1. Breathless v. Meaningless…? Rhodes v. Jones on Tuition Hikes
I wrote last week that college and university tuition hikes will increasingly become a hot issue in Virginia. The conflicting positions taken this week at the VCU Board of Visitors meeting between Panny Rhodes and Maurice Jones and reported by the RTD are illustrative of the debate that’s emerging. Jones, publisher of The Virginian Pilot called a proposal by VCU President Mike Rao to raise tuition by 17% “breathtaking.” The RTD did not report what Jones had to say about the ultimate decision by the Board to raise tuition by 24%, but I presume that he didn’t have any breath left. At the same time, former Delegate Panny Rhodes defended the increase as she told the RTD that “percentages mean very little when you have very low tuition.”
2. McDonnell Calls 24% Increases “Unacceptable” and “Unsustainable”
Governor McDonnell wasn’t completely breathless, because he did manage to offer a few choice adjectives about the tuition increases. He refrained from placing blame on any particular individual or institution, but observed that these kind of increases are going to price many Virginians out of higher education (or leave them with a debt load that is equally unsustainable). McDonnell noted that his higher ed commission will be charged with developing a sustainable funding model for higher education in Virginia. This week’s round of increases only reinforces the importance of the goal that the Governor has articulated and groups such as the Virginia-Business Higher Education Council have been focusing on for years.
3. A State Policy Question
The debate about tuition increases raises a larger issue about the organization of higher education in Virginia. To what extent should public colleges and universities be autonomous, decentralized entities and to what extent should these institutions have policies such as tuition reflect the broader priorities of the Commonwealth? The Governor has articulated an ambitious goal of increasing by a significant percentage the number of Virginians who hold either two year or four year degrees. Essentially, he wants Virginia to be globally recognized as one the smartest places in the world. In a knowledge-based economy, it’s a creative policy goal. But it seems to me that this will require a serious rethinking of almost every element of higher ed- what’s the role of community colleges, how do we enhance web-based education, how do we better utilize the creativity of private providers, how do we develop better public-private partnerships, how do we develop a more integrated K-20 system, etc. The events of the past week will hopefully provide the impetus for a jump start.
4. Community Colleges
What’s the largest public, higher education institution in Virginia with more than 20,000 students than its closest competitor? If you said Northern Virginia Community College, you’re correct. I’ve been stunned by the nationwide numbers of communty college students and the dramatic enrollment increases that many of these institutions have experienced in the latest recession. My sense is that enhancing the capacity of Virginia’s community colleges will be an essential component of any state policy that addressed issues of cost and access to higher education in the Commonwealth.
5. Diana Cantor and VRS
UVA’s Ed Burton, a long-time member of the VRS Board, publicly criticized Bob McDonnell for his VRS policies and, as part of the criticism, observed that Diana Cantor was unqualified to serve on the VRS Board. Really? Burton has every right (and I think a responsibility) to raise concerns about state policies that can impact the long-term health of VRS, even if his views are politically unpopular. Yet I can’t begin to fathom the claim that Cantor’s not eminently qualified. She directed the Virginia College Saving Plan; she has a career working in finance-related positions; and she is generally seen as an extremely bright, fair-minded individual. My sense is that the personalization of Burton’s disagreements with the Governor in his comments about Cantor may deflect attention from the legitimate concerns that almost all public employee retirement systems (including VRS) are dealing with today.
6. Reset
That’s what the McDonnell administration is hoping that the decision by Northrop Grumman to locate its headquarters in NOVA will provide for it politically. The big announcement enabled the administration to refocus public attention on the jobs agenda that was its major campaign priority in 2009.
7. Sheila Johnson’s Regret
Sheila Johnson told The Daily Beast that “I will never get involved in politics again.” Ms. Johnson didn’t return calls from The Washington Post this week seeking a more expansive commentary. No one’ll be surprised if the Post and other outlets keep calling.
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