increase for a CC level class is too much! These politicians should deduct that money out of their salaries instead!
As a CC student, this protest disgusts me. How is $26 per unit too much for a college level class? The reason why so many people can't get classes is because the fees are too low for some of the students to care about the classes they register for. The first day of class there are at least 50 people trying to add, with only 4-5 getting added. By the 3rd week about 15-20% of registered students drop. Maybe increasing the fees will give people a higher sense of responsibility. I'm sorry but you could increase the tuition by 100% to 500% and the fees are a value compared to the average tuition rates of community colleges in the united states (above $100/unit). If you have 5 kids and are going to CC, then blame yourself for making the bad decision of not going to college prior to getting knocked up.