ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, January 28, 1997 TAG: 9701290015
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
LT. GOV. Don Beyer (the Democrats' 1997 gubernatorial nominee-apparent) and Attorney General Jim Gilmore (ditto for the Republicans) have unveiled plans to phase in scholarship programs for students at Virginia's public colleges and universities. Meanwhile, Democratic state Sen. John Edwards of Roanoke is pushing for a phased-in boost in state higher-education funding, in order to reduce from 50 percent to 30 percent the amount of their instructional costs that students must pay in tuition.
Compared with doing nothing, all three plans look good. But all three are flawed - if not fatally, then at least enough to leave room for improvement.
To do nothing would be to accept as a permanent condition the fiscal bind put on Virginia's colleges and universities by the recession of the early '90s. In 1990, Virginia ranked 28th in the country in per-student support for higher education; today, the state ranks 44th. In 1990, Virginia spent $3,900 per student for higher education; today, Virginia spends $3,500.
To equal North Carolina's per-student support for state colleges and universities, Virginia would have to spend an additional $469 million per year; to equal the national average, $220 million more. Gov. George Allen's budget amendments for the 1997-98 fiscal year call for a $116,000 increase, a pittance.
Rising tuition has been one consequence; all three plans have the merit of addressing this aspect of the problem. But Beyer and Gilmore, by creating entitlements for individuals who meet certain grade-point or test-score criteria, would divert money that otherwise could go to the colleges and universities to improve their programs. And Edwards, in returning the tuition formula to its 1990 level, would provide money to the colleges that would simply offset forgone tuition revenues.
Moreover, none of the plans are keyed to a student's financial condition. Currently, Virginia funds only 35 percent of what it takes for the colleges and universities to offer full financial aid to those who qualify. Because some beneficiaries would qualify for assistance anyway, the plans would allow existing need-based financial-aid money to go farther - but not as far as if the plans were means-tested, with financial-aid dollars going only to those who need it most.
LENGTH: Short : 45 linesby CNB