THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, March 3, 1995                  TAG: 9503030399
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY HOLLY WESTER, CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT 
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                     LENGTH: Medium:   53 lines

VA. WESLEYAN WILL RAISE TUITION 6.9% IT'S THE SMALLEST IN 15 YEARS, AND IN LINE WITH OTHERS. THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT POPULAR.

Tuition at Virginia Wesleyan College will go up 6.9 percent next year, the lowest increase in 15 years, officials said.

Tuition will increase to $11,650. Room and board will rise 4 percent, to $5,200. The total package for a student living on campus will go up 6 percent, to $16,850.

``If you're going to continue to improve the quality of life inside and outside the classroom . . ., there is a price that comes with it,'' said William T. ``Billy'' Greer Jr., Wesleyan's president. ``We're just trying not to blow people out of the water with that price.''

Wesleyan recently announced the increases in a letter to students. Local state-supported colleges have yet to announce their rates, but they are not expecting big increases, either.

The General Assembly last year approved a 3 percent cap on annual tuition increases at public colleges through 1996.

Judging from previous years, Wesleyan's increase is right in line with those at other private colleges, said Robert A. Spivey, president of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges in Richmond.

``It sounds reasonable,'' he said. ``It isn't unusual because of the rapid increase of expenses in colleges.''

But Wesleyan students have mixed feelings about the increase.

``I don't think it's unfair - it's expected,'' said Randi LaMark, a junior who recently transferred from Tidewater Community College.

``Virginia Wesleyan is worth the cost. The professors spend so much individual time with the students. You can't put a price on that.''

Judy Barron, a first-semester senior, is not so understanding.

``I'm going to be in debt until the day I die,'' she said. ``It's going to make my student loan higher, which means my husband and I are going to be working very hard for a very long time to pay for this tuition . . .

``I love the school, I'm happy to be going there, and I think I'm getting my money's worth,'' she added. ``But the little financial inconveniences are starting to add up. Everybody's starting to feel that way.''

Greer said he understands what students are facing.

``We are aware that it's expensive to go to college,'' he said. ``Even though we think we have a wonderful financial aid program, attending college is a major investment on the part of people.''

But he said the increases were needed for a host of projects, including the addition of computers. by CNB