The Board of Visitors met Thursday afternoon to approve increases in tuition for undergraduate students at both the University and the College at Wise.
The approved increase is a rise in tuition from the rates of the 2016-17 school year by 2.2 percent for Virginia students and 3.5 percent for non-Virginia students.
The new rates will take effect in the 2017-18 school year.
For the College at Wise, the increase in tuition will be by three percent for both in and out-of-state students.
University President Teresa Sullivan opened up the discussion about the proposal by explaining why she believes the tuition increase is necessary.
“We have to balance the unavoidable cost increases we need to make with keeping U.Va. affordable,” Sullivan said. “[It’s a] pretty moderate increase. We’ve got some other costs we cannot avoid.”
Assoc. Neurology Prof. Nina Solenski, the faculty representative to the Board, participated in the discussion, explaining that keeping up with faculty salary increases in order to retain and attract top faculty is one of the reasons for the tuition increase.
Sullivan responded to this later in the meeting and said salary increases for faculty are an ongoing issue that has to be dealt with.
“The problem with salary increases is that they are recurring expenses,” Sullivan said. “There will be rises, they just won’t be at the magnitude they have been previously.”
Patrick D. Hogan, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the University, said other Virginia schools have already set their tuition for the upcoming academic year. Virginia Tech, for example, approved a tuition increase of 2.9 percent.
“2.2 percent will put U.Va. well below the average increases,” Hogan said.
The Board also noted tuition increases are always the last funding source considered.
The Finance Committee re-affirmed for the Board that after speaking to students, they found there were two things students want to continue to be guaranteed — that the University would continue to meet 100 percent of financial need, and grants would continue to be provided.
The Board also discussed ways in which the University could potentially help students save money in areas other than tuition.
Hogan said books are one area that attention needs to be focused on and proposed recycling as a solution. Sullivan seconded this and stated that while “libraries have been very helpful,” the textbook market has continued to “escalate.”
A roll-call was held at the end of the meeting, and the Board unanimously voted in favor of both resolutions.
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