Cal State plan raises tuition if tax measure fails

A California State University committee has approved a plan to raise tuition by 5 percent if Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative doesn’t pass in November.

The finance committee of the CSU Board of Trustees voted Tuesday for the “contingency strategy” to cope with Proposition 30’s potential failure. Meeting in Long Beach, the full board is expected to approve the measure Wednesday.

The 5 percent tuition hike would go into effect in January if Proposition 30 fails, triggering a $250 million midyear funding cut to the 23-campus CSU system. In-state undergraduates would pay an additional $150 per semester.

The committee voted to postpone until November a decision to impose new fees on students who repeat courses, take more than 16 units in a semester or have earned more than 150 units.