State funding cuts result in tuition raise
In a May 20 email to VCU and the VCU Health System, president Michael Rao announced large cuts in state funding and a resulting $700 tuition increase for in-state students.
Mechelle Hankerson
News Editor
In a May 20 email to VCU and the VCU Health System, president Michael Rao announced large cuts in state funding and a resulting $700 tuition increase for in-state students.
According to Rao’s email, VCU will receive $41 million less in government funding that was specifically allotted to support in-state student tuition.
Executive director of VCU media relations Pam Lepley said that besides the loss of a federal stimulus, most funding VCU lost is state funding.
Between fiscal years 2008 and 2012, state funding to VCU has been reduced by a total of $63.5 million. Between 2001 and 2011, cuts to VCU’s funding have resulted in the state funding $4,279 less per in-state student.
“If you had been a student in 2000, you would have $4,300 more dollars going to your education than you do now from the state,” Lepley said.
According to Lepley, public institutions that have more in-state students generally suffer more state funding cuts. With about 89 percent of the student body being in-state (the largest in the state), VCU is particularly susceptible to state funding cuts.
Lepley said state and federal cuts are a reflection of the current economic climate and that across the nation, funding for higher education has been significantly decreased.
Eighty-one percent of tuition and fees goes toward instructional and student support, which includes research and instruction. Approximately 10 percent goes toward institutional support, which includes things like safety and security. The remaining 9 percent is allotted for building and ground maintenance, which includes things like lighting, utilities, building and grounds maintenance and recycling.
According to VCU’s 2011-2012 myTuition website, the funds from the tuition and fees increase will help alleviate the loss of federal and state funding as well as support limited increases in funding for more faculty, library materials, student recruitment, scholarships and research.
The tuition increase will not cover new construction projects, dining services, housing, parking or campus artwork.
The $700 increase for in-state students reduced the university’s $41 million shortfall to less than $8 million. The remaining costs can be covered by federal stimulus funds, though these funds will not be available after the first quarter of 2012.
