Funding for Virginia's growing higher education demands dominated the discussion as Commonwealth legislators gathered for the Student Council Legislative Affairs Committee's ABC's of Higher Education Forum last night in the Chemistry Auditorium.
While several of the representatives opened with quips about in-state school rivalries and gray hair, Del. Robert Bell, R-Albemarle, polled the audience on ways to address funding shortfalls coupled with growing financial demand.
He gave the crowd three options: accept a funding gap, increased tuition payments by students' parents or tax increases for all Virginians. No member of the audience supported the first alternative, while the crowd was divided on the latter two.
Looking unnerved, Del. J. Chapman Peterson, D-Charlottesville, began in response to Bell's comment.
"There was a choice made between raising state taxes and having parents pay more for state tuition. I went here [more than a decade] ago and you know who was on student loans paying for tuition? Me." Peterson said, noting a discrepancy between wealthy students and students receiving financial aid. "I agree that the University needs more tuition flexibility, but by the end of the day this is a public university." The audience cheered at his remarks.
Bell later pointed out that tax increases do not result in direct need-based tuition subsidies.
Each of the representatives was then asked one of nine prepared questions by audience members. Much of the discussion centered around the proposed Commonwealth Chartered Universities and Colleges plan pursued by the University, Virginia Tech and the College of William and Mary. The plan calls for increased autonomy from the state in setting tuition and other administrative elements.
Del. David A. Nutter, R-Radford, described himself as a "reluctant" supporter of the Chartered Universities plan. He said mandated services, such as transportation and healthcare, take up a large percentage of the state budget.
"Frankly, politically, do you want to jack up costs to students a couple of hundred dollars or kick Medicare patients out the door?" Nutter said. He added that the charter may be the only viable option for schools as demands of the state budget continue to grow.
Del. Thomas D. Rust, R-Fairfax, agreed that the charter plan will help ease the University's funding shortfalls.
"The General Assembly will make efforts to increase funding for higher education," he said. "Will we increase enough to cover the shortfalls? I'd say absolutely not.
Sen. John D. Edwards, D-Roanoke, expressed concern over economic fluctuations affecting tuition prices if the charter plan is put into place. He said high tuition may result in what he described as a "middle-class squeeze," especially in families with multiple college students.
Council Legislative Affairs Chair Alex Stolar expressed gratitude for the opportunity to hold the forum.
"Interaction between students and legislators helps [representatives] understand how votes affect Virginia students, but also helps us understand how Virginia politics affects us at U.Va.," Stolar said.
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