A bill now before the General Assembly may drastically reduce the University's out-of-state enrollment.
University President John T. Casteen, III travels to Richmond today to voice opposition to House Bill 2506, which is designed to limit out-of-state students to 25 percent of the total student population.
The University now aims to accept 35 percent out-of-state students and 65 percent in-state students. The proposed General Assembly bill would force the University and several other public Virginia colleges and universities not to exceed the 25 percent mark for out-of-state students.
Delegates John Reid (R-Richmond), James O'Brien (R-Clifton) and Allen Dudley (R-Rocky Mount) are sponsoring the bill. O'Brien unsuccessfully proposed a bill last year to cap out-of-state students at 33 percent.
Many university presidents acted as "obstructionists" to the previous bill, O'Brien said. He said Reid's help will be beneficial to passing the new bill.
Del. Mitch Van Yahres (D), who represents Charlottesville, does not support the bill. "I think the University has to have its own autonomy," Van Yahres said.
Out-of-state students are a profit-making venture for the University because they are big contributors as alumni, Van Yahres said.
O'Brien agreed that creating an out-of-state cap would bring the University financial losses, but he said the bill calls for a gradual transition over about five years.
Some University students worry the bill would lower the University's prestige and academic reputation.
Gaining admission is easier for in-state students, so "without a doubt the academic standards would lower," said first-year College student Brad Willard, who is from Orlando, Fla.
O'Brien disagreed that the University's reputation would falter, citing the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's enduring academic prestige. UNC has an 18 percent out-of-state enrollment cap. U.S. News and World Report ranks the University the 20th-best college in the nation, while UNC is rated 25th.
First-year Engineering student Dan Hoffman, who hails from Lynchburg, said he sees many of the out-of-state students as "holding the school together," by maintaining high academics and staying involved in extracurriculars.
"It's hard to touch our prestige, but there would be a decline in our academic standards with the bill," Hoffman said.
Many Virginia residents believe the bill would allow all deserving students to gain admission to the Commonwealth's top public institutions.
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