California State University fees are about to increase again. On Friday, CSU trustees will decide whether it’s 10 percent or only 5 percent now with the possibility of at least another 5 percent in November.

False optimism may steer trustees toward the easier-to-swallow 5 percent increase. But prudence calls for 10 percent, however upsetting that will be for students and their families.  And many will be angry.

The 23-campus system has been reeling from budget cuts of $625 million – 21 percent – over the past three years. Despite a 32 percent increase in fees, course sections have been eliminated, class sizes expanded, and faculty members were forced to take 18 furlough days.

Without a 10 percent fee increase now, there will be more of the same – or worse next year.

Gov. Schwarzenegger is proposing to restore $305 million, but his overall budget assumes the 10 percent CSU fee increase, no other taxes and painful cuts to social services. The Senate budget plan assumes the 10 percent fee increase and higher taxes without naming them.

That leaves the Assembly Democrats’ budget plan, which would match a 5 percent fee increase with additional state money. That’s appealing, but  dicey. First, it’s built on a tricky revenue plan that assumes borrowing billions from Wall Street while paying it back with revenue from a new tax on oil production. Second, it would be one-time money, so next year, trustees would face potentially an even bigger fee fee increase to stay even. It’s the unpredictability of fee increases, as well as the amount, that is driving families crazy.

A 10 percent increase would generate $150 million, with one-third of that set aside for financial aid. Systemwide fees would rise $408 to $4,434; together with an additional average campus fees of $867 would make the total $5,301.

But Cal Grants and campus financial aid would cover the fee increase for 180,000 undergraduates – more than 45 percent. That’s not to minimize the impact on middle-class families earning more than about $70,000 who would have to pay higher fees. But fees still comprise less than a quarter of the average $21,025 annual cost of attending a CSU campus, with room and board over half of the expense. This year, CSU’s fees were second lowest among a comparable group of 16 state comprehensive universities.

The rates of increase in fees have been huge, but CSU remains relatively inexpensive. If the Legislature does come up with more money, it should go  toward restoring classes and admitting some of the 30,000 students whose admission will be denied because of budget cuts. They should take priority over mitigating a fee increase for many families that can still afford a CSU education.