Student studies on the steps of the Rotunda Photo by Dan Addison
The University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors today approved tuition and fees for the 2010-2011 academic year for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as for law, medical and graduate business students and the College at Wise.
Tuition and required fees for in-state U.Va. undergraduates will increase by $956, bringing the annual total to $10,628. Out-of-state undergraduate tuition and required fees will increase by $1,902 to $33,574.
The University worked to limit increases in room and board – and to keep the rates among the very lowest when compared to 26 national peer institutions, including Cornell and Vanderbilt universities and Johns Hopkins. The prices of undergraduate meal plans will increase by an average of 3.5 percent, or between $40 and $140 per semester, depending on the plan. Housing rates will see a double room increase by an average of 4.9 percent, or $222 per academic year.
While the board has long emphasized the importance of keeping the University affordable and values its long-standing “best value” rankings, the increases reflect economic realities.
Comments
I have no objection to raising tuition. Obviously the University must cover its costs. I do believe that The University continues to hurt itself with the wide disparity between how it treats in state and out of state students, both in terms of tuition and qualifications for acceptance. A truly great University would be moving toward increased tuition and qualifications for in State students so as to achieve more parity and higher overall standards. Continuing to pander to the state legilature particularly when subsidies are down makes no sense. Why should not in state students pay more toward the costs of their education? As I read the numbers, the total amout received from or on behalf of an in state student is substantially more than $10,000 less than for an out of state student, and I know there is still a great disparity in the qualifications required for admission between the two catagories.
I object to the increase. Tuition/fees and all costs to obtain a UVA degree have doubled in the 10 years since I graduated. UVA is still a public institution that should provide an affordable education to students with the abilities to go to school at the University. The State of Virginia has failed to provide sufficient resources. Donors, the state legislature and UVA must take steps needed to decrease the cost of tuition. Maybe find a way to build less, charge less.
With all due respect to the UVA administrators and VA state legislatures, our state has simple been unable to provide a better solution than increasing the costs of tuition above inflation.
This increase is unacceptable in a time of declining stock market, housing values, and a latent recession.
Noah Kaufman
UVA 1999
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