Tuition rises yet again

VCU’s Board of Visitors last Friday approved a 6.5 percent, or $258, increase in undergraduate in-state students’ tuition for the 2006-07 academic year while out-of-state students’ tuition will remain the same.

The total cost – which includes room, board and student fees – will increase by 5.3 percent for in-state undergraduate students. The total increase in tuition and fees for out-of-state students will be 1.6 percent.

“This is the most restrained increase we could recommend,” said John Bennett, VCU’s vice president for finance, before the board voted to raise tuition.

At the meeting, president Eugene Trani and other board members repeatedly emphasized that VCU’s increase will be among the lowest percentage-wise in the state’s higher-education system. Old Dominion University’s and Virginia Tech’s boards already approved increases of 8.4 percent and 7.0 percent respectively for resident undergraduates.

“We can keep tuition down because we’ve been growing in numbers,” Trani said, “but we have to add faculty-that’s critical.”

The additional money is expected to support some of VCU’s key initiatives, including additional funds to implement the 2020 strategic plan, as well as faculty and staff salary raises. In addition, it can help support the school’s enrollment growth that could surpass the 30,000 mark for the first time.

Pam Lepley, director of University News Services, said the university plans to pull $500,000 generated from the tuition increase for financial aid for need-based students.

The highest increase-an increase in student fees-will affect both in-state and out-of-state students, with 15.4 percent, or $172, going to the University Fee fund. This fund supports such initiatives as new parking decks, enhancements to the Safe Ride program, construction of a new student recreation center and others.

“This increase is something students are enthusiastic about,” Trani said, “because it will help build recreation centers. This is their football team.”

Students, however, share mixed feelings about the tuition and fee hikes. For the past three years, VCU has raised its tuition rates.

“I don’t think this will be a big surprise,” said Ashley Bacon-Ward, a junior political science major and student representative on the Board of Visitors. “It’s pretty well-known that tuition goes up every year.”

Bacon-Ward, a supporter of the recreation center, said the increase seemed reasonable to her.

Another measure the board approved last week involved an additional $500 tuition increase for undergraduate engineering students.

In proposing the upcoming academic year increases, Trani said the intent also is to add an additional $500 to the student engineers’ tuition bills in 2007, which would pave the way for increased tuition in other programs such as business.

“There is no question that engineering is more expensive,” he said.

The board reasoned even though other state schools do not require engineering students to pay a higher tuition than other majors, VCU’s engineering majors still pay less than these other schools.

Aaron Page, a junior engineering major, acknowledged the difference in these tuition rates, saying it makes sense but should not be taken lightly.

“The increase is good and bad,” said Page, a Virginia Beach native active in campus activities such as the Rugby team and Theta Chi fraternity. “I really don’t think it’s fair, but I understand because the lab equipment we use is expensive.

“Maybe the extra money I’m paying now will be worth it in the long run because the school will benefit from the technological advances made from that money.”

Page said he pays his own tuition through loans, grants and summer jobs.

More modest increases also can be found in other programs such as nurse anesthesia, in the Fast-Track M.B.A., in the Fast-Track M.S. in Information Systems, and in the SportsCenter.

Before adjourning, the board considered the marketability of VCU to out-of-state students before deciding their tuition should remain the same.