HAYWARD, Calif. â?? California State University, East Bay, has never had the cachet of nearby Berkeley. But it has a great location overlooking the San Francisco Bay and aspires to raise its profile and grow.
Mohammad H. Qayoumi, president of California State University, East Bay, sees the university as a microcosm of the world.
So starting this year it is trying something different to lure applicants: participating in a regional program resulting in lower tuition for students from Washington, Oregon, Montana and a dozen other Western states.
In some states, cuts in tuition for out-of-state students have led to political battles. After the University of Wisconsin system in 2006 reduced out-of-state tuition by an average of nearly $2,000 at all its campuses except the Madison flagship â?? a move that followed years of tuition increases â?? the issue became a hot topic in the governorâ??s race. The debate still percolates.