Meghan Helms
Assistant A&E Editor

The California legislator’s 20 percent funding cut of the University of California campuses in response to the state’s current financial crisis is resulting in layoffs, mandatory furlough days and cuts in student services, as well as a 32 percent tuition increase to combat the $913 million deficit, which is affecting many students’ ability to pay for college.

Increase in tuition and budget cuts are not only affecting student access to resources but also students’ ability to continue their academic career.

“When I started college, I was hoping to finish my undergraduate education and head straight into graduate school,” said Kaitlin Van Zandt (’08) who attends UC San Diego. “Now, because of the tuition increases, it looks like I’ll need to take at least a couple of years off in order to find a job and save some money before I can start paying for a graduate education.”

The tuition increase is expected to generate $505 million with $175 million being set aside for financial aid. Also approved at the meeting were expansions of the Blue and Gold opportunity plan in attempt to make college more affordable for low-income California families.