Risky Affordability Friday, August 20, 2021
The California State Auditor maintains a "high risk" list of state agencies and issues. Included on that list - released in an update yesterday* - is affordability at UC and CSU. From the report: STUDENTS’ ABILITY TO AFFORD HIGHER EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA REMAINS A CONCERN Background
As the State’s largest public university systems, which together enroll more than 777,000 students annually, the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) are responsible for a significant portion of higher education in California. In 1991 the Legislature declared that the State must commit to making higher education accessible and affordable for all Californians. In our January 2020 high-risk assessment (2019-601), we found that from 1992 to 2017, undergraduate tuition increased by about 340 percent at CSU and 440 percent at UC. We also found that recent data and studies have suggested that affordability continues to be a problem for students. Students’ ability to afford higher education
Students have experienced increases in the cost of attending public universities, which affects their ability to afford higher education. The total cost of attending a public university (cost of attendance) includes expenses such as tuition, fees, books, housing, food, and transportation. For academic years 2018–19 to 2019–20, the average cost of attendance for full-time undergraduate students who are California residents increased by approximately $1,010 (from $23,260 to $24,270) at CSU and by approximately $900 (from $32,890 to $33,790) at UC. Although tuition has remained flat at CSU and UC over recent years, increases in other costs, such as campus fees, food, and housing, have contributed to the rise in the average cost of attendance. Further, tuition at UC is scheduled to increase beginning in academic year 2022–23 for future students. Meanwhile, for academic years 2018–19 to 2019–20, average financial aid awards (scholarships and grants) for eligible students increased by only about $120 (from $8,510 to $8,630) at CSU and by approximately $230 (from $18,320 to $18,550) at UC. 1 186
UCLA Faculty Association Blog: 3rd Quarter 2021
