As the time for Virginia public universities and colleges to set their budgets for the next fiscal year approaches, the Virginia General Assembly's budget impasse continues to keep those spending plans uncertain.
With no state budget, universities and colleges are unsure how much money they will receive from the commonwealth next year and how much will have to be made up through tuition.
Despite the uncertainty, most universities are dealing with the impasse by using tuition and financial aid estimates based on last year or based on proposed budgets in the General Assembly and waiting to see which budget will pass, according to school officials.
James Madison University spokesperson Fred Hilton said a Board of Visitors meeting scheduled for last Friday was canceled because of the lack of a state budget. The Board would have set tuition rates for next year at the meeting.
"We have not been able to set tuition for next year yet," Hilton said.
Hilton said James Madison, which sends financial aid letters with acceptance letters in early April, would base financial aid offers on last year's tuition rates and described the letters as "tentative" and the aid offers as "preliminary."
At George Mason University, spokesperson Daniel Walsch said the administration was planning next year's budget but ready to change it depending on the General Assembly's actions.
"We're writing things down in pencil as opposed to pen right now," Walsch said.
Walsch said any part of George Mason's budget could be affected.
"Everything's on the table," Walsch said. "It depends on what the General Assembly ends up doing."
Mary Washington College spokesperson Ronald Singleton said the college was following the pattern of other schools and setting a range of possible budgets, depending on what budget could pass the legislature.
"I think we're basically in the same situation as most of the other schools," Singleton said. "We have to wait until the General Assembly sets a budget to actually set the tuition and fees for next year."
Singleton said the uncertainty likely would not affect Mary Washington's programs.
"It's too early to tell, but we don't anticipate having to cut any programs," Singleton said.
At the University, spokesperson Carol Wood has said that while different state budgets might impact the University's ability to meet its needs, the University's tuition structure and ability to pay employees would be unaffected by a government shutdown.
A government shutdown could occur July 1 if the General Assembly cannot agree on a budget by that time.
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