DAVIS—
University of California Regents say they had to raise fees because of deep cuts in state aid.The fee hike together with campus-based charges, room and board, and books will bring the total cost of attending a U-C school to about 26-thousand dollars.
That's a lot of money for struggling U-C Davis students who marched on campus to protest the 32-percent tution hike.
Our Kenny Lopez talked with one student who says this may force her to drop out of school.
UC-Davis is Kelly Shultz's university and she doesn't want to leave, at least not for a couple more years. "I will not be able to come to UC-Davis because I can't afford the rate increase."
Kelly's a sophomore majoring in Environmental Science and Management. A 32-percent fee hike is going to hurt.
"I can't afford it. My parents aren't paying for me. I'm 26-years old and I came back to school to get my education.
She says she always wanted to go to to Davis. Now her long-term dreams are crushed.
"I won't be able to get the job that I want. I won't be able to come to school," she says.
Kelly joined dozens of student protestors on campus, calling for a cut to administrators' salaries, helping the students who need it most.
"They're getting paid huge amounts of salries and we're being robbed of our education."
Administrators say they don't want the tuition increase to force any student to drop out. "We've held strong with our commitment to aid."
But Kelly says she's left with no other option. "It's incredibly sad," she says.
