![[Both photos courtesy of sonoma.edu]
Ming-Ting "Mike" Lee stepped in as the new SSU president following Sakaki's resignation in July 2022](https://sonomastatestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CC4520AB-22A7-41B2-9F6F-2A2D5F76A28C-1200x1200.jpeg)
California State University proposed a five percent tuition increase to take effect in fall 2017. The change will affect the entire 23 campus system, including Sonoma State University. The CSU system will vote on the tuition increase proposal, resulting in a boost of no more than $270 per student, March 21-22. The tuition increase has been reported to go to various items including Graduation Initiative 2025, funded enrollment growth, facilities and campus infrastructure, employee compensation and mandatory costs. In the hopes of hearing what the campus has to say on the subject, Sonoma State students were asked “what are your thoughts on the possible tuition increase to be voted on in March?”
“I am guessing it would be especially more difficult for those who rely on financial aid. For example with me, I was low income so I depend more on scholarships, grants and such. Obviously it affects everyone, but I think it will have more of an impact on those who have less resources.”
-Jonathan Alvarado, freshman
“Well, when I started here my tuition was a lot lower than what I paid for this last semester. So, I have watched it increase slowly, but it’s never been such a drastic jump. And as a student who pays for their own tuition, having it increase that much isn’t something that I think I would be able to afford if I were to continue to go to school here after I graduate.”
-Kristina C., senior
“It’s a little worrying. Although I don’t really have that much of an issue with it personally, because I get federal grants, I think it’s an issue because there’s really no opinion or vote from the people that it’s directly affecting.”
– Julian Ochoa, first year
![“I feel like the increase isn’t that much considering what students would receive from it. Being a Kinesiology major I’ve had a hard time getting classes. I feel like [with] an increase in classes we have available students will actually be able to …](https://sonomastatestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/636_image-asset.png)
“I feel like the increase isn’t that much considering what students would receive from it. Being a Kinesiology major I’ve had a hard time getting classes. I feel like [with] an increase in classes we have available students will actually be able to get out of here in four years without having to stay extra.”
-Jessica Privado-Baker, third year
“At first, I was like goodness, raising five percent isn’t a good thing for some of the students here since they are paying with their own money or with FAFSA they have to pay it back after they graduate. After hearing that it is going to go to faculty I think it will be beneficial because faculty needs to have a bigger salary since faculty and teachers aren’t getting paid as much as they should be.”
-Ciara Smith, third year
“My opinion is positive. It is good to better the problems that exist in the universities and to be able to create new programs that the University may want to implement.”
-Salvador Franco, first year
