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Universities Plan for the Highs and Lows of Tuition Costs

Posted on: Monday, 10 October 2005, 15:01 CDT

By Philip Walzer, The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va.

Oct. 10--Old Dominion University might raise tuition for in-state students as much as 20 percent next year. Or it could keep the increase to 8 percent.

Norfolk State's tuition scenarios range from a 12 percent increase to 1 percent boost.

These numbers, and hundreds more, were submitted last week by public colleges and universities in six-year plans that forecast their future in academics, enrollment and finances.

The plans were required under a Virginia law, passed this year, that grants the schools more autonomy in areas such as purchasing and contracts.

The state asked the schools to forecast tuition under two scenarios: One assumes continued, significant increases in state funding for colleges; the other supposes no extra state money over the next six years. That would result in the higher tuition figure.

In terms of tuition, "we're being asked to give a ceiling and a floor," Deb Swiecinski, ODU's assistant vice president for budget and finance, said Friday. "The state is hoping that we won't hit the ceiling, and we hope that, too. Somewhere between there is where reality will lie, and we're hoping it's closer to the floor."

William T. Walker Jr., a spokesman for The College of William and Mary, cautioned that the tuition forecasts were "highly speculative."

"There's only one sure thing," Walker said. "The more the state provides... in funding, the less tuition will go up."

College officials emphasized that they doubted the expensive tuition alternative would play out. Paul S. Trible Jr., president of Christopher Newport University, noted that all three candidates for governor have said they support increasing funding for higher education.

Tuition and state funding have had a seesaw relationship in Virginia for years.

Three years ago, Gov. Mark R. Warner cut college funding by more than 20 percent to make up for a state deficit surpassing $1 billion. In turn, many colleges increased tuition by more than 20 percent, including unusual mid-year increases in January.

After that, the state resumed budget increases for colleges of about 10 percent a year. Tuition increases, though still above the rate of inflation, have gone down. For in-state undergraduates in Virginia, tuition and fees rose an average of 8 percent this fall, according to the State Council of Higher Education.

Colleges have argued they are still behind in funding. State calculations show that the colleges need more than $340 million more each year to meet their needs.

Some universities used the six-year plan as a brief to argue for more money.

Old Dominion's report said the school receives 79 percent of what it should get, under the state council calculations, compared with 90 percent for all doctoral-granting universities in Virginia.

"We desperately require urgent funding assistance," ODU's plan stated.

Among other institutions, the University of Virginia estimated tuition could go up 10 percent to 22 percent next year for in-state undergraduates. The range was 8 percent to 13 percent at William and Mary and 8 percent to 17 percent at Virginia Tech.

The plans are less blueprints for change than affirmations of previously stated goals.

Norfolk State, for instance, said its RISE research and technology center, scheduled to open next year, will help encourage economic development. Norfolk State also said it hopes to increase its share of black males from 31 percent to 34 percent.

In terms of enrollment, ODU predicts no change over the next six years without funding increases. With more money, it estimates a big increase -- to more than 27,000 in 2001 from about 21,000 now, Swiecinski said.

NSU has experienced sharp enrollment declines in the past decade. It predicted that its student body would grow from 6,200 to 8,000 in 2011, no matter how much money it gets from the state.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va.

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Source: The Virginian-Pilot

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