California charges its own residents less to attend its public colleges and universities than it charges nonresidents. All three of California's public postsecondary education segments charge resident students a systemwide enrollment fee. In addition, the California State University and the University of California also charge students mandatory, campus-based fees. These campus-based fees help support student services such as counseling, student union activities, student government, and recreation. California has sought to avoid charging resident students for the direct cost of instruction, which it charges as "tuition" to nonresident students. For the 2004-05 academic year, the California Community Colleges charged resident students $26 per credit unit--an increase from $18 per credit unit assessed in 2003-04. In 2004-05, a full-time California Community College student enrolled in 15 units per term paid $780 in mandatory statewide enrollment fees. This amount is lower than the fees charged by any other state in the nation. The state with the next lowest community college charges is New Mexico, which charges its full-time students $896 per year--nearly 15% more than the current California Community College fee level. In 2004-05, the average amount charged to a full-time resident community college students nationally was $2,324--nearly three times the amount charged by California's community colleges.