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CSU Postpones Talks On Tuition Rate Hikes

LONG BEACH (CBSLA.com) — The Cal State Board of Trustees on Tuesday postponed a scheduled vote on undergraduate tuition increases.

KNX 1070's Jon Baird reports the trustees wanted more time to review the proposal in the wake of last week's election results.

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The proposed fee increases for students who have completed 160 units, who take 18 units or more in a semester, and for students who repeat courses were introduced in September as an incentive for students to graduate on time in order to ease overcrowding.

But CSU spokesman Mike Eulencamp said those proposals are now on hold.

"The trustees have asked that we postpone it right now to gather more input," said Eulencamp.

While the Board is scheduled to continue meeting on Wednesday, it was unclear when a vote would be taken.

Students like Cal State Long Beach sophomore Nicolaus Coleman told CBS2's Amber Lee those fees could put additional pressure on upperclassmen already struggling to graduate.

"Obviously not everyone picks their major at the right time, so it could be difficult for people that haven't formulated their interest yet," Coleman said. "I think it's kind of targeting them."

KNX 1070's Ron Kilgore reports Governor Jerry Brown may have also wielded his political influence on the Board's decision after making an appearance on campus.

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Brown commended the Board's action and admitted he was a factor in the postponement.

"I certainly asked them to do that because I went around the state saying,'No tuition hikes', and three weeks later, we got a fee hike, so I said, 'Not now'," said Brown.

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