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Indybay Feature

Tuition Fee Rollback

by Julianne Hunsdorfer
The passing of Proposition 30 is supposed to provide more money for education in California. Tuition fee rollbacks in the CSU system meant that students should have gotten money back for the tuition fees they paid for their Fall term. Those students who receive assistance through Cal Grants, however, did not receive any of the refund, even if they paid a portion of their tuition fees out of pocket.
Voters in California recently passed Proposition 30 which made it so that tax rates would be raised in order to provide more money for public education. This extra taxpayer money is meant to fund education for all ages and is meant to stop budget cuts that have been plaguing the California education system for quite some time.

Shortly after the passing of Proposition 30, students in the California State University system received notification that fees would roll back to the previous semester. This was retroactive and meant that students would be getting money back from their schools for the difference they paid in tuition fees. This was thrilling to many CSU students who are in desperate need for the money and are struggling to stay in school because of constant fee increases.

One can only imagine the disappointment and frustration of students when they found tout that only a few would be receiving their refund check. The refund check was meant for those who paid out of pocket for their tuition fees in full. In other words, students who receive any type of Cal Grant to help them pay for their tuition will not see a dime of the refund. Students who are entitled to help due to financial need or for excellent grades are the ones who are now suffering. The Cal Grants given to them by the state is not enough to cover the fees of a public education in the CSU system, so many have to find ways to help finance their education, either through working while in school or taking out loans. These students who had to pay a portion of their tuition out of pocket were not considered when the money was directly refunded to the State of California.

It would make more sense that a student who paid for a portion of their tuition would get to see some of that refund money. They should be getting a portion of the money back because they contributed to paying the fee. The students who are not receiving the refund check are those who need it the most to continue their education, but this was overlooked, and the student is suffering injustices once again.

What seemed like an exciting surprise for many students has become a great disappointment and source of anger. Many students on college campuses throughout California are outraged that they are not getting money back that they believe is rightfully theirs. Though Proposition 30 is a step in the right direction, it is going to take a lot more to fix the broken education system.
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