Bakersfield College has had an increase in tuition fees beginning
this 2009 school year.

Greg Chamberlain, president of Bakersfield College, said, “The
state’s legislature and government did this in order to help balance
out the last budget.”

Due to budget cuts, all community colleges in California had an
increase of $6 for tuition.

Bakersfield college students were notified of this new fee
through e-mails, BanWeb or phone calls.

Monica Anaya, liberal arts major at BC, received an e-mail informing
her about the $6 increase, along with the time frame she
had to pay for her classes.

“It would be OK if they used that extra money to open more
classes, but it seems like that isn’t happening because there are a
lot of people on the waitlists,” said Anaya.

According to Chamberlain, the new tuition money will be added
to the money the government already provides for community colleges.

Sixty-five percent to 75 percent of students who receive the
Board of Governor’s Free Waiver (BOGFW) do not have to worry
about paying the extra tuition money at the end of the semester,
said Lucy Perez-Dykes, assistant director of the financial aid office.

Other students were OK with the tuition increase.

“It’s cheaper than many other schools and universities,” said
Brittany Boykan, history major at BC.