California State University Hid $1.5 Billion But Still Hiked Tuition

Back in the 1970s, I transferred to California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) from El Camino College.

Back at El Camino College, I switched majors, from art to political science. I continued on as a political science major at CSULB.

Back in those days, tuition was relatively cheap. They were cheap enough so that my parents paid the per-unit tuition costs while I bought all of my books. I graduated in 1979 with no outstanding student loan debt.

Times since then have changed and tuition costs for students in the California State University system have skyrocketed. I seriously doubt that students today can graduate without having student loans to have to pay off.

The following report in the Fresno Bee is especially galling when one considers the costs students and their parents have to pay today.

They reported:

The California State University stashed away $1.5 billion in discretionary reserves while raising tuition and lobbying the Legislature for more funds, according to a report released Thursday by California State Auditor Elaine Howle. 

CSU put the money, which came primarily from student tuition, in outside accounts rather than in the state Treasury, the report said. 

The investigation mirrors Howle’s 2017 report on the University of California Chancellor’s Office, which charged that top UC brass kept a $175 million slush fund while hiking students’ tuition.

A year ago, CSULB kowtowed to political correctness in deciding to remove the university's mascot, Prospector Pete over some dubious claim about prospectors mistreating Native Americans during the gold rush. That, and other acts by the university made me decide to no longer donate to the university or to the alumni association. I felt that the steps the university took dishonors its history and its alumni.

Even if this hadn't happened, the revelation that the California State University system stashed away $1.5 billion while raising tuition fees and lobbying more funds alone would have forced me to stop my donations. The revelation of the stash of money is totally dishonest. There's no excuse for it.

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