Fresno State student Phillip Bautista borrowed money from his parents and exhausted his savings after California State University trustees hiked undergraduate fees by $306 for the coming school year.
Now, he's cutting back on basic expenses. Bautista plans to defer an oil change, insurance payments and a smog check on his Toyota Corolla to help pay for a second fee increase that will cost him an extra $672.
"I just hope my car stays in one piece," said Bautista, 27, who commutes from Madera.
After two separate fee increases over the span of three months, full-time undergraduates at Fresno State and other CSU campuses will pay nearly $1,000 more in fees compared to last year. The cost is even higher for out-of-state students.
Including campus fees, a full-time undergraduate at Fresno State will pay $4,673 in fees this year. Officials say higher fees for the neediest students should be covered by financial aid.
Read the complete story at fresnobee.com