Governor Advocates Fee Rollback at Regents Meeting

By Ioana Patringenaru I January 23, 2006

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger talks with UC students after speaking to the UC Board of Regents at UCSD last week.

Making a rare appearance at a University of California Board of Regents meeting, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger came to UCSD Wednesday to tout a budget proposal to freeze UC student fees for 2006-07.

The governor, who also is the board’s president, urged the regents to work with him and the legislature to include the proposal in the final budget lawmakers will approve this year.

“We need to keep UC as the flagship for higher education in this country,” Schwarzenegger told his audience.

UC undergraduates face an 8 percent fee hike next school year. Graduate students and students enrolled in professional schools face increases of 10 and 5 percent respectively. Regents thanked the governor for trying to give students a reprieve.

“It’s very nice to have a governor that understands us,” Regent Peter Preuss said.

Schwarzenegger said his budget proposal sets aside $130 million more for the University of California and the California State University system, which would allow the two systems to cancel student fee increases. The governor found a friendly audience at the Price Center. He and the regents even exchanged a few jokes.

UCSD Chancellor Marye Anne Fox and Peggy Preuss, wife of Regent Peter Preuss, attend a reception held for the UC Regents at Calit2.

Student Regent Adam Rosenthal said he was grateful for the proposed fee rollback, but he urged the governor to consider the plight of professional school students, whose fees have continued to climb in past years. These campuses are turning into quasi-private schools, said Rosenthal, who is a law student at UC Davis. Several regents also urged Schwarzenegger to earmark more funds for outreach programs, which would help send more minority students to UC schools.

Minority students also were on the mind of Forest Borie, a UCSD fifth-year history student who patiently waited in the audience with his hand held up until Schwarzenegger acknowledged him and allowed him to ask questions. The 22-year-old hailing from Paradise, Calif., asked why the government didn’t tax the wealthy more to get money for poor and minority school districts.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger

“What you say is absolutely correct,” Schwarzenegger replied. “This is one of the biggest and more important fights that we have to lead to create equal education in the state.”

The governor went on to say that California had set aside $1 billion for strugging school districts under his leadership, as part of a lawsuit settlement. He did not answer the young man’s question about taxes.

After his Board of Regents appearance, Schwarzenegger met with a small group of UC students. They talked about their experiences. The governor mentioned again the need to make education more equitable.