Delegates propose new plan for higher education

The Senate will consider two bills next week to
increase college funding by more than $80 million
during the next two years.

The budget bills passed the House Thursday and were
referred to the Senate Finance Committee Friday.

Under House bills 29 and 30, public colleges
and universities would receive funding if they do
not increase undergraduate tuition by more than 5
percent during the two-year period.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Lacey
E. Putney, I-Bedford, Delegate Harvey B. Morgan,
R-Gloucester, and Delegate S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk,
said Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s budget proposal for
2009 and 2010 would reduce higher-education
funding by $73 million.

Kaine’s cuts would lead to a 7-percent increase
in tuition rates for all public colleges. This would
increase annual tuition about $1,000 at the College
of William and Mary, $1,100 at the University of
Virginia and $800 at Virginia Tech, Morgan said.

Kaine has acknowledged that his budget proposals
reduce funding for higher education.

In a recent press release, Kaine stated that higher
education “made significant cuts for fiscal year 2008
in October.” For the 2009-2010 biennial budget,
Kaine said he is recommending a 2-percent reduction
for higher education.

The delegates said the House budget is better
than Kaine’s plan.

The delegates met with the press Tuesday to
discuss the House’s plan to increase funding to higher
education in the commonwealth.

“By declining to accept the governor’s proposed
cuts in higher education and instead choosing to
continue the House’s progress in supporting higher
education,” Morgan said, “the House budget has
taken a fiscally responsible approach to improving the
quality of life of our students and their families.”

The House budget would give $44.3 million to
Virginia colleges and universities during the two years.
If colleges do not raise their in-state undergraduate
tuition, they can receive another $40.7 million from
the commonwealth.

“We recommend in our budget, additional funding
for higher education in order to keep our institutions
affordable,” Putney said. “Despite the current
tough economic situation, the committee was able to
recommend additional funding for higher education
in order to keep our institutions affordable.”

Putney said the decision to raise tuition is up to
the schools. If they do raise tuition, it would mean
they are not eligible to receive the $40.7 million.

“Let me be very clear,” Putney said. “This is not
mandatory, nor is it a tuition cap.”
Jones said higher-education funding has taken
major cuts since 2002, and it is time for a change.
As chairman of the House Appropriations Compensation
and Retirement Subcommittee, Jones proposed
a 2-percent salary increase for the faculty of state
colleges in this year’s budget proposal.

“The salary increase will help moderate tuition and
we will continue to have our four-year institutions,”
Jones said. “And our college system will provide
that education to those who will be taking care of
you and I and the rest of this General Assembly
delegation as we age.”