Board of Visitors Raises Tuition, Addresses Budget Cuts
By Daniel Walsch
George Mason University's Board of Visitors (BOV) voted to raise tuition and
fees by 16 percent for the 2002-03 academic year. The university's governing body
made the unanimous decision at its March meeting in response to an anticipated
$14.7 million cut in state funds.
In a resolution that accompanied the vote, the BOV expressed concern at the
possible hardship this decision may have on current and prospective students and
said it would reconsider its decision if the level of state funding earmarked
for George Mason is increased by the end of April.
"The university is deeply concerned about the impact of its decision on our
current students as well as on those families that are considering sending their
children to our institution," says Edwin Meese III, rector of the BOV and former
U.S. attorney general. "But George Mason is on its way up in terms of national
reputation and quality of educational programs. We felt it was very important
to maintain that quality."
Under the new rates, tuition will increase from $3,792 to $4,416 for in-state
undergraduate students; $4,584 to $5,004 for in-state graduate students; $12,696
to $13,716 for out-of-state students; $8,092 to $9,123 for in-state law students;
and $18,704 to $19,232 for out-of-state law students.
"The anticipated cuts in state funding are especially difficult for George
Mason as we have been running lean for many years and have already been identified
by the General Assembly's Joint Legislative Committee as being severely underfunded,"
says university president Alan G. Merten. "Setting higher tuition and fee rates
will enable us to restore some of the funding we are losing in the budget cuts."
Despite this increase, Merten adds, George Mason's annual tuition and fee rate
for in-state undergraduate students remains lower than that of similar institutions
in neighboring states.
Even with the increase in tuition and fees, however, Merten notes that the
university will need to cut back some services and programs as it copes with remaining
budget cuts. These strategies may include leaving unfilled faculty and staff positions;
eliminating or reducing the number of low-enrollment classes; and reducing building
maintenance, administrative support, and support for electronic classrooms. These
and other cutbacks are expected to save approximately $3.5 million.
The proposed budget cuts come on the heels of earlier communiquÈs from the
General Assembly designating George Mason as one of three institutions in Virginia
that will accommodate the majority of an anticipated 40,000 students expected
over the next 10 years.
"George Mason has a strategic goal to grow and continue to provide our students
with high-caliber instruction and construct state-of-the-art facilities within
which to teach and learn. The budget cuts, as they now stand, force us to pull
back from our vision and the state directive," Merten says. "Ultimately, our message
is that we want to grow and be the best we can be as an institution and for our
region, but we need adequate capital and operational support to help make that
happen."
|
