New poll shows rising worries about cost of California colleges

A strong majority of Californians think that the rising tuition at the state’s public colleges and universities is a big problem and is keeping some qualified students from attending, according to a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California. Sentiment is in favor of shifting state funding from other programs to help higher education but against paying more taxes to stabilize tuition at the community colleges, Cal State and UC campuses, the survey found.

The annual poll by the nonpartisan think tank in San Francisco shows that 62% of Californians consider overall affordability of higher education a major worry, up from 53% in 2007, when tuition was significantly cheaper. And 70% of the 2,503 survey respondents said they believe tuition levels are barring some qualified and motivated young people from attending a college or university.

Showing how important they consider higher education, 59% want the cash-strapped state government to spend more on public campuses even if it means less for all sorts of other programs, according to the poll. A slim majority, 52%, don’t want to pay higher taxes to support the colleges and universities, although 45% said they would.

Even with all the money problems they face, the state’s campuses retain a good reputation, the institute said. Ratings of good or excellent were given to community colleges by 62% of Californians, to the Cal State campuses by 56% and to UC by 59%.

-- Larry Gordon