Students Protest Tuition Hikes In 'Terminate The Terminator Day'

SAN DIEGO -- College students across California are expressing their frustration with tuition hikes.

They're holding protests at California's public universities Tuesday, including the University of California, San Diego.

The protests are in conjunction with what the California College Democrats are dubbing Terminate the Terminator Day on college campuses throughout the state.
 
"Students are furious by the governor's belief that our tuition is `too low,'" said Nick Warshaw, the political director of California College Democrats. "Borrowing on our future is unacceptable. Our protest will show to all of California how out of touch Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is with California students."

According to Warshaw, the cost of a California State University degree has increased $2,000 and a University of California degree $5,000 since Schwarzenegger became governor in 2003.

Julie Soderlund, a Schwarzenegger campaign spokeswoman, said that during the two years before Schwarzenegger took office "tuition in the California State University system and University of California rose by more than 40 percent and all the while Phil Angelides stood silent."

"Under Gov. Schwarzenegger's leadership, he came to an agreement with the California State University and Univerisity of California systems to control the rate of growth in tuition and this year the governor's budget includes no tuition increases for CSU and UC and a 23 percent reduction in fees at California's community colleges."