From San Jose Mercury News:

Believe it: Harvard cheaper than Cal State

The impossible has happened: Harvard College is now thousands of dollars cheaper than Cal State East Bay for middle-income California students.

So is Princeton. And Williams College. And Yale.

Top private schools, with their generous aid, have been among the most affordable options for poor students for a few years, but rising tuition has only recently sent California State University and University of California prices shooting past the Harvards and Yales for middle-class students.

The revelation comes as thousands of college and university students on Monday march to protest budget cuts in Sacramento that have forced up tuition and shaken campuses.

It’s almost unthinkable in a state that once practically gave away college educations.

“We are coming close to pricing out many of our middle-class students,” said Rhonda Johnson, Cal State East Bay’s financial-aid director. “Now we’re seeing a disadvantaged middle class.”

College-cost calculators illuminate the dramatic shifts.

Consider a family of four — married parents, a high-school senior and a 14-year-old child — making $130,000 a year.

With typical aid,¿ the family should expect to pay nearly $24,000 for a Cal State freshman’s tuition, on-campus room and board, supplies and other expenses. At Harvard? Just $17,000, even though its stated annual tuition is $36,305.

The same family would pay about $33,000 for a freshman year at UC Santa Cruz. UC Berkeley, which recently followed the lead of private colleges by boosting aid for middle-class families, would cost $19,500.

“It does sort of put you in an awkward spot,” said Dean Kulju, financial-aid director of the 400,000-student Cal State system, which has more than doubled tuition since 2007.

It is more than awkward, one student said.

“That’s ridiculous,” said Cal State Fresno senior Chucho Mendoza, who said he has spent seven years in college because he also works to support his parents and siblings.

“Students think they’re getting a pretty good deal here,” he said. “I think they’re in denial.”

Add to the equation that students at smaller private colleges often can graduate sooner, saving thousands of dollars over California’s public universities, where cuts have made it difficult to get all required classes in four years.

Families and students considering Cal State “do have to think of it as a five-year proposition, at least,” said Vicki O’Day, a Menlo Park college-admissions consultant.

Public-university leaders say they are frustrated that budget cuts have sent tuition soaring. And so are state and federal lawmakers.

President Barack Obama announced in January a plan to force colleges to slow tuition increases or risk losing student aid. And California Assembly Speaker John Perez recently proposed scholarships for students whose families make up to $150,000.

The 10-campus UC system has tried to help low- and middle-income students, covering tuition — but not room and board — for those whose families make less than $80,000.

UC President Mark Yudof said the university is still a better deal than all but the wealthiest private colleges.

“If you move away from the Harvards and Stanfords of the world, I’m not sure it’s as affordable at other private schools,” he said. “I hate to lose any students, but how many students can go to Stanford?”

UC Berkeley, where Chancellor Robert Birgeneau has repeatedly voiced worry about middle-class students, this year will offer scholarships for students whose families make up to $140,000.

At UC, “we hear from students who say, ‘I was accepted at Cal, but such-and-such private university offered this aid. Can Cal match that?’” said Anne De Luca, UC Berkeley’s acting admissions director.

College applicants are often surprised to discover that the state’s public universities no longer are the most affordable options.

“That’s what we’ve been told our entire lives, since we were kids.” said Greg Washington, a Cal State Fullerton student and president of the California State Student Association.

Stanford University is spending twice as much on financial aid this year as it did in 2009, due in part to a 2008 decision to defray tuition costs for families making up to $200,000. A family making $130,000 would pay $25,900, while wealthier families pay nearly $57,000 a year.

Few schools have done more than Princeton University to discount prices for middle-class students. In 2001, it boosted scholarships and removed parents’ home equity from the financial-aid equation.

Fewer than a quarter of Princeton students graduate with debt, according to U.S. News & World Report, the lowest number in the country. That compares to 40 percent at Cal State East Bay, 45 percent at San Jose State and 41 percent at UC Berkeley, says the Oakland-based Project on Student Debt.

“When you look at the state schools, they most likely do not have the private resources that we do,” said Robin Moscato, Princeton’s financial-aid director. Its $17.1 billion endowment far outweighs UC Berkeley’s $3.1 billion.

UC and Cal State campuses still compare favorably to less selective private schools, where endowments are smaller and relatively meager aid usually is targeted for low-income students.

At Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, for example, a family making $130,000 will pay about $36,000 for a freshman year.

At UC, for the first time ever, students are paying more for their education than California is, a shocking turnaround for the state that essentially invented the modern public university.

Now students like Amir Salehzadeh, who applied to transfer from Las Positas College in Livermore to one of several UC campuses, are struggling to make it work.

“Times have definitely changed,” he said. “It kind of defeats the purpose of having a public university.”

Matt Krupnick covers higher education. Contact him at 510-208-6488. Follow him at Twitter.com/MattKrupnick.

Statewide Coverage

California college students protest education cuts

LA Times: Occupy protests bring small yet intense crowds to state campuses

Bay Area Coverage

Students Across Bay Area Gather To Protest Tuition Costs, Budget Cuts

KRON 4: Update: Bay Area Campuses Participate in National Day of Action for Public Education

Southern California Coverage

Students to protest budget cuts at California universities

KTLA-5: “Occupy Education” Protests Held at College Campuses Statewide

Campus-Specific Coverage

CSU Bakersfield

KGET 17: Nationwide student rally reaches CSUB campus

CSU East Bay

The Pioneer:  CSUEB Holds Protest On Campus for “Day of Action”

CSU Fresno

Fresno Bee: Fresno State rally demands end to economic inequity

CSU Long Beach

NBC 4: Statewide Protests Demand Affordable Higher Education

KTLA 5:  “Occupy Education” Protests Held at College Campuses Statewide

Los Alamitos-Seal Beach Patch:  College Students Up In Arms About Costs

Photo: CSU Long Beach students protest against budget cuts.

KTLA-5: VIDEO: Occupy Education Demonstrators Protest Tuition Fees

Cerritos-Artesia Patch: Thousands Expected at Today’s Cal State Protests

Cal State Los Angeles

LA Times: Students at Cal State L.A. and other schools protest budget cuts

Intersections South LA:  Cal State LA students protest fee increase

CBS Los Angeles: Cal State LA Students Protest Tuition Hikes

CBS Los Angeles: CSU LA Students Stage Walkout To Protest Tuition Hikes

89.33 KPCC: Thousands of Occupy protesters demonstrate at LA colleges over higher education fees

CSU Monterey Bay

Monterey Herald: 100 CSUMB students join statewide protest for education

The Californian: Photo -  Student protest at CSUMB

Monterey County Weekly: Target Practice Occupy Monterey regroups after encampment for more focused protests.

Otter Realm: Occupy CSUMB – What the Noise on March 1 Was All About

CSU Northridge

Daily Sundial: Students for Quality Education join the National Day of Action to Defend Public Education

CSU Sacramento

ABC News 10: Occupy college students rally against education cuts

Cal State San Bernardino

Contra Costa Times: Students, educators decry cuts

San Francisco State

San Francisco Chronicle: Students, faculty protest university cuts

SQE will be participating in the Call for National Day of Action For Education on March 1, 2012 called forth by Occupy Education Northern California.  Below is a listing of SQE March 1st events that are happening on various CSU Campuses:

CSU Bakersfield:

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE) & California Faculty Association

What: Reclaim CSU Rally

Other activities include: Mock Board of Trustees meeting, guerilla art, CSU Jeopardy, cemetary of RIP education tombstones

When: 12pm Rally; 10am-5pm activities throughout the day

Where: Student Union Patio/Runner Park

CSU Channel Islands

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE), Student Government

What: Democra-CI: Give Us Our Voice

Panel of speakers presenting on issues of the CSU & Board of Trustees.

When: 1pm-2pm

Where: Student Union Lighthouse Cafe

CSU Dominguez Hills

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE)

What: March 1st Rally ‘N March

When: 12pm

Where: East Walkway of the Loker Student Union

CSU East Bay

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE)

What: The People’s University: Liberate Education!

There will be teach-ins, faculty & student speakers, and educational workshops.

When: 12pm-2pm

Where: Agora stage and lawn (in front of Old Union)

CSU Fullerton

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE)

What: Art Fair for Free Speech

When: 12pm

Where: Humanities Building

CSU Fresno

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE)

What: Reclaim Fresno State! March for Education

When: 12:30pm March starts at Joyal Steps; 1:00pm Rally starts at Madden Free Speech Area

Where: March starts in front of Joyal Admin bldg, ends at Free Speech Area near Madden Library for rally

CSU Long Beach

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE), College of Liberal Arts Student Council

What: March 1st Rally Against Privatization

When: 11am Walkout; 12pm kickoff with music by Coverlove; 12:30pm speakers; 1pm workshops/teach-ins; 3pm Flashmobs

Where: Upper Quad next to Library, Fine Arts, and Language Arts buildings

Cal State Los Angeles

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE), CSULA’s Campus Community for Social Justice

What: Walkout! Occupy Education: End the Privatization of Public Education

Walkout & Rally with speakers; actions (calls out to Reed, Board of Trustees, Jerry Brown)

When: Start: 10am; Peak time: 10:45am to 11am

Where: in front of the campus bookstore

CSU Monterey Bay

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE)

What: Occupy Education: CSUMB

Rally, March & Teach-In

When: 12pm Rally; 1:30pm March; 2pm Teach-In

Where: Rally at Library Plaza at Divarty St & 5th Ave; Teach-In at Student Center on Inter-Garrison

Sacramento State

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE)

What: Reclaim Education – Walkout & Rally

When: Walkout & rally starts at 12pm

Where: Main Quad by fountain in front of the Library

CSU San Bernardino

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE), Student Veteran Organization

What: Occupy Education Teach-In

Teach-In will have four half-hour segments: 1) The State of Crisis in California Higher Education, 2) Power Structure within the CSU/Get to Know Your Board of Trustees, 3) Campus/Local Issues, 4) Q& A Panel/How to Get Involved. Each section will include a speaker or multiple speakers, brief history and discussion of the topic and either a musical component, video segment or group discussion.

When: 11am-1pm

Where: Santos Manuel Student Union Theater

San Francisco State

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE)

What: Reclaim SFSU: Reclaiming OUR Voice in Education - Rally & March

When: 11am activities educating students on what’s happening in the CSU and who the Board of Trustees are; 12pm Rally; 12:30pm March to Reclaim Our University

Where: Malcolm X Plaza in the Quad area

San Jose State

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE), Mecha, Reclaim SJSU

What: Walkout! Reclaiming Our CSU

When: 12pm Walkout will begin with a Speakout; 12:30pm March around campus

Where: Begins in front of Clark Hall by the Statues.

Sonoma State – Note: Event has been postponed to March 7th

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE), Save SSU Crew, Associated Students, California Faculty Association

What: Reclaim The People’s University!

A Day of Dialogue will be held for the campus community, that will include teach-ins, discussion circles, performances & interactive activities around issues such as cuts to departments, campus programs & student jobs.  Administrators such as President Arminana, Provost Rogerson and several other key administrators will be present to address various issues that students, faculty & staff are facing.  Performances & continuing discussions will be held from 9pm-midnight.

When: 12pm-2pm; 9pm-midnight concerts/performances/speakers

Where: Stevenson Quad in front Stevenson Hall between Salazar Hall and the Student Union

State Senate GOP Leader Bob Huff is opposing current CSU Board of Trustees Chair Herb Carter’s reappointment to the Trustees due to his overseeing administrator salary increases during the same time student fees were increased and the Governor had voiced opposition to the raises.

Via flashreport.org, State Senate GOP Leader Bob Huff:

Members of the Senate Republican Caucus shared the governor’s concerns regarding administrative pay packages.  The governor’s concerns and his specific request were not addressed.

On the same day that the CSU Board of Trustees voted to increase administrators’ salaries, they also voted to increase student fees.

I cannot recommend that Trustee Carter’s nomination be confirmed by the Senate until such time as Californians see real evidence that the CSU Trustees are making the tough decisions needed to control escalating costs that are being passed onto students and their families.

SQE’s Disorientation Guide on the CSU system is out!

To read it on your computer, download it here: CSU Disorientation Guide – Read

To print out a copy, use this version: CSU Disorientation Guide – Print. Pages are meant to be printed double sided, and then folded in half and stapled down the middle.

General Coverage:

CSU Students Hold 23 Separate Protests Today

CSU Students Protest Education Cuts

Thousands protest budget cuts at Calif. colleges

Big Brother on Campus

Impact of Protests:

Student Protests Trigger Call for Action from California Student Aid Commission

CSU Dominquez Hills

Students and faculty at all 23 Cal State schools protest planned cuts

Protests Against Cuts Staged at all 23 Cal State Campuses

Students protest fee hikes, management bloat CSUDH

CSU East Bay

CSU students, faculty held rallies statewide

Students and faculty Occupy a Building in Protest at California State University East Bay

CSU Fresno

Fresno State Students Protest to Defend Higher Education

Students protest fee hikes, budget cuts at rally

Class Action Rally and March in Fresno

Fresno Bee Photo

Thousands protest budget cuts at Calif. colleges

CSU Fullerton

CSUF students rally for college funding

April 19 – 22:  Sit-in Coverage

California State Fullerton Students Stage Campus Sit-In Protest (April 19)

CSUF students stage sit-in to demand support (April 19)

Cal State Fullerton sit-in enters second day (April 19)

Cal State Fullerton students sit in for second day (April 19)

CSUDH faculty, students join sit-in (April 19)

’60s-style sit-in at CSUF continuing (April 20)

Cal State Fullerton students end 4-day sit-in over budget cuts (April 22)

Cal State LA:

Cal State students, faculty protest budget cuts

LA Times: Thousands rally at Cal State campuses against higher education cuts

CSU Long Beach

Thousands expected at CSU budget protest

Colleges protest higher ed budget cuts

Cut Back, Fight Back: CSULB Students Protest Budget Cuts

College students to protest higher ed budget cuts

College students protest higher education budget cuts

CSULB students rally against funding cuts

CSU Monterey Bay

CSUMB students demand transparency, cuts to top salaries [link to archived story]

Cal Poly Pomona & CSU San Bernardino

Calling for Action: Students, faculty decry cuts

Cal Poly Pomona

Students Protest the State Budget Cuts

CSU Sacramento

Protesters occupy building at Sacramento State (April 13)

Protesters demand CSU chancellor’s resignation (April 13)

April 13-17 Sac State Occupation coverage:

CSU Students, Faculty Rally For End to Cuts (April 14)

State budget cuts fuel rallys and protests (April 14)

Students sit-in at Sac State to protest budget cuts (April 14)

Protesters Meet with CSUS President (April 14)

Students March, Sleep In Protest of CSU Cutbacks (April 14)

Student protesters occupy building at Sac State U. (April 14)

Sac State students, employees protest budget cuts, tuition hikes (April 14)

State budget cuts fuel rallys and protests (April 14)

Sac State Students Hold Second Sit-In (April 15)

Students Reach Plan of Action for Administration (April 16)

Sac State student protest ends in the early morning (April 16)

Police Force Protesting Students From Building (April 16)

Sac State students say they were forced out of building by police (April 16)

Student protesters removed from Sacramento Hall (April 17)

Sacramento State police oust student protesters (April 17)

Editorial: Campuses must avoid overreach on protesters (April 20)

San Francisco State

Students gather in SFSU administration building to protest state of higher ed

Students Protest SFSU’s Tuition

San Jose State

SJSU students protest cuts, tuition hikes

Sonoma State

SSU students, faculty join budget protests

Students rally to take action

Sonoma State rallies for Statewide Day of Action

CSU Stanislaus

CSU Stanislaus joins statewide protest against budget cuts

CSU students, faculty hold protest in Turlock

CSU Students, Staff Rally Against Cuts: CSU Stanislaus Campus Say No More Cuts

Students at CSU Stanislaus Protest Cuts

CSU Fresno

KSFN-Fresno: Fresno State Students Held an Unusual Protest Against Budget Cuts

The Collegian: Universities Join Together to Defend Education

CSU Monterey Bay

Monterey County Weekly: CSUMB Students Take Action

Monterey Herald: CSUMB Students Protest Cuts

Press Telegram: CSUMB Students Protest Cuts

Sacramento State

Sacramento Bee: Unions, Students Rally Against State Budget Cuts to Higher Education

KXTL: University Students Protest State Budget Cuts

State Hornet: Demonstration Protests CSU Budget Cuts

KCRA: Sac State Students Rally Against Budget Cuts

San Francisco State

SF Chronicle: Bay Area College Students Join National Protest Day
KTVU: Groups All Over Bay Area Protest Possible Education Cuts

ABC 7: Students March to Defend Education Funding

Golden Gate Xpress: Day of Action Photos

Golden Gate Xpress: Day of Action Highlights Looming Cuts to Higher Education

Golden Gate Xpress: Students and Faculty Picket on 19th and Holloway Avenues

Golden Gate Xpress: Gators March to CCSF in Protest of Budget Cuts
Golden Gate Xpress: Day of Action Moves Forth to City College

Sonoma State

Petaluma Patch: Sonoma State Rallies for Statewide Day of Action

Press-Democrat: SSU Students Decry Budget Cuts

March 2nd events that are happening on various CSU Campuses:

CSU Fresno

Who: Members of Students for Quality Education (SQE)

What: Students will stage carnival games demonstrating the perils of $500 million cut to the CSU budget. All games will incorporate an educational theme of what is happening to public education and what students can do to fight back.

When: 11:30am-2pm

Where: CSU Fresno Free Speech Area and Peace Garden

CSU Fullerton

Who: Faculty members and representatives from Students for Quality Education (SQE)

What: “The Meaning and Value of Public Education: Renewing a Democratic Vision.” Forum to bring together students along with educators at all levels to discuss a proactive vision for the future, and also to workshop a “Declaration in Defense of Public Education.”

When: 7:30-9:30pm

Where: On campus, Humanities 126

CSU Monterey Bay

Who: Members of Students for Quality Education (SQE)

What: Speak Out!

When: 11:30am

Where: Main Quad

Sacramento State

Who: Members of Students for Quality Education (SQE)

What: Demonstration and dialogue to promote awareness on how the budget cuts are affecting the CSU, specifically Sacramento State’s students. The CSU system is facing a giant budget cut of $500 million dollars, with the possibility of the cuts doubling.

We will be demonstrating what a future without access to affordable, quality public

education could look like: individuals who would normally have a chance at social mobility

When: Demonstration: 11:00p – 12:00pm, General Assembly 12pm-1:30pm

Where: Sacramento State free speech zone, between University Union and Library Fountain

San Francisco State

Who: Students for Quality Education (SQE) and CCSF Save Our Schools

What: Concerned with the state of public higher education in California students, faculty and staff will join together to show their support for affordability and accessibility in the CSU and community college. This event will feature: Speakers; relevant music and dance acts; spoken word performances; picket sign, banner and t-shirt making; as well as letter-writing to legislators and campus administrators.  This event is the beginning of a joint effort between the Community College and SFSU; it marks a beginning of a coalition among public higher education in San Francisco.

When:

11am-12pm: Picket Line on 19th Ave and Holloway Ave

12pm-1pm: Rally in Malcolm X Plaza

1-2pm: March from SFSU to CCSF

Where: San Francisco State University, various locations on and near campus (see above)

Sonoma State University

Who: Members of Students for Quality Education (SQE)

What: “Camp Out for Quality Education.” Students will maintain a presence on the school quad throughout the day with many small-scale events planned to draw attention to entertain the crowd and educate the public about public higher education. For example: hula hooping, talk-ins, guest lecturers, symposiums, local bands, painting and other crafts, henna tattoos, board-games, drum circles, letter writing to the governor, chalking and more.

When: All day on March 2^nd, Peak attendance likely between Noon and 1 pm

Where: On the campus main quad, between the student bookstore, Stevenson Hall, and the Student Union.

ATTENTION!!!  ATTENTION!!!

FEE & TUITION INCREASE ALERT!!

Despite receiving an increase in state funding last month, the CSU Board of Trustees is set to vote on yet another massive student fee hike.  The Trustees will vote next week whether to approve a fee hike that would bump student costs by a combined 15.5 percent between this fall and next.

With this latest increase, student fees will be 242% higher than they were in 2002 (when the latest round of major budget cuts began). Fee hikes have averaged 13% per year since that time.

SQE student organizers and faculty leaders have emphasized that this fee hike will have terrible consequences for access to a public education.   “This fee hike will clearly fall hardest on underserved groups and first-generation college students,” said Kim Geron, a professor of political science at CSU East Bay.    Geron continued, “With this move, Chancellor Reed, Chair Herb Carter, and the rest of the Trustees are essentially telling lower-middle class and minority students that there is no place for them at the CSU. That is a travesty.”

On November 10^th, 2010 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, SQE will host a Protest Carnival outside of the Board of Trustees meeting in order to highlight the mockery and horrible decisions made about our universities!

Join us as we DEMAND the Board of Trustees to be TRANSPARENT about their decision making policies because we understand that it is irresponsible decisions that have led to the deterioration of the California State University system.  All we’re asking for is an adequately funded and quality Public Higher Education System: no more cuts to courses, programs, or teaching staff.

IF YOU’RE NOT ANGRY, YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION!!!

Get Informed!! Get Involved!!