California Governor Schwarzenegger Proposes Using  $US$14.9 Billion from General Funds for Higher Education. (January 12, 2007)

    California's newly re-elected governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has brought down a budget which includes US $14.9 (A$19.1) billion in general fund money for higher education.

It is considered to be too little to avoid significant student fee increases across the University of California and California State University systems.

The University of California campuses would receive US$3.3 billion, a just over 6% increase while the California State University system would get US$3 billion, a just under 6% increase.

The Community colleges would receive US$4.2 billion from the Proposition 98 set-aside for public schools, an increase of just below 5%.

If the proposals go ahead a University of California undergraduate currently paying US$6,141 in mandatory fees would face a 7% (US$430) per annum increase.

Graduate fees would also rise 7%, or 10% if enrolled in certain law or business programs.

In the case of California State University students the fee would rise 10% from the current US$2,520.

In comparison the 2007 fees for Commonwealth supported undergraduates at The University of Melbourne are: