The Virginia General Assembly has proposed a tuition cap for in-state students that, if passed, will take effect in July 2003, the beginning of the 2004 fiscal year.
The Virginia House of Delegates and Senate presented proposals to prevent Virginia public universities and colleges from increasing their tuition more than 9 percent.
"The House of Delegates proposed a 9 percent cap increase and the Senate proposed a 5 percent increase," said James Dillard III, R-Fairfax, chair of the House Education Committee.
"Each house will vote on their proposal Thursday," he added. "Afterward, the proposal will be sent to conference where it will be negotiated by representatives from the House and the Senate."
The details of the proposal will be discussed in conference after the individual houses vote. The conferees will discuss details such as how much the schools will be allowed to increase their tuition with the cap in place.
"The conference will consist of about three or four members of both houses who will discuss the proposal," said Nancy Rivers, University director of state government relations.
Some said they believe that there has to be room for a reasonable increase in tuition for the University to receive adequate funding.
"We have to give the local school at least the choice of going up 9 percent," Dillard said. "Last year we gave the schools a guideline of increasing no more than 9 percent and George Mason went far beyond the guideline. Now the cap will be definite."
If the cap is added to the budget, it will begin July of this year, but its termination is not yet known.
"The cap will last one year if voted into place," Fiscal Analyst for Higher Education Tony Maggio said.
"If the Governor decides to leave the language of the proposal as is, it will last an additional two years," he added.
Those involved at the University oppose the idea of capping tuition, especially while state schools are suffering from budget cuts.
"The cap limits flexibility to make decisions about what's good for the University," said Colette Sheehy, vice president for management and budget. "The University was planning an annual tuition increase, but we do not know by how much, yet."
Members of the faculty expressed a similar sentiment.
"The cap would be an utter disaster for all universities across the Commonwealth," Faculty Senate Chairman Michael J. Smith said. "It will cause an irreparable delay of the recovery from the absence of state funding."
Student Council President Micah Schwartz concurred with Smith's idea.
"I think it's an awful idea," Schwartz said. "The University should raise in-state tuition and try to bridge the gap between in-state and out of state tuition."
Other delegates said they believe the state would have to counteract the effects of a cap.
"If you take funds away from institutions, you must give latitude," said Del. Mitchell Van Yahres, D-Charlottesville. "You have to give more financial aid to fund the increase."
The General Assembly will decide on the proposal with in the next three weeks.
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