By Shalini Nair, news editor

As seniors struggle to choose what college to attend next fall, many will be affected by the recent tuition hikes for UC and CSU students.

By a 15-5 vote, the UC regents approved a tuition increase for all 10 UC schools by eight percent, or $822 per semester, starting the 2011-2012 school year.

“It’s kind of ironic,” said sophomore Avanti Baronia. “The state is in trouble so education gets attacked. Aren’t we supposed to be the future of California?”

The new hike in tuition at UC schools comes after two fee increases totaling 32 percent during the 2009-2010 school year.

Average tuition at all UC schools for the 2009-10 school year was $10,302, which does not include room and board.

But tuition will jump to $11,124 in the fall of 2011.

This new hike in tuition will be the fourth in three years.

CSU tuition also jumped 15 percent from $4,234 to $4,884 for the fall of 2011. But some of the increase could be reduced if funds are found elsewhere.

“I see my education as an investment, that $22,000 can be the best you spent in a year.” said senior Ellen Kim

According the the UC office Web site, about one-third of money from tuition increases will be earmarked for an improved financial aid program that will increase the number of eligible families.

Right now, families with an annual income less than $70,000 can apply for financial aid. UC regents plan to raise that to

families with an annual income less than $80,000.

This new financial aid program will cover the higher fees for over half of the system’s 181,000 undergraduates.

“I do not think people who earn more money should pay higher fees,” said Careers In
Teaching instructor Cindy Bonagura. “If I go to McDonald’s to purchase a hamburger it costs the same no matter how much money I make.”

Also, those students with families whose income falls between $80,000 and $120,000 will not have to pay the higher fees until the fall of 2012.

“I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t help people like me or those in my class who go to college in 2012 anyway,” said junior Megan Lee.

Senior Aron Garst, who is applying to schools in the UC system, agrees.

“People don’t go out and buy a 50-inch TV just because the payments don’t start until a year or two in,” said Aron. “They worry about how much the cost is overall.”

While students dislike the new tuition increases, many realize they cannot do anything.

“No matter the cost, I have to end up paying it if I want to go to a UC,” said senior Daniel Cheng.

According to AP U.S. History and advanced world history teacher Rob Sloan, the only way to keep higher education in the state affordable is to increase taxes for all Californians.

Sloan, a UC Berkeley alumnus, added that such a change ought to include raising taxes for  the “well-heeled” Californian who he believes have been protected thus far from bearing their fair share of the tax burden.

While the new fee hikes are making many wary of applying to UC schools, some students think higher fees make the UC system more attractive.

“Because the fees are raised, it makes the system seem equally competitive with private schools,” said junior Gunjan Baid. “It makes the schools seem more prestigious.”

But for many, applying to UCs as an in-state student does not appeal as much anymore.

“I’m still going to apply to the UC system, but now it’s lower on my list of possibilities,” said Aron.