CFA Testimonials

Testimonials

How have state budget cuts to the CSU affected you?

The following are stories by CSU students and faculty members detailing how two years of massive cuts to the CSU budget have affected them.

Send your personal story (no longer than 300 words) to editor@calfac.org

Testimonials by campus:

Chico
Dominguez Hills
Fresno
Hayward
Humboldt
Los Angeles
Monterey Bay
Northridge
Pomona
Sacramento
San Bernardino
San Francisco
San Jose
San Marcos
Sonoma
Stanislaus

CHICO

Drew Traulsen
CFA student intern

I am a father, student and homeowner in the great state of California. As a child and young adult I bought into the myth of the American Dream. I believed that education was the key to a better life. Both my wife and I funded our college educations without outside help. Each of us now hold multiple bachelor degrees and, in my wife’s case, a master’s degree (I am currently working on mine). Our career choice is education and we strive to give back to other s the knowledge we have gained. Unfortunately, our education costs to date are just under $100,000 combined.

This situation is troubling because the massive amount of debt we’ve incurred coupled with the low rate of pay for teachers in our country, make it difficult for us to pursue our career dreams (not to mention barring our access to that elusive “American Dream”).

Fee increases not only impact my family at present, but also will impact my family in the future because I will be unable to fund my children’s college education.

This is not only wrong, but ignorant politics. It might seem like a quick fix now, but the long-term damage will far outweigh (and outlast) the present situation.

James Gutierrez
Chico

At the rates at which you are raising the fees for my education there might not be anyone in the near future able to succeed in your shoes and those shoes of the failing Legislature. We hope that you will re-enforce our finds to that someone might be able to understand how to balance a budget in the future and so that my children can attend a university without paying an immense amount of money.

Meghan Donahoe
Chico

I do not believe that it is fair to punish those of us simply trying to gain an education by reducing university funding, when those of us at the university had absolutely nothing to do with the budget crisis. It just is not fair!

Kris Zappettini
Chico, lecturer

I have asked my students and their friends and parents to share with you their concerns about restoring adequate funding for the CSU budget. I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you my concerns as well.

One of the things I dread the most as each semester begins is looking out at the students in my class and knowing that only a portion of them will be enrolled. I have to prepare myself not to get emotional over telling someone that the class is full, even when they have a compelling argument.

I always have to turn away students who genuinely want to be in class; I hear pleads of why they should be added. If I was to enroll every student who wanted to be in my classes, I could easily almost double the enrollment; I have learned that I cannot be compassionate to their situation or I will be teaching too many students at a loss to myself.

It is clear to me that the educational budget is not a program that you cut in order to make gains; when you cut the educational budget you simply force other aspects of our California system to become negatively affected. Education is progress, it is empowerment, it is fiscally important for our economy, and it should be accessible by everyone. RESTORE ADEQUATE FUNDING TO THE CSU BUDGET!

Roberto Antoncich
Chico

It is already hard enough to attend school as it is right now; being a minority and the oldest of seven and a first generation college student, the fee increase will make it harder on me and my family.

Because I am not one of the student who have the luxury who can get help from their parents I have to pay for school on my own and still pay bills. With the fee increase it would make it real difficult to live day to day. I am trying to go to school so me and my family could live a better life. With the fees increasing and salaries and financial aid staying the same makes life a lot harder. So please rethink the increase and put yourself in our place for a minute.

Rebecca Wall
Chico

As a student I am grateful for my education, but with costs already so high I worry about how much my parents have to pay. With an increase in fees I would lose a lot of valuable services and my parents would have to pay a higher rate, which would make me feel guilty. I don’t want to feel guilty about my education, and nobody should have to feel that way.

DOMINGUEZ HILLS

Margarita Gomez
CFA student intern

I started at Dominguez Hills in 2002. Since I have been here it seems that things are getting worse. I have been paying every year more and more in tuition and fees for less and less in classes and services.

I remember my high school counselor saying to me that money shouldn’t be what holds me back from my education, but is this still true? With fees so high and getting higher, with financial aid being cut, with students being rejected from Cal States, and with the amount of classes not going higher while the student body does, it doesn’t seem that way.

I am the first to go to a university in my family. I was fortunate enough to be able to go into a Cal State. For me it was never a question of whether I was going to college, but rather where I was going.

My mother is a teacher aid and my dad owns his own business. They don’t make much money but we manage. When I graduated from high school I decided to get a job to be able to pay for the expenses financial aid wouldn’t pay, such as gas, lunches, car insurance and supplies. I got a part-time job and never realized how difficult it is to manage it. I had to schedule all of my classes in two days. I had to make time to do homework while I had to get to work on time.

I look at the financial aid available to me, I see more and more loans taking the place of federal money. I am 20 years old and I do not want to get into debt getting an education. I thought that getting as many people as possible with a degree was a good thing. Then why is it becoming more difficult each year for people to not only get in but actually graduate from the university?

Elizabeth Rodriguez
Dominguez Hills

I believe it is not a good idea to keep raising the university fees. I have about one year left until graduation, and raising the fees is going to prolong it. To add, since the job force in California is not that amplified, it has been difficult for a 22-year-old to find a job. Without a job and the fees being raised I will be here longer. I also have a brother that in about a year will be attending college as well, but he will be affected. As a matter of fact, he is affected already and is not yet a CSU student.

Sadot Chavez
Dominguez Hills, alum

As a registered voter, taxpayer and the product of the Cal State system, I’m shocked how tuition, class availability, financial aid has been affected by budget cuts. I have only bee out of school for two years and my cohorts on campus, on a regular basis, have complained, protested and made a priority on each Cal State campus. I benefited from financial aid, affirmative action, and I believed that social mobility comes from higher education. And when we hinder the ability to receive this as a right, the society, California, and our communities suffer.

Erendira Andrade
Dominguez Hills

Do you know how it is to be a lower middle class person? You don’t have access to all grants and yet you don’t have the money to pay for it out of “your” cash.

I am a working, married mom, student who wishes the same opportunities granted to wealthy individuals would be given/offered to student swho would like to continue their education, hoping for a better life. Our struggles are difficult and with your lack of interest in our education, governor, how can you promote a “better California.” The way to success is education. Please don’t forget the struggles of minorities and all working students. We students need to be provided with the resources of other countries or states. Help us. And we students will someday help you and others.

Tasha Worthy
Dominguez Hills

I am a taxpayer, student and worker of the United States. Most of my family members are workers of the state of California. I am one year away from graduating from Dominguez Hills, and I do not welcome higher fees. In the last two years ai hve witnessed school fees rise every semester and I feel that this is ridiculous. Especially when the classes are decreasing, or non-existing. Please find other ways to be able to afford to send my 4-year-old son to college when his time comes!

FRESNO

Liza Bolanos
CFA student intern

I am 23 years old, and it has taken me six years to finish a four-year degree. I am the first in my family to attend and soon graduate. My family, who consists of my mother, step-father and my sisters’ four children are supposed to contribute $1,400 each semester to my education according to financial aid calculations. Their total house income is $19,434 for the 2003 year.

My mother suffers from chronic asthma an diabetes and cannot work, and if she did work, who would take care of my nieces and nephews?
Welfare will not give my mom help since she is not their legal custodian. I began to work more hours to help my family out financially and to support myself. Now I’m faced with the prospect of not receiving financial aid because I made too much (22K) in 2003.

I have been working since I was 16 years old. I have paid taxes for seven years. The tuition fee increases minimize the chances individuals like myself, young females, Chicana, first generation, to attend college, and people of lower socio-economic status have to attend higher education. So much for equal opportunity! I didn’t vote for Schwarzenegger.

Lee Vang
CSU Fresno

My family was from Laos. We fled our country because of the Vietnam War. In 1992, my family moved to America. My family was new to this country. My parents do not speak English and have no education, so they can’t work. They have to depend on the public assistance, cash aid from federal. As a child whose parents do not speak English, I want to go to college to better my life and have a better job I this country. My parents can’t pay for college or higher education. Therefore, if you restore adequate funding to CSU or higher education then many children will be able to better their lives and break the cycle in poverty.

Jose Meza
CSU Fresno

It is really difficult to focus on school when you need to have two jobs to pay for school. There are students very smart but can’t go full time or they need dto take time off in order to pay for school. Lately, prices of the CSU system have sky rocketed. I am one of those students and there are many, many more. We struggle to pay the high prices of tuition. That’s not only it. Budget cuts have taken away classes, meaning that if someone is able to pay for school, classes are so crowded it’s very difficult to get into any classes.

I have had friends that needed to stay another semester for one class that they could not get into that class the previous year. I hope that the budget cuts stop taking from education because that is our future.

HAYWARD

Norma Gutierrez
CFA student intern

Being a first generation college student and a woman of color, I have seen first hand how important having access to higher education is.

Personally, I have had to work more and more since I started going to CSUH. When I started in 2001 I was able to work part time and pay for tuition, books and my personal expenses. Now I am only able to pay for books and need to receive funds from my parents to pay for fees and other bills. Thanks to the budget cuts, classes have been reduced and it will now take me an extra year to graduate.

In order to pay for this extra year I will have to work full-time during the summer to try to save money for the year to follow because I have a younger sibling who is also part of the higher education system. By the way there are four registered voters in my household who find the fee increases and the underfunding of higher education ridiculous.

Hifza Hasnat
Junior

I moved to California because I was told the education system was fantastic and worth moving for. Of course along with that was the financial concern. However, now that I am here, I am truly upset at the fees going up dramatically and our budget cuts affecting the classes. Attending school here in California now is an embarrassment not pride. There are rarely any classes that I want to take that are available. This proposition is a shame to the schools, the state and ultimately to the country. As a Canadian citizen I am truly appalled by this and refuse to continue my education in California.

Anieika Miranda
Former student

I was a student at Cal State Hayward University for two-and-a-half years. Currently I am not enrolled in school because I cannot afford tuition or books. Two years ago I was able to attend school because I was receiving financial aid. My tuition was paid in full and I was able to afford books. Now financial aid only pays a fourth of tuition and no books. And in order to receive this help I have to attend school full time.

I work full time in order to support myself because I don’t receive help from parents. Since I work full time it’s hard for me to be a full-time student; I can only be a part-time student.

Every quarter it gets harder for me because it is too expansive. If it continues to get more expensive I won’t be able to continue with my education. Getting an education should be affordable. Financial aid should also help support those who attend school part time. Tuition needs to stop increasing so students can still continue with their education.

HUMBOLDT

Terra Rentz
CFA student intern

I came to Humboldt State in the fall of 2003 with the knowledge that Humboldt State had the best wildlife program in the nation and that California’s promise to higher education would guarantee me an amazing education.

What I discovered was something very different. Due to recent budget cuts my major (a four-year major) now can only be completed in five years due to class cuts, and faculty members are forced to spread (undecipherable) curriculum with one-on-one time with overcrowded classes. Every entry-level class or major requirement is overflowing with students without enough desks to seat them all.

Up to date research materials are lacking in our libraries while empty shelves are becoming the dominant view.

My family cannot receive financial aid yet cannot fully afford to f und my education leaving me with loan debts already a mile long in my first two years.

Budget cuts go beyond just cutting funding – it’s cutting people’s lives.

Damaris McClelland
Humboldt

The only reason I can be in college today is because of CalGrant. Without it, I will be forced to drop out. My parents don’t have enough money in their savings account to cover one semester at school. This is not because they are lazy or spend happy. My mother works full time getting about minimum wage, and my father is a self-employed carpenter and contractor. I live in a small town with no industries, and I work in another town just like it.

I have recently signed a lease to be in an apartment with three other people because we need the combined income to afford housing. With the cost of college on the rise again, I will have to choose between food and school soon. When that time comes, I know I will be trapped in this county like so many others who have given up on their lives’ opportunities.

Please help poor people like me hope for a better future through education. Thank you for reading this note.

Sandra Hooper
Humboldt

A requirement of my teaching credential is 150 clock hours of continuing education every five years. I live one and a half hours from the nearest university (Humboldt State University). If the proposed budget cuts are enacted, this university will lose lecturers providing this vital service to the north coast regions of our state.

I have not had a cost of living adjustment in three years, and I pay thousands of dollars for my professional development courses. If the classes I need are not offered in this region I will have to live away from my family to get my units and my out-of-pocket expenses will make this an incredible hardship for my family.

Isn’t it sad and ironic that the educators of California’s future taxpayers are forced to decide whether or not to stay in teaching or leave this noble profession because we cannot support ourselves? This is the situation I will be in if your education cuts are made a reality. What a tragic legacy you will leave if you don’t rethink your position. California should lead the nation in education, not treat its teachers like so much waste.

Prudence Petersen
Humboldt

So I hear there are shortages of nurses all over the country. Well then, doesn’t it make sense to promote the career? Yes it does. And that’s been done quite well, that’s why I chose to be a nurse, but when I got to college I realized that someone doesn’t care about health care in the U.S. because they won’t offer the classes, the budget or the assistance to someone pursuing the career.

I finally gave up on the idea of nursing after spending a year overworked and overstressed trying to squeeze in classes only offered every other semester, or only one course that was way overcrowded. My school doesn’t have the budget to offer enough classes for a student to be able to take classes according to their schedule. I know people who have had to overload themselves to the point of exhaustion with math and science. Once they get through pre-recs they’re not even guaranteed as pot in the highly competitive program. If we’re short nurses we should support at least financially nursing programs as well as other programs in the CSU system.

Jennifer Kooy
Humboldt parent

I am a Republican, a small business owner and a concerned parent of an HSU student. These budget cuts will affect her education and her ability to attend college. Her intention was to get her master’s. However, the burden you are placing on her and the college will make this quest impossible.

Teachers, library books and periodicals and programs are at risk here! Are you putting the state’s budget back on track at the risk of California providing an antiquated education for our future? I voted for you and have looked to support you in your agendas. However, the nation will follow California in your beliefs and priorities. This will send a message that will impact generations. I would hate the cutbacks to be our legacy as to the availability and quality of education for middle-income families.

LOS ANGELES

Shirley Salderreaga
Freshman

I rely on the money that I receive from financial aid but besides that there are expenses that I have to pay. It affects my concentration in school because simply some of my classes are getting crowded and sometimes I have to struggle to pay my bills.

I am the first in my family to make it to a university and have goals in graduating in 2008. But with the major increase my dream will probably won’t happen. I’m a business major and I intend to expand my schooling and go to graduate school. But unfortunately with this situation happening it’s just tough.

Trisha Lopez
Los Angeles

As a first generation university student I have faced some hardships just trying to transfer and pay for schooling. I have to depend on financial aid and loans to pay for my education. I also have to work many hours just to pay bill s and be able to eat, which cuts down on my studying time.

With tuition costs going up this takes away from my money allocated for food and necessities because financial aid does not cover everything.

I am a struggling student trying to finish up school, and the fee increase and cut in grants hurt more than anything. This is making it a struggle to finish school. Please consider my story and other when deciding to cut money from the universities because it hurts us all.

Maribel Peralta
Los Angeles

Due to the increase of the tuition, my pocket has been affected a lot. Especially in my pocket cash. I have a daughter and living alone and going to school is tough enough. I am a first generation student to go to college, and less money in my pocket is going to eventually mean less chances to go to college.

Instead of helping the community you guys are destroying it. Try to help us out because it’s going to benefit everyone. Imagine if you keep increasing the tuition you are going to take away the doctors, nurses, lawyers and then who is going to cure you? Ever thought about that?

Nancy Carreño
Los Angeles

As the budget decreases so does my education. Being the first person to attend college out of my family I have almost no one to turn to for help. Therefore, there is no time for me to get a job. I need to focus on my studies, as it has begun to get more difficult. I cannot afford a budget cut and neither can my parents. This budget cut is affecting me in many ways. I have overcrowded classes, and even a class where my instructor is a grad student not a professor.

Luz Sandoval
Los Angeles

I am concerned for my education. I really believe that it’s going to be very hard for me to accomplish all my education goals. I want to become a doctor, medical doctor, and I plan on attending graduate school. And with all these budget cuts it’s getting harder and harder.

I am a first time generation to attend a university and it gets really hard for my parents to give me money for my education, and let’s not begin with financial aid.

I hardly get any money to help out either, so how am I supposed to make a progress of myself with all of this going on? You say that we are the future of America, but how is this possible when the government is making all these cuts?

Edgar Barraza
Los Angeles

Until last year I was looking forward to majoring in music and pursuing a career as a music teacher, but seeing how these budget cuts are happening, I might have to reconsider a different major. Also, by taking away funds from CSU and UC, student s as well as from schools you are making it harder for us to get a quality education to make a difference in other people’s lives and boost the economy. You will not only be reducing our education you will also be hurting this economy. Think about it.

Judith Rodriguez
Los Angeles

I am a freshman at Cal State Los Angeles, and I’ve been impacted by the budget cut you made last year of $500 million from the CSU budget. Tuition is becoming less affordable for me now that it has gone up. I don’t know if I will be able to afford to pay for these fees. The budget cut and the fee increases are affecting other factors such as class availability, class size and the cost of living.

Classes are overcrowded and it’s getting much harder to receive personal attention from professors. I certainly want to complete my college education. However, I am afraid that this financial crisis will not allow me, along with thousands of other students, to accomplish my dream of graduating from college.

Why do you cut all these funds from a place that is vital to the future success of America? Do you not think education is important? If your purpose for cutting all these fu nds was to recover some momey from the state debt, why did you decide to take it from something so important that affects future and potential doctors, lawyers, teachers and other professionals that will serve the community?

By the budget cut you have limited many people’s opportunities to afford a college education. In the near future, this will have an impact on increased unemployment because there will be less professionals and more competition in other non-professional jobs in the labor force.

As an amateur scholar, I see the negative impact this is creating for my generation of students and for upcoming generations that will ultimately be affected by this budget cut that is limiting their opportunities to a college education. My pledge is for you to reconsider returning that money for our universities. I thank you beforehand for redistributing that fund you took from the CSU budget. It will depend on my academic success.

Miguel Sanchez
Los Angeles

I have been a student for four years and in these four years tuition has been increased drastically. Everything that used to be provided (laser printing, financial aid) is being taken away or exchanged for me to pay.

It has been an awful experience being a student since all these budget deficits have caused me lots of stress since I have to worry about school tuition, family rent and food. With these prices might as well go out of state.

Wariesi Therese Flores
CFA student intern, fourth year political science

In 2001 I was the first of my family to attend a four-year university. I transferred straight out of a high school that maintains a 50 percent graduation rate. Needless to say, I was and am lucky to have had the opportunity to attend college. I am honored to carry the responsibility of changing the tradition of both my family and community.

This honor is quickly taking a turn for the worst. As I continue my growth and my development at the CSU, I am learning that the tradition within my family and community may not change as I once dreamed.

Since I began college in 2001, tuition has increased every year. I have watched my friends (that come from my community) fail out and drop out of college both largely to lack of money and resources. Many of us have taken on two or three jobs and full time jobs to carry out our expenses. Many students have accumulated insurmountable debt. Our classes are closing and I am personally in upper division courses with well over 40 students.

I am paying more for less. I am concerned for myself but share a deeper concern for children like myself who hope to change the tradition within their families and communities. I am afraid that they will learn early on that they can’t change the tradition they were raised and socialized to carry on.

MONTEREY BAY

Mark Weirick
CFA student intern

I was raised in a working class family with my dad working for CalTrans and my mother working part-time food service at Mesa Middle School in Nipomo.

For as long as I can remember it has been my father’s goal to ensure that my brother and I can attend and graduate college. My father has never graduated and my mother only graduated college as a returning student in her 40s.

In the past, my father has worked as much overtime as allowed to pay for my education. That is currently no longer an option. If it were not for the affordable education that CSU Monterey Bay had provided I most likely would not have gone to a four-year university. I have worked hard in my classes every year to ensure that I can graduate within four years. My family and myself could not afford to pay for another one.

I work and I go to school, and I help my mom with half of my paycheck. She (my mom) doesn’t have enough money to help me with school. We have it hard. Other people have it easy but me I had to struggle to where I am at this point. It’s not fair that it has to affect college students. We are the future of this country and with the major increases I doubt that things will get better.

Kristen LaFollette
Monterey Bay

I am a student and former employee of California State University Monterey Bay. Due to family circumstances I have had to pay for my education on my own. In order to support myself, I have taken on three jobs. Last semester I worked four jobs while attending school full time.

My parents have been unable to help me financially. Four years ago, my father fell off a roof and became disabled. My mother works as a substitute teacher and helps to take care of my grandmother. My parents pay over $900 a month just for health insurance and all their money goes to bills. I do not qualify for student aid even though my father is disabled.

Every dollar that I earn is used, and I cannot afford to pay more for my education. I have to pay rent, buy my books and supplies, pay for my car, buy gasoline, pay my phone bill, buy my food, prescriptions and buy gas. Last semester one of my roommates moved out, and now I have to split her portion of the rent. I am constantly worried about money. I do not have the luxury to concentrate on my classes because I work so much. I even work during class as a notetaker.

I cannot afford any more fee hikes. I need you to protect my right to an education. I am a citizen of this state and an active voter. Please assure me that you value me and my right to learn and work toward a better future.

Sabrina Marcos
Monterey Bay

I’ve noticed a significant increase in our tuition fees these last few semesters. I have to state that it has not only put a financial strain on me, but on my entire family as well. I was obligated to get a job while I’m taking a full-load of classes every semester. My parents are scrapping for money to get me through.

CSUMB is known to provide education to multicultural and low-income families. Although with these budget cuts, it seems as if it’s “just another CSU.”

I have two younger siblings. My brother will be graduating high school next year. It kills me to think that he’ll be at risk for not being able to attend college. Between the incoming freshman ceiling and the expensive fees, it will be nearly impossible for him to get the education he deserves.

Please reconsider the California budget cuts fro our low-middle income families as well as our youth.

Emily Oberheim
Monterey Bay

I love being able to attend this wonderful CSU. My father thought he would be able to pay for my education because he had a great job at UC Berkeley, but he was laid off in 2003 due to this budget problem.

Now, my mother who has a somewhat good job at Kaiser Permanente has to support my education and pay for what they need to live. Help! My mom is so stressed. CSUs are supposed to be a good, decent price. I might as well go to a private college. When I graduate I want to be a social worker and work for the state. But a state job now isn’t looking so good.

Salvatore Michael Marseguerra
Monterey Bay

Students are becoming unable to pay for their tuition without aid. I, myself, am working almost full time hours to be able to afford my education. I feel as though not only am I being taxed as a working citizen but now also as a student in the form of fee increases.

I also don’t feel that these increases, which occur steadily, have shown return. I have seen no real improvements over the past two years here. In fact, there have been sections cut, and even some summer semester classes no longer offered. Please listen to our plea for funding, or it will in time start to push away potential students.

NORTHRIDGE

Enrique Glan
CFA student intern

It is very unfortunate that many thousands of high schoolers were turned away. I feel that many of these students would have brought social change and were motivated enough to better our community in this time that as a community we are suffering.

Thousands are not in the CSU. Out of these thousands many will not be able to accomplish a better life. I feel very fortunate to have been receiving my education at CSUN. I feel that I accomplished many things there, but it is very hard to survive in California.

I have two jobs and am a full-time student, but overall I have a responsibility to my family, and I could take care of them better with a college education.

Being from an impoverished background I suffer with having too many work hours to be able to rent a room and eat. My family suffers already. I wish that the tuition doesn’t become their burden because they’re barely surviving.

Brian Lerable
Monterey Bay

The quality of my education is my greatest concern. As I have experienced it, the compounded problem of having to work and having limited access to school research facilities (inadequate hours of operation, primarily) has had a noticeable impact on my ability to dedicate myself to my learning.

This concern is to such a point that I am beginning to question the value of earning a degree from the CSU system. In other words, I fear that I may be making the wrong decision to attend school at a CSU. Unfortunately, my economic background has severely limited my options. Please give us, the future, the attention it deserves.

Valerie Jean Morris
Monterey Bay

I plan on graduating this spring semester 2005. Over my past few years on this campus I have heard of a number of suicide cases happening every year. This is a small campus, and we thrive on close relations, yet so many students do not have time to seek counseling do to work, some having two jobs and also all school assignments. Those that can are appointed onto a waiting list because we have only one full-time counselor. It is a shame to see so many young lives go to waste, especially when they have gotten this far to a four year university, which has even gotten a lot harder to do because of the number of students who are being denied access.

I was lucky enough to get where I am when I graduated from high school in 2000. I have been on the road to self-destruction but was able to find the correct path once again. Students today need more help emotionally and financially. There are too many people who have to fund things on their own, and it is truly difficult. You can help these students currently here and others to get here. It is time for you to get on the right path and help the students to getting a higher education and not punish them for wanting one.

POMONA

Selena Harrigan
Sociology, Senior

CSU budget cuts and fee increases have definitely affected me. When I transferred to Cal Poly three years ago, tuition was approximately $650. This amount has dramatically increased. I recently paid almost $1,000 for tuition this quarter. Since most people attend Cal State universities because it is more affordable than other universities, it makes it more difficult to obtain a college education for those who already have a difficult time paying tuition.

I can barely afford to pay this increased tuition and I am so relieved that I only have one more quarter to pay for. I worry about others who are just beginning here as freshmen. Parking has also dramatically increased over the time that I have been here, and it is very difficult to pay. Books are also a huge financial burden and I have seen students who literally cannot afford to buy books and must wait several weeks into the quarter to purchase books.

Roderick Conwi
CFA student intern

The fee increases within the past years have been ridiculous. The cost of tuition has gone up about $300 a quarter since I started at CSU Pomona. I have had to pick up part-time jobs in order to help pay for tuition. Because of that, I have not been able to spend the appropriate amount of time on my schoolwork. That forces me to push back my graduation date.

This prevents me from entering the workforce full time and because of this, I can’t contribute to the state economy. Classes are now harder to get than ever before. Teachers try to help students by letting them add classes to the point where classrooms are overcrowded. It is much harder to have a good student and teacher relationship. Due to this impairment in communication, the quality of my education is decreasing.

Krisha Bell
Sociology, Senior

The CSU budget cuts and fee increases have affected me to the point to drop out to save money and return whenever I can. Every quarter after paying my tuition I don’t have enough money to buy books. I have to wait about three weeks to purchase books. I can’t buy a parking permit until the second week of school. When I first attended Cal Poly three quarters ago the price for a parking permit was $72. Now it’s $90. I don’t see what is the point in increasing fees when I don’t see any changes. Lastly it has affected me physically because I’m stressed out throughout the quarter, worried about how to come up with over $1,000 in less than 10 weeks.

Gabrielle Rocha
Animal Science, Junior

It has been a serious issue for me to deal with since I started going to this school in the fall of 2002. Fees have steadily been increasing as each quarter passes, which has made it more difficult for me to use more money to pay for books each quarter as well. Since the budget cutgs directly affect the amount of class sections that are being offered, the class sizes have increased as well.

All of these factors make it more problematic for college students like myself to actually just focus on the learning aspect of our education.

LaShanna Jones
Sociology, Women’s Studies Minor, Senior

The CSU budget cuts have affected my education career tremendously. As a first-generation college student whose education is supported by financial aid, scholarships and family support, I am forced to take out loans because there is little to any funds available for students that are state funded.

Last quarter, my financial aid was completely messed up. My family and I had to borrow money for me to pay $943 tuition fee and find money to pay for books, transportation and for school supplies. Eventually my loans came through during the sixth week of classes. This was helpful but at Cal Poly Pomona we are on the quarter system that is only 10 weeks, and an 11th week for finals. As a result I was left to struggle financially because the financial aid office said they did not have extra funds due to the 25 percent tuition increase of CSUs.

In addition I am force to resort to using public transportation of riding the bus to school everyday because I cannot afford to pay $90 for a parking permit each quarter.

Gabrielle Rocha
Pomona

It has been a serious issue for me to deal with since I started going to this school in the fall of 2002. Fees have steadily been increasing as each quarter passes, which has made it more difficult for me to use more money to pay for books each quarter as well. Since the budget cuts directly affects the amount of class sections that are being offered, the class sizes have increased as well. All of these factors make it more problematic for college students like myself to actually just focus on the learning aspect of our education.

Marissa Arango
Pomona

I have no money to pay for anything! All I can pay for is my tuition. This quarter I didn’t even have enough money to cover my books. I was only able to buy two out of three books. Unfortunately this third book costs $100+. My classes are congested and I don’t get individual attention like I would in a smaller class. It’s very impersonal.

Krisha Bell
Pomona

The CSU budget cuts and fee increases have affected me to the point to drop out to save money and return whenever I can. Every quarter after paying my tuition I don’t have enough money to buy books. I have to wait about three weeks to purchase books. I can’t buy a parking permit until the second week of school. When I first attended Cal Poly three quarters ago, the price for a parking permit was $12, now it’s $90. I don’t see what’s the point in increasing fees when I don’t see any changes. Lastly it has affected me physically because I’m stressed out throughout the quarter, worried about how to come up with over $1,000 in less than 10 weeks.

Melissa Azpeitia
Pomona

Even though I am in my final year at Cal Poly, I am still frustrated and upset that tuitions are still increasing. Many of my peers face difficulties trying to get a good education, they are responsible for paying for school themselves without any type of aid, so they are tempted to take out loans for school, and they would now have to worry about being in debt. Tuition is ever increasing, and it also does not leave me much hope when I have my own children, but I will try my best to give them as much as I can.

Katherine Beer
Pomona

As a resident advisor in the halls (dorms) the budget cuts affected our staff employment. In a hall with about 250 to 300 residents, we have five R.A.s to six wings, whereas before we had an R.A. in each wing, increasing the ratio of residents to R.A.s.

This makes our R.A. job a lot more difficult and more time consuming.

SACRAMENTO

John Kincaid
CFA student intern

As long as I have been in college I have had to work almost 40 hours a week just to get by. Even as an accounting director for a small business, my supposedly mid-level income wasn’t enough to pay my rent and fees for school.

Because of this it has taken me nearly six years to finish my bachelor’s degree and I anticipate I will be in debt approximately one Hummer, maybe two, by the time I receive my doctorate.

As a future UC or CSU professor I am not looking forward to entering the workforce in debt and behind my peers from other states and other countries. California needs to rebuild the CSU and reclaim its position as the world’s leading producer of young, debt-free intellectuals.

Seritha L. Mosby
Sacramento

I am a single mother of three. I am in the social work program and I am dependent on financial aid to be able to complete my program. I have had to take out the maximum in loans in order to support myself in school.

This is my first semester at Sac State and due to my transcripts being late I have just received my first financial aid check. I have been attending school without any books and paying the daily parking of $2.75. It has been a total hardship on me.

In August I will have to take a leave of absence from my job to be able to attend school full time. If you raise tuition fees it will almost be impossible for me to attend. I want to receive my degree in social work, but I shouldn’t have to be almost $40,000 or more in debt to do it.

Brandon D. Rael
Sacramento

I am a 30-year-old father of two young children and come from the inner city of East Oakland. I came to this school to bring my children far away from that life. But with the constant increase in the amount that I pay I am not sure if I can keep that dream going.

I am the first to go to college and the first to make it out of the war zone that they call Oakland, so I really have no one I can count on to help me pay the extra money.

Without your help you will not only be damaging my life but the life of my children. So please think about us before you hike up the pay and cut down the budget.

Janice A. Sanford
Sacramento

I am a 51-year-old, recently divorced woman who is working to receive a degree so that I may become a crisis counselor. After 30 years of marriage which was extremely abusive, I ended my marriage receiving very little in money. Additionally, I only receive $1,500 monthly in support; however, my housing is $900 monthly, medical insurance $425.19, and out of pocket prescriptions are approximately $200 a month.

Obviously, this leaves nothing for food, clothing, car, car insuance, utilities and any incidentals. Therefore, college being expensive is a big issue for me, given its increase in fees and lowering of financial aid guidelines. I understand as a state we can’t spend $200 when we only have $100. I am living this reality; however, cutting aid and increasing college fees is not the answer.

Education is our future. Please don’t stop my ability to proceed with my education by pricing me out of my education.

Tonya Smith
Sacramento

I am only a junior and I am already in debt $10,000 because of student loans and expenses. I work 20 to 30 hours a week and barely get by.

I thought I was going to have to drop out of school when the fees were raised the first time. Instead, I put the remainder of my fees on my Visa and took out more loans.

I want to go to graduate school because in social work I know how necessary it is to have a master’s degree, however, I probably won’t be able to afford it for a long time after graduation.

It is sad that the one good thing in society that we have and love has to endure budget cuts and cause us to hate it and dread what we will have to pay the next semester.

SAN BERNARDINO

Crystal Hill
CFA student intern

It is important to me and many other citizens of this state that the funding provided for education become more sufficient. As a current graduating student at Cal State San Bernardino I have seen how the quality of higher education is regressing each year, classes are becoming more impacted, fewer classes are being offered, which in turn is taking students longer to graduate.

The budget cuts and fee increases are making it hard for students to exercise our rights to higher education. Because fees are going up across the board I don’t believe that I will be able to afford to further my education and establish a better well being for my social status.

I decided to go to school and become better educated, so that I may rise above many of the obstacles that I face as being a minority and a female.

It is turning out that obtaining my education is becoming yet another obstacle for me to overturn. I don’t come from a family that can afford to send me to college and/or graduate school I am one of many that need assistance. I have had to work to help my family since about the age of 12. I am no stranger to hard work. And as a child I was determined to rise above my setbacks and reach for the stars. Yet it becomes so discouraging that education is not looked upon as a right but as a privilege. The fact that funding is being deducted from education and used to pay off state debt is absurd and makes you question what is the state’s priority. Is it the future of our society or war awareness?

Me and generations after me are the future of this country. The goal of higher education is becoming more and more out of our reach.

SAN FRANCISCO

Hector H. Jimenez Cardenas
student

Being a student or a child from a low-income family, I recognize that academic programs created by state funding have helped me get to and stay in higher education as a form of guidance not a free ride through college.

These programs show low-income students doors, but the students walk through them alone. These doors or opportunities are more available to students from higher income families, especially since their parents have most possibly attended higher education.

But even students of higher income families can benefit from such programs because they can both use them and interact with students that are helped by state funded programs who share different experiences and perspectives in education.

Restoring adequate funding to the CSU is also important to the quality of education and the affordability given the availability of classes for graduation.

Megan Jalomo
San Francisco

The budget cuts have caused the classes I need to graduate to be removed or impacted. Because of the limited space I have not been allowed into certain classes and have been forced to take classes that have nothing to do with my major. It is now going to take me longer to graduate and cost my parents more money. I believe education should come first. If we are the future, what kind of leaders would we be without education?

Jamie Tretherway
San Francisco

Last year with the budget cuts my major, dance, was in jeopardy of being cut. Many teachers were asked to reduce their number of courses, otherwise a larger number of classes would be cut. Since a smaller amount of classes are now being offered than in previous years, I am not able to graduate on time because I was not able to complete prerequisite and other required courses. An increase in budget allowance at the CSUs will help me to reach my goal of becoming a high school dance teacher in a shorter and more reasonable amount of time.

Shannon Allard
San Francisco

I am a full-time student and work full time as a teacher in an infant/toddler classroom. I am barely able to pay rent, let alone pay the student tuition and fees. So, I have to take out huge loans so I can make my life goal. I am a voter who supports the higher education act and feels horribly neglected by the state and its budget cuts. Please restore the CSU system!

Molly Leung
San Francisco

I am 21 years old and have been on my own since I was 15. It has been a struggle for sure, but education has saved me. Financial aid and support through school has been crucial to my survival and moving forward with my life. For myself and others like me, I urge you to stop cutting the budget for CSUs. I urge you to restore funding. We all deserve access to an education, for many of us it is crucial for our survival and success.

Thao Phan
San Francisco

This year alone, 500 classes have been canceled at SFSU, making it extremely difficult to get into any of my required classes. Even if people were able to get on the wait list for a professor, a good majority of my fellow classmates had to scrounge a seat on the floor. Please help restore our education. Without education we’re nothing!

Sara Blowers
San Francisco

Fortunately I can still afford education despite the massive fee increases. Unfortunately, I know many students who can’t and have dropped out as a result. Furthermore, us students who can still attend are dealing with a low-grade education with overfilled classes, lack of resources, teachers and materials. This is ridiculous. Education is the basis of a functioning, equal and peaceful society. A lack of investment in this arena makes us all pay – literally and figuratively. Please allocate more money to education, it is possible and it is the best investment for California’s future.

Jeffrey Ung
San Francisco

As a person who has to finance his own education, the recent increases in my tuition have caused me to increase my work hours and attend school less. Thus, I am paying more for receiving less that I have in recent semesters. I was raised to hold education as the highest priority because knowledge is priceless, yet you are asking us to sacrifice the most important thing we can do for ourselves in the name of bureaucracy. Education is something that should never be compromised. How can you expect our economy to get better when you cannot even prepare the next generation to step up and take care of themselves properly? If this next increase goes through then I would have seen my tuition practically double over the course of three years! That’s ridiculous, Mr. Governor. If you choose to continue making our education second to everything else, than this is one vote you will not be receiving come re-election time.

Ana Katherine Cardona
San Francisco

I am a sophomore and a business marketing major, but because of the budget cuts the chances of me getting out of school in the next two years are slim to none. All the classes that I try to get into are full, and each succeeding year there seems to be even less sections. I do not understand why a state with the sixth largest economy in the world has a problem in funding the education of its citizens, who are ultimately the state’s bloodline.

Wouldn’t you want a labor force that’s educated? In my business classes, I learned that human capital is a key resource. Educating us means we are building human capital and in turn, since we live here, the California government shares the fruits of our labor. It’s a win-win situation. Why not invest in the future?

SAN JOSE

Adriana Garcia
CFA student intern

Since high school I have faced many obstacles to getting an education, but I have overcome them and now I am a sophomore at SJSU. But my battles for a higher education are far from over! I have to support my family of six by working four jobs. But my dream of getting an education is so big I will not let that stop me.

My routine consists of going to school (5 classes – I need this to get financial aid), going to three jobs a day (last job is on weekends), running student organizations and to finish my day I have tons of homework, which I don’t finish until 5 a.m. I only sleep two hours if I’m luck I will sleep three hours!

But this isn’t my biggest obstacle. It’s the budget cuts happening.

I have worked very hard to have what I do and be where I am, and I won’t tolerate being denied my rights of education. I am denied access to campus resources, getting classes cut, making me delay my graduation.

Huy Tran
CFA student intern

This is my last year as an SJSU student, and financially it has also been the hardest. My eligibility for CalGrants expired, though I’ve only been at SJSU for four years, and in general I have been limited to loans and work-study.

Last semester, I was only able to pay for tuition because I had a scholarship and worked three jobs to pay for my living expenses.

Last spring, I couldn’t afford to pay for all my books and spent half a semester without my economics textbook. Needless to say I didn’t do very well in that class.

These fee increases have made me have to work harder to pay my bills and focus less on what I should, earning my degree.

What’s worse is how the budget cuts have affected my friends and family. This is my last year, but my little brother has just started at Hayward. Will he have to work three jobs like me?

Alberto Gutierrez
San Jose

I have worked as a resident advisor for three years and have seen on a personal level how the budget cuts/fee increases affect students. I have witnessed students drop out of school because they can no longer afford their education. I have been affected by the budget cuts through over-crowded classrooms, inadequate classroom facilities and limited one-on-one time with my professors. I hope you reconsider your budget, if you plan on cutting more funds from the CSU system. Think about the future of the state, we the students are the future, and if we cannot even have a quality education, prepare for a future with a population of ignorant citizens.

Teresa Paralos
San Jose

I am currently an undergraduate student. I have three part-time jobs in addition to being a full-time student. In order to survive and finish my education, I have to work three jobs. The budget cuts have affected me. It has made it extremely difficult to register for classes because of the cut of courses being offered. Please restore adequate funding to the CSU budget. I have two younger siblings who will be attending CSUs in the future and I fear they will have to deal with the struggle that this budget cut has created.

Alexander Ramos
San Jose

Everyday I walk into over-crowded classrooms with students sitting on the ground. During test times, students take tests outside and the teachers don’t have enough time or energy to meet with all students.

Ana Abrego
San Jose

Please accept this letter as a plea not to raise fees anymore. I am a single parent trying to raise a family, work full time and still be a full-time student. As you may already know, it is very difficult financially to raise a child. I am barely making ends meet at home. If you raise fees you will push me to get out of school. I will not be able to afford it.

I am a junior at San Jose State University, and I plan to graduate in 2006. Please don’t raise fees for education. I want to be able to get my degree and provide a good future for my son. I plan to graduate with a B.S. in Justice Studies. Please take into consideration the people who cannot and will not be able to afford it. You will be putting a lot of students out of an education.

Remember, education in this country is very important and should come first. That is the only way to make a living in this country.

Bernadet Davood
San Jose

I feel that as a college student, school should be my top priority and focus. With the constant tuition increases, I am not able to only focus on school because of the long hours I have to put in at work to pay for tuition. Usually when you raise the price to something, you should have something positive to show for it. But in this situation all you have to show are higher fees and less classes! Please re-evaluate your actions and take our feelings into consideration.

Julie San Filippo
San Jose

I have applied for financial aid for 2005/06 but was denied. This was one of my last hopes before I am forced to apply for loans. Last year my dad had to quit his management job due to severe heart problems and now only makes $12 an hour. I make about $15 but only at 30 hours a week. I have run out of options.

Crystal Calosing
San Jose

I have been working full time ever since I started college. I do not get any financial support from my parents, loans or financial aid. With the increasing tuition it is more difficult to support myself and pay for school. The price of tuition is not worth the amount of education that we are not receiving. There is not enough classes, but yet tuition is getting higher. It isn’t fair that my generation is suffering from this lack of funding to education. Try imagine being in my situation and struggling to save enough money for school.

SAN MARCOS

Tasha Iglesias
CFA student intern

When I first started at San Marcos, I was privileged enough to be able to take the classes I needed with a relatively decent student-professor ratio. This was a major benefit. I was able to meet with professors so that they could guide me educationally, professionally and in life.

Now things are quite different. I have to wait outside offices on the floor for long periods of time. I’ve had to listen to lectures while sitting on stairs.

There are so many different side effects of cutting the CSU’s budget. What I have mentioned is merely a crumble from a bigger piece of the pie.

Sarah Leonard
San Marcos

These budget cuts are making it very difficult for me to graduate and become a productive, contributing citizen of California. I do not have enough classes available to even take the required courses for my graduation. Students are discouraged and enrollment at San Marcos is down because students can’t afford to come to school and are not inspired to do so when the programs would not be there for them to attend.

Melissa Kaplan
San Marcos

Without this extra support, students such as myself will no longer be able to continue going to school. After 15 years of school it will b horrifying to think that it will all have to end until I can afford to finish schooling. The budget cuts have already forced me to work full time as well as taking 15-18 units a semester. The class sizes have gotten so large that I have to fight to get one-on-one time to completely understand the lesson. Just to get into a class has become quite difficult and stressful. If your budget cut goes through, students such as myself, who have been successful throughout elementary school, middle school, high school and now college, will be forced to drop out. Please don’t make these harsh cuts.

Sabrina Rock
San Marcos

I would not be able to attend college without financial aid and programs like EOP & SSS. I am a hard-working single mom. I maintain a 3.85 GPA and I am extremely active on campus at CSUSM. I am not a “special interest” group. The sooner I graduate, the sooner I will be a working, tax-paying member of society. Class size and availability is limiting my ability to graduate and prolonging my need for financial aid and services. We will not stand for more cuts.

SONOMA

Carol Knox
CFA student intern

As a student who transferred from the California Community College system to the CSU system I have seen my fair share of overcrowded classrooms and overworked instructors. The budget cuts have decreased the availability of my necessary classes and I will have to increase my stay at the CSU in order to receive my degree.

By decreasing the amount of available classes and increasing our fees I will have to take out more student loans each semester and I will be simply increasing the amount of loans I will have to pay once I graduate. It is ridiculous how much our fees have increased and how as a student I will end up being in the CSU system longer than I had planned.

Sally Saundara
Sonoma

From reviewing the increase of the student fee of CSU, most students who are attending a CSU may not have adequate amount of financial aid and money to pay for their college tuition if the student fees increases every year.

So as a result of the student fees increasing, the amount of financial aid given to students should also be increased so they can be able to afford attending and staying in college.

Being a student and coming from a family that does not have enough funding to put me through college, I depend mainly on the financial aid that I receive from the CSU, and working during the school year.

I really urge you to restore the adequate amount of funding to the CSU to provide the students a great amount of aid to attend college.

James Pardieu
Sonoma

We are the men and women who will solve Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, terrorism, welfare. We’ll be dealing with the ever-present problems of crime and poverty and most importantly take care of the baby boomers as they retire. Equip us to succeed.

Francisco Guerrero
Sonoma

The CSU system was meant to be an affordable system dedicated to the personal and educational development of lower income individuals. It seems the state of California has simply forgot this important fact and has continued to increase tuition while decreasing financial aid, making it much more difficult for lower-income student s to make an attempt at higher education.

I am in my final semester at Sonoma State. When I arrived in the fall of 2001, the school and the world were different places. If I was to stay in school for another year it might not be possible for a student like myself to stay because it will become unaffordable. This reduction in funds to financial aid and the CSU system will help increase the low economic impact to the local areas when they graduate from the smaller CSU system. If this trend continues, only financially stable, middle- income families will be able to send their children to school. I am low income. Without the CSU system and financial aid I could not receive a higher education.

Cheryl Johnson
Sonoma

In order to further my education and afford to live in the Bay Area I must work full time (40 hours per week). My full time job requires me to work Mon-Fri 8 to 5 p.m., which leaves my nights open for going to school.

Due to budget cuts, Sonoma State University has cut back the quantity of classes offered. Now the time periods that my required classes are offered are during my work day, making it difficult for me to continue to further my education . If tuition were less expensive, I wouldn’t need to work as much and then be able to attend classes at other times.

In order for young people to obtain a college education we need to increase the number of classes offered and reduce the cost of tuition and books so they will have time to attend classes instead of working full time to afford school.

STANISLAUS

Jennifer Holt
CFA student intern

As a commuter student I already face increasing gas prices. Now that student fees have increased, I have had to work two jobs to get by. I can’t afford to buy my own car or move out on my on because I would be forced to have to quit school.

Now that I am a senior I will leave with debt, have very little money saved up because the majority of my money had to go to increasing school costs and potentially not even have a job that I have worked so hard in college to be able to attain.

It’s not just the rising fees that have caused this situation. A lack of library hours has made it more difficult for me to find the time to actually use the library resources I need. The student clinic on campus, which I relied on for health care, is now almost as expensive as going to a regular doctor.

Blanca Barrera
Stanislaus

I am a student who does not receive financial aid or any sort of government funding. With the increase of the fees, I am forced to cut back on certain activities and look for a job. I need my education, so please stop increasing the fees.

Raquel Gutierrez
Stanislaus

I am trying to get an education for my future; however, if I have to work a lot for funding, I have less time to be a more productive student. I would love to spend more time studying rather than being at work.

Patricia Zarco
Stanislaus

It is the duty of the legislative representatives to ensure the success of its youth and young adults. As a student, I am appalled at the services that were cut. So much so, I am considering going out of state for my MA or LD. Hey Arnold: Open your eyes!

Ricardo Ramirez
Stanislaus

I am being affected by the budget cuts many different ways. One is the reduction of classes and the number of students in a class. Also the financial aid cuts affect me also.

Sarah Nguyen
Stanislaus

They are not offering enough summer classes, which is causing me to slow my education process. Parking is going up. Books are going up. I can’t afford it.

Omar Velazquez
Stanislaus

As my tuition increased by a high percentage, my financial aid (which is vital to finishing my undergraduate studies) was cut. Besides, as a student working as a tutor on campus, my pay was frozen for two consecutive semesters (ever since the start of Gov. Schwarzenegger).

Those cuts to the funding of education have worsened my condition of students, which limited me to continue with my education at ease. Isn’t education important for our society and a promise for the future?