Despite the hundreds of protestors that marched at the University of California, Los Angeles in opposition of suggested fee hikes, the UC Board of Regents approved a 32 percent fee increase at all 10 UC campuses, reports the Los Angeles Times.
The vote comes a day after 14 demonstrators, 12 of whom were students, were arrested for repeatedly interrupting the regents meeting. As a result, the Nov. 19 session was closed to visitors, but that didn’t stop the protestors, who came from several different UC campuses, from voicing their opinions from outside of the meeting.
The University of California Police Department (UCPD), with mutual aid from the 10-campus University of California Police force, California Highway Patrol, and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) managed the protest event in the Covel Commons area of the UCLA campus where the Board of Regents meeting was taking place.
According to the news source, 600-plus protestors spread through the entire Westwood, Calif. area.
Police arrested a student for allegedly obstructing a police officer. The student was cited and released.
As the board came to its decision, as many as 40 to 50 students held a sit-in in Campbell Hall; they barricaded the doors with chains and bike locks, according to KTLA.com.
Because of the sit-in, students, faculty, staff and visitors were urged not to enter into the vicinity of Campbell Hall or Covel Commons unless it was necessary.
The university chose not to take action against those demonstrators, citing that there was no threat.
Student regent, Jesse Bernal, was the only one to vote against the proposal, citing that the financial burden should be split evenly among student fee increases, staff furloughs and campus cutbacks.
Currently, undergraduate students pay about $7,800 a year. With the increase, students are expected to pay as much as $10,302, excluding the price for campus fees, housing and books. Further, it marks the first time tuition topped $10,000.Per the Los Angeles Times, many student protestors were worried that they would have to drop because of the increases.
The UC regents said the fee increase would help close the gap of the $535 million deficit the school system is facing. In addition to fee hikes, the regents also plan to ask for a $913 million increase in state funding for the next fiscal year.
If the funding is not approved, freshman enrollment may be cut.
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