Out of state tuition generated 600M. I think any way you slice it, OOS is a net contributor.
Laying past and future taxes at the feet of current attendees is a red herring. Past expenses benefited past students, future expenses will benefit future students. A full-pay OOS will always add money to the till for the years they attend. In other words, if the UC system shut down in 1990, it would have benefited all the students up until then and taxpayers would’ve gotten their money’s worth.
Another way to look at it is, if you kicked out all OOS students today, the UC system would be short 600M or 10% of its core budget.
Don’t get me wrong, I agree with the principle that CA students should be the primary beneficiaries of the UC system. I just think the numbers are clear that OOS students are a cash cow rather than a net loss. If you want fewer OOS, then give the UC system more money.