Spank That Donkey

UVA just increased tuition 9.4% to $9,300 annually for FY 08-09', according to the Washington Times metro section.  What's the matter folks, didn't have the nerve to get the full 10%?  Tuition & Fees was $4,130 in FY 99-2000.

Governor's Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have absolutely opened the flood gates on tuition increases.  UVA has a $5 Billion dollar endowment.  Five Billion dollars, that is five times what the entire Commonwealth of Virginia has in it's rainy day fund?  Heck it took Governor Jim Gilmore four years to get Virginia's Rainy Day fund to $1 Billion...

Five billion dollars...

How much money annually would we be able to give to our other colleges if we just let them go private?  Out of State tuition is $29,600 annually.  Go for it, have at it.  This is getting to be like the Commonwealth of Virginia building a football stadium for the Redskins... like they need the subsidy?  Like their athletics department isn't raping their alumni already for season tickets.....

It is a bold step to let a college leave the system, but I sure would like to see the study on it.  I saw the figure in Jerry's post here, linking to VA Tech's mulling over crushing it's students with possibly a 10% hike in tuition.  It says $166 million is sent to VA Tech annually....  at least that much must be going to UVA.

What if we kept the medical school, and let the rest go private?  Establish a state scholarship fund to UVA from the money saved for the smartest students, and plow the balance into our other colleges to get this.... lower tuition.... It's getting out of hand folks, graduates carrying around $200 -$300 a month student loan bills only hurts the economy.  It makes it harder to purchase new vehicles, afford homes, afford health insurance, etc.

Five Billion dollars... If an institution with that kind of money can not be self sufficient, what the heck do they have a business school for?  Oh, I forgot, college is more about theory than practical application.... whatever... Five Billion Dollars!

Why in the heck are subsidizing a college with an endowment five times what the Commonwealth's cash reserves are?  Someone anyone?

(He'll Pledge to work with John Kerry Virginia!)

According to Democratic Central Governor Mark Warner has got him a campaign 'Kick Off' Tour going, but curiously enough he doesn't have any stops planned for college campuses?  Me wonders if that has something to do with his complicity in doubling college tuition along with his trusty Democrat/ic side kick Governor Kaine?

This is a great opportunity for college kids with them minds full of mush to understand what Democrat/ics do for higher education.  They crank up tuition, while only Republican Governors actually keep a lid on it.  Yes, and I am going to say it again, my candidate for US Senate, a former Attorney General and Governor of Virginia, Jim Gilmore's first act as Governor was to form a Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education.

Yes, and from that Commission the colleges were each given four year plans for their growth, while reducing tuition 20% and freezing it for four years!

Here's what he can tell the kids at the Middle School in Abingdon:

Now listen up little minds of mush, Democrat/ic Governors are always your friends, because we help the working class people get ahead in life.  We do it by raising your parents taxes, and by increasing your college tuitions, should you choose to take on that debt.  Now my opponent, is not a friend of the working class, why he would lower your parents taxes, and your even lowered college tuition!  Make sure you go right home and tell mommy and daddy that I'm a nice guy, and don't listen to anything that other guy says, because I'm going to go stand on a battleship in Norfolk!  That's right little boys and girls, I have no military experience, whatsoever, but everyone will think I'm a big military guy because my campaign manager told me to go there and tell you about those big guns! 

(The preceding was a dramatization of what truth serum would do to Governor Warner)

See the Governors schedule, he will discuss his dramatic raising of the State Sales Tax at the Charlottesville Mall, and how it saved the Old Dominion!  Why the children would've been stupid, our Bond Rating in the tank, and the roads unpaved if he hadn't fudged the budget numbers, and got that tax increase passed...

Abingdon - May 4 at 5pm (E. Stanley Middle School)
Roanoke - May 5 at 8am (New Fire Station #1)
Norfolk - May 5 at 11:15am (Nauticus at USS Wisconsin)
Richmond - May 5 at 3pm (Virginia BioTech Research Park)
Northern Virginia - May 5 at 7pm (The Carlyle Club)
Martinsville - May 6 at 8:30am (Main Street Restaurant)
Lynchburg - May 6 at 11:30am (Monument Terrace)
Charlottesville - May 6 at 2:15pm (Downtown Mall)
Harrisonburg - May 6 at 5pm (Courthouse Steps)

(Wheeee! I made tuition Fly High!)

 Sadly, the Virginia Tech tragedy has our focus again this week, but another tragedy is our citizens who want to get a higher education, but the expense is too great an obstacle.  Amazingly, Democratic Governors always talk a good game on higher education, but in just four years under Governor's Mark Warner, and two years of Tim Kaine tuition at Virginia Tech has gone from $3,620 in FY 2000* to $7,397 in FY 2007^.

Governor Jim Gilmore,  a real honest to goodness man of the people addressed this by using his first act as a governor to form a Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education.  He assembled College Deans, Presidents, and other experts on higher education, and had them hammer out a  four year plan that not only met the needs of the colleges financially; but the needs of the students and their parents also.

His plan lowered tuition 20% across the board and froze it for four years.

When it comes to making college affordable for Virginians, Governor Jim Gilmore gets an 'A', and Governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine get a 'F'.

* See pg 28 Blue Ribbon Commission

^ See pg 11 SCHEV Report

 What exactly is Governor Mark Warner talking about here in his Forward Together piece on SWVA?:

"Governor Warner focused an incredible amount of effort on recruiting businesses to locate, stay, and expand, in rural Virginia and manufacturing communities that have seen job losses due to global competition. Double-digit unemployment dropped into single digits in the most distressed counties for the first time in years."

UVA  at Wise in SWVA has seen it's tuition rise from $3,192 in FY 2000 to $6,151 in FY 2008.  That's just $233 dollars short of a 100% increase in tuition and fees.  Ouch!

Please reference Governor Jim Gilmore's Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education, pg 28, and the latest SCHEV report on Tuition and Fees, Pg. 11.

Maybe it's just me, but wouldn't attracting business to SWVA be enhanced by lowering the financial burdens on citizens living in SWVA, while encouraging them to get their college educations there, and to work in those businesses?  Furthermore, what if Governor's Warner and Kaine thought like Governor's Allen and Gilmore, and froze tuition at UVA-Wise and actually made that college the most tuition competitive in Virginia?  That would possibly attract more students from across the state to seek their educations there, and possibly relocate to SWVA to pursue careers, and raise families.

Higher Education institutions can drive local economies big time.  Take Blacksburg for instance, what is the impact of Virginia Tech on the local community?  Just a thought.

Republicans vs. Democrat/ics, Governor Jim Gilmore vs. Governor Warner, facts vs. rhetoric.