Many of the nation’s colleges and universities are raising tuition for students this school year, and the economic recession is having an effect on several Minority-Serving Institutions.

California State University, which has a large minority population, raised tuition and fees 20 percent for students this fall. 

Joaquin Beltran, 25, a senior studying political science at California State University’s Los Angeles campus and president of Associated Students Inc., says there are several students who are being affected by the tuition hike.

“I’m one of those students,” Beltran says. “It’s those students who are working and living paycheck to paycheck. I can’t afford this increase.”

Overall, Beltran says the tuition rose 32 percent this year, including a 20-percent hike in July.

“We’re making it harder for students to maintain higher learning,” he says. “We’re hurting individuals, our state and our country.” 

Becky Timmons, the assistant vice president for government relations at the American Council on Education (ACE) in Washington, D.C., says this year has been a hard year for all colleges and universities. 

Timmons says higher education is considered a lesser priority. She says 32 states have had major cuts in higher education. ACE is collecting reports on what that means for tuition hikes because of budget cuts, staff layoffs and travel freezes.

She says many institutions should try to create opportunities and rethink their mission because these are not usual times, especially colleges that enroll a large minority population.

“Many of our Historically Black Colleges and Universities have always operated with scarcity,” Timmons said, “and not much in the way of donor and external support. Very few of [those HBCUs] are blessed with large endowments.”

“Ironically, they’re experienced,” she says, “but the fact that they are focused on serving a low-income student body will help them navigate these tricky waters.”