The Virginia Senate recently introduced two bills addressing the drastic rise in college tuition costs. At the University, students have seen an average rise in their tuition of at least 5.3 percent per year since 2009. The bills would require public colleges and universities to be more transparent about tuition increases. If passed, these new pieces of legislation would offer University students detailed explanations regarding tuition increases, as well as the maximum amount their tuition could rise in four years — rights which are long overdue.
SB 1405, one of the bills presented, would require public colleges to inform students of tuition increases at least 30 days before voting on the changes. In addition, students would be able to publicly comment within the same time period. This would allow students and families to know tuition changes have been proposed, to join in the debate and to plan accordingly. If SB 1405 is passed, the Board of Visitors will be responsible for improving the accessibility of its decision-making process.
The other bill presented, SB 1088, would play a key role in prospective students’ final college decisions and their families’ financing options. Students currently run the risk of seeing their tuition rise beyond their budget over the course of four years. This bill, which essentially eliminates this risk by establishing firm caps on tuition increases, would provide students a sense of financial security before arriving on Grounds.
These bills come at a time in which the cost of higher education in the U.S. has increased at an exceedingly fast pace. While some of these increases are justified, many students don’t learn about them until the changes are adopted. Even then, the justification of the tuition increase is often not disclosed to students en masse. Enacting these bills is essential in increasing student involvement in determining how much their education will cost, and providing them with the opportunity to make well-informed financial decisions.
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