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UMW Supports Higher Education Campaign

Attaining a college degree has never been more essential, yet the challenge of paying for one becomes more difficult each day. “The Commonwealth’s September announcement of budget cuts mean another sharp reduction in state funding for the University of Mary Washington and other colleges and universities,” said Torre M. Meringolo, vice president for Advancement and University Relations for the University of Mary Washington. “The cumulative impact of these latest reductions with those of the last several years puts additional pressure on Virginia’s higher education institutions to increase tuition and fees.”

Recently, Governor Timothy Kaine announced a
15 percent base budget reduction for universities. Through the use of “one-time” federal stimulus funds, the impact on four-year institutions has been reduced from 15 percent to 8 percent for the current academic year. For Mary Washington, an 8 percent budget reduction totals approximately $1.6 million dollars.

That figure is the latest in nearly a decade of state funding cuts, said Meringolo.

The Virginia Business Higher Education Council has found that, excluding the temporary stimulus funding, the per-student funding for Virginians at four-year colleges and universities has declined by nearly 40 percent since 2000, from $10,675 to $6,586.

The council comprised of business leaders has launched a statewide Grow By Degrees campaign to make sure that the Commonwealth remains competitive by supporting economic growth through sound investments in the state’s public colleges, universities and community colleges.

President Judy G. Hample strongly supports this campaign.

“The University of Mary Washington and other fine institutions in the Commonwealth maintain a level of excellence that rates among the best in the nation,” said President Hample. “Virginia must remain committed to investing in our institutions of higher learning to ensure that the Commonwealth continues to produce first-rate college degrees that are attainable and affordable. This Grow By Degrees initiative is devoted to promoting economic growth in Virginia through higher education.”

Grow By Degrees has identified seven key priorities:

• Awarding 70,000 more high-quality degrees over the next decade
• Targeting the new degrees to high-income, high-demand job sectors
• Creating cost-efficient new ways to access college degrees
• Expanding job-specific training at community colleges
• Increasing public-private collaboration on university-based research
• Enhancing economic development and workforce initiatives in each region
• Making college affordable for low- and middle-income students and families.

The Grow By Degrees coalition will hold The Virginia Summit on Economic Competitiveness & Higher Education on Thursday, October 1 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. For more information or to become involved with Grow by Degrees, see the Web site www.growbydegrees.org.

News release prepared by Marty Morrison

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