San Jose State University’s Associated Students established its stance on disapproving the petition created by California State University Chancellor Jolene Koester.

The petition’s purpose is to increase tuition by 6% every year between 2024-2029.

The CSU is the nation’s largest and most diverse four-year university system which includes SJSU.

On July 9, the Cal State Student Association (CSSA) voted unanimously against the proposal.

The CSSA is a student collaboration consisting of over 450,000 student government representatives, according to its website.

The petition, called the “Multi-Year Tuition Proposal,” would invest in faculty and staff, provide safe, modern and sustainable facilities, invest in high-demand academic programs, strategically grow resident enrollment and cover required operational cost increases, according to information presented by the CSU Board of Student Representatives on July 9. 

SJSU Associated Students President and CEO Sarab Multani said the CSU Board of Trustees will most likely vote in favor of passing the petition.

Multani said CSU Board of Trustees will meet in Long Beach,  Sept. 10-13, where it will  debate whether to oppose the tuition increase. Students will have access to the meetings via zoom and will have the opportunity to comment on a live public forum on Sept. 12.

“I’ll be honest with you. Realistically, this is going through,” Multani said. “[The Board of Trustees] definitely could have been more professional, more collaborative and more cooperative. They definitely could have made more of an effort for students to be aware of what’s going on.”

Multani said the original idea for the tuition increase was not going to affect certain students, including those who were using the financial aid program. 

He also expressed personal concern about the petition, saying his family is middle-class and he does not qualify for financial aid.

 “They make just above the threshold, so I don’t get financial aid assistance, but what that means for me is that my family helps me with tuition, food and living expenses,” Multani said.

Associated Students Director of Internal Affairs Katelyn Gambarin said SJSU has always presented itself as a minority-serving campus.

Gambarin argues that the old ways of middle-class students being able to afford tuition may no longer be the case with this new petition in place.

“A majority of our students are international students, undocumented students and students of middle class and historically students of different backgrounds have been able to afford education,” Gambarin said. 

Multani also said that international students and undocumented students are the most negatively impacted of those students affected by this situation.

“They’re students in America, in an American system, in an American institution, in the most diverse and inclusive, and the biggest college system in America,” Multani said. “If we’re going to sit here and act like international students aren’t a vital part of CSUs, then we’ve failed.”

Associated Students Director of Legislative Affairs Estevan Guzman said there is a massive budget deficit.

“We are below budget by almost $1 billion,” Guzman said. ”A lot of our campus has aging buildings at San Jose State. We do have the oldest campus throughout all of the CSUs.”

Multani said he isn’t calling the proposal unnecessary, as SJSU is in a huge deficit, but the Chancellor’s actions aren’t favored by the student body.

“A five-year, 30% increase is just ridiculous,” Multani said.

Statistically, this increases drastically from a revenue of $148 million to a cumulative estimate of $840 million after five years. 

Multani said he would have made different decisions if he were the chancellor.

He also said the students who are going to be affected by the tuition increase need more financial aid.

“If we don’t [oppose] this, our CSU could crumble,” Multani said. “Money is an integral part of running a foundation and an institution. I think there should be a more strategic way to come up with a compromise.

”The CSU Board of Trustees will revote on Sept. 11 to decide whether or not to approve the petition.