I am outraged that while public schools face deep cuts and increased tuition costs, the salaries of administrators have been steadily increasing. 

Although purporting that they are doing all they can to help improve the standards and success of our public education system, it is hard to think of ways college administrators are actually helping us. 

The latest move occurred in March, when the CSU Board of Trustees audaciously approved a 10 percent pay raise for new campus presidents at CSU Fullerton and East Bay amid outcry from students and the public. 

CSU Fullerton’s Mildred Garcia will be collecting an astounding $324,500 and CSU East Bay’s Leroy Morishita will make $303,660. On top of that, they will be getting perks such as $12,000 car and $60,000 housing allowances, the Mercury News stated.

Think about how those extra tens of thousands of dollars could have helped reduce tuition or given the much deserving teachers a pay raise. 

The Washington Post reported that over the past decade, state tuition costs have increased 300 percent. Community college fees are rising to $46 per unit, up from $20 per unit in 2007. 

While the price of higher education continues to go up, more students are being pushed into debt and sometimes worse. 

California public education now faces $750 million in cuts in state funding for the next academic year. CSU’s plan to compensate for the budget shortfall is by freezing enrollment for spring 2013, impacting some 16,000 students. 

Additionally, San Jose State University will soon submit recommendations to CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed to renege admission guarantees to local students. 

The California Faculty Association, which is currently polling its member over whether to strike, reported that over the past year, Reed and his management team have overseen a severe reduction in the number of permanent faculty and refused to pay step increases that other state employees receive.  

“They want a university that costs students more, gives more power and discretion to management, outsources work to non-CSU contractors and limits faculty rights, faculty authority and faculty compensation,” CFA bargaining team members said in a statement. 

Community colleges will not be spared either, as the Board of Governors moves forward with the ironically named Student Success Task Force reccommendations. 

All of these actions are indicative of a push to privatize public education, which will make it more expensive and less accessible.