Cal State trustees delay vote on fee hike

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With Gov. Jerry Brown expected to make the first appearance of his term at a Cal State University Board of Trustees meeting, the board has opted to delay a vote on a proposal that would have raised a fees on some students.

Despite the passage of Proposition 30, Brown’s tax measure that the governor said would prevent the need for immediate tuition hikes, the CSU trustees were scheduled to vote on a plan to hike costs for “super seniors,” who take more classes than necessary to graduate, in an effort to clear space for incoming freshmen.

Brown has not weighed in publicly on the fee proposal, but his presence at the meeting in Long Beach was seen as a sign of his opposition to the plan, CSU sources say.

Lt. Gov Gavin Newsom, who like Brown is a member of the board because of the elected office he holds, praised the move in a statement Tuesday.

The university is “sending a strong message to students and their families that we are serious about protecting access for all,” Newsom said.

The lieutenant governor had some sharp words for the governor during the Proposition 30 campaign, criticizing the governor for promising the measure’s passage would prevent tuition hikes. Newsom said both the CSU and University of California systems would have to consider increases for students, even with the passage of the $6-billion tax plan.

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Proposition 30 win no guarantee of fiscal safety for California

-- Anthony York in Sacramento