A controversial proposal to raise student fees midyear for undergraduates at the University of California went before the UC Board of Regents this week. The proposal also includes plans to further limit the number of freshmen and professional students could see increases over the next three years.

According to the L.A. Times, Regents will vote, albeit reluctantly, in November on a proposal to increase undergraduate student fees by $558 in January. This would raise in-state tuition above $10k for the first time, an increase of 44 percent.

UC President Mark G. Yudof, former U president, said the fee increase is necessary because without it, “course offerings at the university would be reduced further, which would hurt students more in the long run by stretching out the time needed to complete degrees,” the Times reported.

Under the proposal, an additional $1,956 in fees could be levied next fall.

Regents will also vote on whether or not to reduce freshmen admission by 2,300 students. This 35,300-member class faced a similar reduction.

In a recent interview with University of Minnesota President Bob Bruininks, the president said tuition at the U will not increase by more than 3 percent and no more than 4.5 percent in 2010 due to steps the administration and Board of Regents took to offset costs so students don’t have to pay more.

However, the Daily reported over the summer the Board of Regents’ decision to increase graduate school tuition by 7.5 percent for in-state residents and 4.6 percent for nonresidents.