Inside charter schools: VCU interested in possibilities as a charter university

When is Virginia Commonwealth University going to become a charter university?

President Eugene P. Trani said it is not going to – at least not right now. And even then it could only happen if the 2005 Virginia General Assembly passes the Chartered Universities Initiative.

But that too, appears doubtful because Gov. Mark Warner and some legislators oppose changing Virginia’s higher-education system.

The proposed initiative would permit Virginia’s institutions of higher education to enroll an additional 2,450 students by 2010 and forgo an additional 10 percent of state appropriations, which then could be allocated to other state universities and colleges.

In exchange, the chartered universities, rather than the state, would set its own tuition rates, faculty and staff salaries as well as its employee benefits. And if salaries increased the universities might have a better chance of keeping their current faculty members while attracting new ones since the salaries would be determined by the chartered schools.

“The proposal helps those schools get out from underneath the control of the state government,” Trani said. “It would provide a more efficient long-term business system.”

To ease their financial burdens, three schools including Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the University of Virginia, and the College of William and Mary, have proposed becoming chartered universities beginning fall 2005.

“It would be more stable and predictable for students because schools will set their own tuition and not have to rely on the state to do so,” Trani said. “This is not a solution to the financial problems. It gives those universities more flexibility.”

Moreover, should Warner and the state legislature approve the proposal, more colleges and universities could follow the lead of Virginia Tech, UVA and William & Mary.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Tuesday that Warner said before universities are given the option to pursue their own policies there must be a consensus on the role of higher education in the commonwealth.

In its report, the Times-Dispatch cited one educational expert as calling the proposal the most far-reaching charter plan in the nation.

So where does this leave VCU?

“VCU and George Mason (University) are interested in becoming chartered schools,” Trani said. “But certain conditions would have to be worked out.”

One condition concerns the loss of state money, he said, emphasizing that VCU does not want to forgo 10 percent of its future appropriations or give up its base adequacy. Since base adequacy represents the minimal amount of money to satisfy a college’s basic needs, Trani said. VCU would be short about $40 million in state-financing.

“We need every dollar the state owes us,” he said. “We would not give up resources we have now or resources that we would be getting down the road.”

Even though tuition would become more predictable, he said it also probably would be raised over time.

For instance, UVA plans to increase its tuition by 8 percent and 10 percent a year during the next five years if the state legislature passes the proposal and Warner signs this measure into law.

“Hopefully we can increase faculty salaries whether the state increases it or not,” Trani said.

Even though the three universities desire more autonomy in determining their own financial matters, they still will be public institutions.

“Those schools are not asking to be private,” Trani said. “They are very much still going to be state institutions.”

Plus, he pointed out that the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia still would work with the universities in setting educational policy.