The mid-year tuition surcharge that the Board of Visitors approved at their October meeting will be set at $385 for all students, University President John T. Casteen III announced yesterday.
The increase will apply to both in-state and out-of-state students in each of the University's 10 schools.
The Board approved the tuition increase, which will generate about $6.6 million in revenue, to preserve the academic excellence of the University, Casteen said.
"The Board's instruction was to calculate the cost of maintaining quality academic programs," he said.
The increase was needed to help offset the $41.9 million decrease in state funding this year, according to University spokeswoman Louise Dudley.
The surcharge was "a reflection of state problems in projecting revenue," Dudley said.
The charge follows an earlier tuition raise at the beginning of the fall semester that created an additional $12.1 million in funds, she said.
University Rector John P. Ackerly III and Finance Committee Chairman William H. Goodwin Jr. approved the $385 amount after the state released figures on the budget cuts, Dudley said.
"The discussion ranged from $100 to $500," she added.
The $385 figure was based on recommendations by Colette Sheehy, University vice president for management and budget, and by Leonard W. Sandridge, executive vice president and chief operating officer.
"We looked at what we thought we needed to protect core academic programs," Sandridge said.
Student Council also passed a resolution approving the tuition increase in its Tuesday meeting. Council members were worried about the size of the hike, which Board members earlier had estimated at $200, Council Representative Rebeen Pasha said.
"There was concern within Council as to why the University decided to go from $200 to $500," Pasha said.
Administrative officials said the $200 figure was meant only for planning purposes.
The "$200 was kind of a number out of the air that didn't have a lot of substance to it," Sheehy said.
Council asked the University to give a public account of what the funds were used for and to ensure that the increase wouldn't affect students on financial aid, Pasha said.
Sandridge said students' financial needs were taken into consideration.
The University will set aside $725,000 of the money for financial aid purposes. Sandridge said he thought the tuition increase would not be a deterrent for students considering attending the University.
Other Virginia universities also have implemented mid-year hikes.
The College of William & Mary added a $400 surcharge to its spring tuition, Dudley said.
"I believe the effect of not taking care of quality is a much more serious matter for those looking at the University for possible attendance," Sandridge said.
He added that the increase would apply only to next semester.
"We will set the tuition for the next academic year in April," Sandridge said.
The University might then consider another increase to account for an additional $51.6 million in state cuts for the 2003-04 fiscal year, he said.
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