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The University of California Regents have postponed a vote on a five-year tuition increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Los Angeles Times. The vote was scheduled to take place this week after having been originally postponed from taking place during the Regent’s Jan. 22, 2020 meeting.

The increase would have resulted in an initial two percent increase in tuition for incoming students in the 2020-2021 academic year, and would have had smaller subsequent annual increases  each academic year through 2024-2025.

UC Regents board Chairman John Peréz explained the decision to postpone the vote in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

“In this moment of great uncertainty, adding a change to people who couldn’t fully anticipate is not the right course of action,” Peréz said.

The increase plan, which was one of two originally proposed, would have raised funds to supplement the $217.7 million new, permanent funds that were proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom in his 2020-2021 fiscal year budget. The funds raised by the increase would be allocated primarily towards further supporting UC students who currently receive need-based grants.

The March 18 meeting where the increase would have been voted on was held virtually using Zoom due to the coronavirus outbreak. This marks the latest change in UC system protocol due to the virus, as campuses have transitioned to online coursework for the remainder of the school year and several have canceled graduation ceremonies.

The UC Regents have yet to announce when the tuition increase vote will take place. Their next scheduled meeting is set to be held from May 19 through May 21 at UC San Francisco Mission Bay.

Screenshot courtesy of the University of California Board of Regents.