Writer Gary Robertson posed 10 questions to the presidents of Hampden-Sydney College, Longwood University, the University of Mary Washington and Virginia Commonwealth University. Here are their emailed answers.
Christopher B. Howard, president of Hampden-Sydney College
With rising college costs far outstripping the rate of inflation and with increasing student debt, many Americans are now questioning the value of a college education. Do you think a college education is still a good value for most people, even if it leaves them in debt?
Unquestionably, a college education — both in terms of future earnings and personal fulfillment — is a good value. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2010), the median weekly earnings for a four-year college graduate are 66 percent higher than for a high school graduate and 37 percent higher than for the holder of an associate degree.
It is a common misconception that a student who graduates from a private four-year college, because of the higher cost, is saddled with considerably more debt than if a four-year state institution had been chosen. This is simply not the case. Private four-year colleges and universities make a tremendous financial commitment to assure that our students do not suffer financial hardship to attend our institutions. 98.8 percent of Hampden-Sydney students receive some form of financial aid, including honor scholarships and Tuition Assistance Grants (TAG); 56.6 percent of our students receive need-based aid.
It is simply not possible to assess the real value of a college education within the first few years after graduation. It is in looking back from the perspective of a decade and a lifetime that they will understand the timeless and immutable value of their education.
What is your institution doing to contain or reduce the costs of a college education? What have been the results?
Hampden-Sydney College has balanced its annual operating budget for the last 33 years. We constantly examine corporate best practices to develop innovative approaches to fiscal management. The use of technology to the best advantage and consortiums with other colleges (such as for health insurance) have resulted in significant financial savings. A financially well-managed institution is concerned with the containment and prudent reduction of costs.
Hampden-Sydney increases endowment and subsidizes annual operations through private donations. A Hampden-Sydney student's tuition represents 3/4 of the actual cost of his education. The success of the never-ending and intense business of fundraising significantly reduces the out-of-pocket cost to our students.
State and federal support to colleges and universities has steadily declined. What is the appropriate role for state and federal government in financing a student's college expenses? Have state and federal government met their obligations in supporting higher education?
Federal financial-aid programs, both grants and loans, including Pell Grants for the most disadvantaged, greatly increase access to higher education for many students. A significant portion of Hampden-Sydney students receive Pell Grants.
However, it is the states that must bear the greatest cost of supporting education. The Virginia Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2011, recently signed by Gov. McDonnell, is designed to fuel strong economic growth in the commonwealth and to prepare Virginians for the top job opportunities in the knowledge-driven economy of the 21st century.
I call attention to one set of goals in particular: "To establish a higher education funding framework and policy that promotes stable, predictable, equitable, and adequate funding [to relieve] the upward pressure on tuition associated with loss of state support due to economic downturns …" Stable, predictable, and adequate funding is essential to sound management and successful long-term planning.
The bill recognizes the need to provide incentives to increase enrollment at public and private nonprofit colleges and universities to achieving the goal of 100,000 cumulative additional undergraduate degrees on Virginians by 2025. The TAG program recognizes the important contribution of private nonprofit colleges and universities and provides necessary and welcome assistance. Sixty-nine percent of Hampden-Sydney students receive the TAG.
Also of importance is the specific language addressing the acute challenges facing the commonwealth in education for the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Specifically, the bill calls for the "providing [of] financial incentives to increase STEM enrollment and degree production [and] providing assistance to the commonwealth's public and private colleges and universities in the acquisition and improvement of STEM-related facilities and equipment." Unlike public colleges and universities, which receive significant state support, private colleges and universities must raise virtually all of their funding from private sources to construct and to refurbish buildings. Modern STEM facilities are very expensive. There is mutual benefit between citizens of this commonwealth and private colleges and universities to ensure that these facilities are built and/or refurbished as soon as possible.
What do you believe is the principal value of a college education — to help an individual grow personally and intellectually, or to teach specific skills and knowledge that can be used in the workplace? Or, do you have another idea?
I do not believe that these two values are mutually exclusive. A principal value of a Hampden-Sydney education is individual growth, both personal and intellectual. At the same time, our students graduate with the intellectual skills that are valued in every career field.
That is accomplished through a rigorous curriculum that stresses writing and critical thinking, close contact between students and professors who are teachers, mentors and friends, and by a student-run Honor Code that engenders lifelong ethical standards. Our career-development office has recently launched a "Tiger Track" program that organizes the various offerings around campus available to students interested in particular career paths, such as finance, law, coaching, teaching, among others. You can find out more information about our Tiger Tracks program at this website . (http://www.hsc.edu/Career-Development/Tiger-Tracks.html)
According to the Virginia Business Higher Education Council, polls indicate that more than 75 percent of Virginia voters believe a four-year or community-college degree is essential for success in the new economy. Yet, the council says only 35 percent of college-age Virginians currently enroll in college, and only 42 percent of working-age Virginians have college degrees. What steps do you think should be taken to spur college enrollment and completion? What steps has your institution taken?
In answering this question, I would like to focus primarily on completion rather than enrollment. There are certain disadvantaged groups — particularly minority men — who never even consider higher education and complete secondary education at an alarmingly low rate. That is a discussion in and of itself. Overall, the majority of those who complete high school at least consider the advantages of higher education and many enter the process. If we graduated all those young men and women who enroll in two- and four-year colleges, I dare say that we would fulfill the expectations of any governor or President. In the fall, the Hampden-Sydney board will approve a new strategic plan for the college. One goal will be renewed emphasis on increasing our graduation rate, which is very good; but, like all colleges, there always is room for improvement.
I have personally taken a considerable interest in community colleges, especially J. Sargeant Reynolds, Southside and Tidewater. I support the efforts of Dr. Glenn DuBois, Chancellor of Virginia's Community Colleges, to encourage community college graduates to continue their education and, at least, to obtain a baccalaureate degree.
At Hampden-Sydney we see every student as an individual and are willing to expend whatever time and resources we have to help him succeed.
Do you think the nation's higher education system is going in the right direction?
Most readers of Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses by Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa are probably not excited about the direction of higher education. I, on the other hand, see the authors' prescription for a successful learning experience as an affirmation of what we do at Hampden-Sydney. High academic expectations and the requirement that students accept personal responsibility result in learning and character development.
As I travel, I talk with many graduate school deans and business leaders. They universally tell me that what they value in applicants and employees is character and self-discipline.
Goal number one of Hampden-Sydney's new strategic plan is "to graduate capable, confident men who are committed to serving with honor and character — Good Men and Good Citizens." We believe that we have done that well for over two centuries, and at no time has it ever been more important that we continue to do so than at this very moment.
What do you think are the most important factors in attracting students to your institution?
Honor Code: The code permeates the campus atmosphere, and students enjoy the security of knowing that their brothers share respect for their own work and the belongings of others.
Leadership and Character: Hampden-Sydney offers a variety of opportunities for leadership study and practice. The Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest and the Society of '91 provide formal programs that promote leadership development and service.
High Touch: Professors at Hampden-Sydney care about the academic and personal development of their students. Our low student-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 allows for intellectual intimacy, providing the individual attention young men need to develop a lifelong love of learning.
Rhetoric Program: Hampden-Sydney is home to a well-respected rhetoric program. Young men who graduate from H-SC are well trained to think clearly and communicate cogently and concisely. Graduates of all majors often comment that learning how to write was one of the most important academic experiences of their undergraduate studies.
Ubuntu : Loosely translated, Ubuntu is the Zulu word for "collective humanity." At Hampden-Sydney, we realize that there can be no me without we — that we can't achieve our full humanity as individuals. Our students, faculty and staff are connected to one another, and we strive to instill in our men the knowledge that what they do affects the rest of the community.
What criteria should prospective students and their parents use in assessing the quality of your institution, and whether it's the right college or university for them?
Selecting a college is very individual choice. Cost is, unfortunately, used as an initial determinate, when often it is not a bar to enrollment.
A student should look at the entire curriculum, not only at specific departments and programs — students' interests and academic goals change over their college years.
A student has to feel comfortable in the setting. That is difficult to determine without visiting the campus, and, preferably, that visit should be during the academic year. A campus is not just buildings; it is the people who inhabit those buildings.
A student needs to be honestly self-aware. Which college or university is best for the individual? Just because your friends are going there does not make it right for you.
Think about the output. Talk to those who have graduated from the college or university. Institutions change over time, and an alumnus who graduated 20 years prior may not be able to provide detailed information about the current curriculum, but alumni, no matter how long graduated, can give a student a feeling for the spirit of the institution and a sense of its immutable values. A graduate can say how the education was of practical and personal benefit.
I constantly hear from every source that our graduates are the best thing Hampden-Sydney has going for it, that Hampden-Sydney men are doing great things in their communities and for their country.
How important do you think it is that colleges and universities contribute to the economic development of their region? Please explain your college's role in regional economic development. Does your college/university have any local tax exemptions? How does that affect your role in the community?
There are numerous studies that demonstrate the beneficial financial impact of a college or university to the area in which it is located. Hampden-Sydney is located in Prince Edward County (pop. 21,500). We are the fourth largest employer in the county and contribute over $80 million into the local economy annually either by direct, indirect or induced means.
Central to the Hampden-Sydney's strategic planning process is economic planning, which includes our concern for the prosperity of Prince Edward County, the surrounding region, and support for local businesses and institutions.
As a nonprofit institution, Hampden-Sydney is exempt from property taxes.
President Obama has a goal of making America the country with the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. Do you think this is possible?
I believe the United States can once again stand first in the proportion of college graduates. The nation has a long history of setting ambitious goals and achieving them. What is required is the recognition by the American people that education is the basis of our democracy, our economic prosperity, and our social enlightenment. I believe that most of us realize that to be true, but when times are difficult, we tend to focus on immediate needs rather than taking the longer-term view. As a 236-year-old institution, we think it is best to pursue the latter course of action.
Responses from Patrick Finnegan, president of Longwood University
What is your institution doing to contain or reduce the costs of a college education? What have been the results?
Longwood University is always looking for more efficient ways of doing business. Our faculty teach four classes each semester — at most other public institutions, the faculty load is three classes each semester. We burn sawdust in our boilers, which saves us several million dollars a year. Our dining hall is heated and cooled through a geothermal system. We have reduced travel and other operational expenses. But even with these cost-cutting measures, electricity, water and sewer, gas, insurance, maintenance agreements, and other costs continue to rise. In many respects, Longwood, which is primarily a residential campus, is like a small city composed of 4,800 family members, and like families across the commonwealth and nation, our costs continue to rise.
State and federal support to colleges and universities has steadily declined. What is the appropriate role for state and federal government in financing a student's college expenses? Have state and federal government met their obligations in supporting higher education?
During the 2011 General Assembly session, the governor and the General Assembly did put nearly $100 million into public higher-education funding — for which we are very thankful. Unfortunately, colleges and universities are still significantly below the state's own policies for funding higher education.
The Commonwealth of Virginia has a policy that it will fund 67 percent of a Virginia student's public higher education, and it is currently funding less than 50 percent at Longwood. In fact, information provided by the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia at a June 20 meeting shows that the average state funding across the institutions is 33 percent. The Commonwealth of Virginia has reduced funding to public institutions. Since 2008, Longwood has seen the money it receives from the State cut by 36 percent — or $9 million. Even instituting cost-cutting measures and efficiencies, these differences are largely borne by increases in tuition and fees. If we want to continue to provide the quality education that Virginia prides itself on, we must be willing to pay the costs.
The state also has a policy that it will fund faculty salaries at the 60th percentile of an institution's peer group. Unfortunately, with the economic downturn, there have been no salary increases for faculty or staff for the past four years. Institutions are well below the 60th percentile on faculty salaries and have been so even before the recession.
The federal government has provided student financial aid and loan programs, which have been critical to many students being able to attend and afford college. However, the future of many of these programs is unknown with the current budget-reduction plans being reviewed in Washington.
What do you believe is the principal value of a college education — to help an individual grow personally and intellectually, or to teach specific skills and knowledge that can be used in the workplace? Or, do you have another idea?
The mission of Longwood University is to educate young men and women to be citizen leaders for the common good. Our students learn leadership skills that, when coupled with their academic experiences, provide opportunities for personal growth and a lifelong intellectual curiosity that contributes to the greater good of society. An education teaches you to cope with the unknown and how to resolve issues that you haven't seen before. Focusing on specific skills in the workplace is more like training, which focuses on the known. The best education allows individuals to grow personally and intellectually while imparting problem-solving skills and knowledge that can be used in any workplace.
According to the Virginia Business Higher Education Council, polls indicate that more than 75 percent of Virginia voters believe a four-year or community-college degree is essential for success in the new economy. Yet, the council says only 35 percent of college-age Virginians currently enroll in college, and only 42 percent of working-age Virginians have college degrees.
What steps do you think should be taken to spur college enrollment and completion? What steps has your institution taken?
Gov. McDonnell has made higher education a top priority for his administration. He created the Governor's Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation, and Investment, and the commission, chaired by Mr. Tom Farrell, was successful in getting the "Top Jobs for the 21st Century" legislation passed in the 2011 session. The major thrust of this legislation is to educate 100,000 more Virginians over the next 15 years and produce more college graduates, particularly in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), health and business fields. These are areas the commission has determined will be the areas of growth in the future.
Longwood University already educates Virginians, with 95 percent of its students coming from the commonwealth. We have a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program that will be beginning its third year this fall. We are working with several local school divisions by placing our students in clinical settings in the schools, which we think will increase interest in the nursing program among local Southside Virginia residents.
Unfortunately, statistics for rural Southside Virginia, where Longwood University is located, are far below the state and national average for college graduates and high school attainment, and over one-third of households earn less than $25,000 per year. These are major challenges.
In addition, The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Revitalization Commission has provided scholarships for students who plan to stay in the Southside region, which has been very helpful in getting more Southside students to attend college.
Do you think the nation's higher education system is going in the right direction?
Overall, higher education in the United States is going in the right direction. Colleges and universities continue to educate and graduate more students. Colleges and universities are constantly reassessing their programs to ensure that they are providing an education in the disciplines and fields where the jobs will be in the years to come. The issues surrounding rising costs must be addressed, however, so that education continues to be accessible to all those who desire to attend college and are willing to do the hard work necessary to succeed.
What do you think are the most important factors in attracting students to your institution?
When I talk with alums who graduated 50 years ago, the things that still resonate are the small class sizes and the personal attention from the faculty. Our students today say the very same things. Longwood is small enough to give you one-on-one attention but large enough so that you are not suffocated.
At Longwood University, most of the classes are still small and all are still taught by full-time faculty, not graduate assistants. Students at Longwood are a name, not a number. Faculty members spend time with students outside of the classroom, which helps build that bond. Longwood is a relatively small institution, with approximately 4,800 students, so there are leadership opportunities available to students through the Student Government Association and over 100 other clubs and organizations. At Longwood, you are a participant and not just a spectator in your overall education, both in and out of the classroom.
Other areas prospective students should look at include: What learning opportunities are there in and out of the classroom? What is the quality of the residence-life program? What type of research is conducted by the faculty, and does it have a direct impact on teaching? What study-abroad opportunities are there for students? How engaged are the faculty with the students? How safe is the campus?
Longwood University also requires every student to have an internship related to their field of study or a faculty-directed research project before they can graduate. This gives students a hands-on experience in their chosen field, which helps them find a job.
What criteria should prospective students and their parents use in assessing the quality of your institution, and whether it's the right college or university for them?
Students need to understand the environment where they can be most successful. So students and their parents need to embrace Longwood's size and our core mission of educating citizen leaders. Prospective students must ask themselves if they want to be anonymous, or do they want to be involved in a learning environment where their contributions are valued and encouraged?
Students and families should also look at the national rankings. For the 13th straight year, Longwood University is ranked among the best in the 2011 U.S. News & World Report survey. The U.S. News & World Report "America's Best Colleges" rankings released on Aug. 17, 2010, put Longwood at No. 9 in the category "Top Public Universities-Master's" in the South. Among all Southern Universities-Master's (public and private), Longwood remains within the top tier at No. 27.
Additionally, Longwood University is again one of the best colleges and universities in the Southeast according to The Princeton Review. The education-services company recently selected Longwood as one of 133 institutions it recommends in the "Best in the Southeast" section of its 2011 Best Colleges: Region by Region survey. And, for the first time, Longwood University is included as one of the best colleges in the United States in the Forbes 2010 list of America's Best Colleges. The list of more than 600 undergraduate institutions, compiled with research from the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, is based on 11 factors, measuring the quality of the education each school provides, the experiences of its students and the achievements of its graduates.
How important do you think it is that colleges and universities contribute to the economic development of their region? Please explain your college's role in regional economic development. Does your college/university have any local tax exemptions? How does that affect your role in the community?
In 2008, Longwood University's Small Business Development Center conducted an economic-impact study that showed that the university had an economic impact of $135.6 million, of which $89 million, or 66 percent of the total economic impact, occurred in Farmville and surrounding counties. While Longwood isn't a traditional research university, it has a tremendous impact on this area of Southside Virginia.
Longwood University's Small Business Development Center (Longwood SBDC) provides assistance and training to help small business owners and potential owners make sound decisions for the successful operation of their business. The Longwood SBDC serves 20 counties and six independent cities in South-Central Virginia. The Longwood SBDC offers individual, one-on-one, confidential counseling, and it sponsors workshops, conferences and courses at various locations in its service area. Longwood operates five SBDC office locations throughout Southside Virginia: Farmville, South Boston, Martinsville, Petersburg and Danville.
Longwood's vice president for information and instructional technology services is on the board of directors of the Midatlantic Broadband Cooperative, which is bringing broadband to 60 business parks, three medical centers and 121 school districts in Southside Virginia.
All properties owned or controlled by Longwood University are exempt from real estate taxes. During the year that I have been president, I have not had any member of the Farmville Town Council or Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors approach me regarding any lost tax revenues. I believe that both the town and the county view Longwood University as an asset. Almost all of our events (speakers, performances, athletic competitions) are open to the public — many of them free of charge or at a minimal cost — and our Longwood Center for the Visual Arts (LCVA) was intentionally located on Main Street in Downtown Farmville so that it would be easily accessible to the local community. Last year, over 30,000 people visited the LCVA, and, undoubtedly, many of those people also shopped or ate in the local community.
President Obama has a goal of making America the country with the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. Do you think this is possible?
As you may know, Gov. McDonnell has a goal for higher education institutions to educate and graduate 100,000 more Virginians by 2025. If every state is this aggressive in tackling the issue, then, yes, it is possible.
Responses from Richard V. Hurley, president of the University of Mary Washington
With rising college costs far outstripping the rate of inflation and with increasing student debt, many Americans are now questioning the value of a college education. Do you think a college education is still a good value for most people, even if it leaves them in debt?
Over the long haul, I believe that a college education proves to be one of the best investments one can make. Not only is the economic value apparent, as college graduates typically earn more than twice as much over their careers than others, but education has many benefits for both the individual and society. In a highly complex, rapidly changing, global economy, we need Americans who are skilled, adaptable and creative problem solvers. A well-educated citizenry is key to our future success.
What is your institution doing to contain or reduce the costs of a college education? What have been the results?
Like all segments of our economy, colleges and universities have been deeply impacted by effects of national and world events. At the University of Mary Washington, we have engaged in a number of cost-cutting strategies during the recession-driven downturn in public funding for higher education. Salary and position freezes, reductions in operational budgets and gains in administrative efficiencies have been a big part of our strategy. However, we have remained determined to avoid cuts that would negatively impact our core academic mission and have worked diligently to protect the teaching and learning environment.
Additionally, we have placed increased emphasis on raising our level of private support and growing the size of our endowment. In this regard, we have linked the priorities of our institution's strategic plan to the primary initiatives of a new comprehensive fundraising campaign.
State and federal support to colleges and universities has steadily declined. What is the appropriate role for state and federal government in financing a student's college expenses? Have state and federal government met their obligations in supporting higher education?
A primary role of the federal government is to provide financial aid for low-income and — to some degree — middle-income students to help them cover the cost of their education. The Pell Grant and Stafford Loan programs provide essential support to students and families with need. The state government should have a similar responsibility but take it a step further by supporting its public higher-education institutions on a per-student basis through a consistent funding formula. The federal government has done a better job of meeting its obligations than most states, particularly during this period of economic downturn. Of course, the reality is that the federal government increasingly has gone further into debt to cover these and other obligations, whereas most state constitutions do not allow such actions. Finally, state and federal support is essential to our future economic vitality. For example, studies show that every dollar currently invested in Virginia's public higher-education system yields $13 in increased economic output.
What do you believe is the principal value of a college education — to help an individual grow personally and intellectually, or to teach specific skills and knowledge that can be used in the workplace? Or, do you have another idea?
This is not an "either/or" proposition. Society needs individuals who have been educated to think broadly and analytically about issues and solutions whether they're at the organizational or societal level — individuals who have skills necessary to maintain and advance our technical infrastructure. As president of a high-quality public liberal arts and sciences university, I know that these goals are not incompatible. Our university provides students a foundational and broad education but also ensures that they participate in experiential learning activities, such as career internships, global experiences and undergraduate research. Experiential learning, coupled with skills-based course work, prepares graduates well for workplace opportunities.
According to the Virginia Business Higher Education Council, polls indicate that more than 75 percent of Virginia voters believe a four-year or community-college degree is essential for success in the new economy. Yet, the council says only 35 percent of college-age Virginians currently enroll in college, and only 42 percent of working-age Virginians have college degrees.
What steps do you think should be taken to spur college enrollment and completion? What steps has your institution taken?
The essential elements are already in place to accomplish this goal. No single action alone will make the difference. For example, community colleges provide an essential gateway for entry into higher education for many individuals for whom a residential institution is not accessible. Continuing emphasis needs to be placed on articulation agreements between community colleges and four-year schools that will encourage more students to pursue four-year degrees. Another practical strategy for increasing the number of graduates is to increase current rates of retention. I am committed to both of these strategies.
Do you think the nation's higher education system is going in the right direction?
Generally I do, but with some areas of concern. The U.S. is falling behind in attracting international students to its higher education institutions. These students are a source of vitality and diversity on our campuses. They serve as important bridges of understanding between nations and cultures and provide economic benefit as well to this country. Also, we need to find ways to better utilize emerging teaching and learning technologies to enhance the educational process of a predominantly residential institution.
What do you think are the most important factors in attracting students to your institution?
The quality of academic offerings, the high caliber of our faculty, the beauty of our campus and the richness of student life.
What criteria should prospective students and their parents use in assessing the quality of your institution, and whether it's the right college or university for them?
I generally advise families that if they looked at only one metric when assessing a college, they should look at graduation rates. Higher education is a major investment, and knowing an institution's graduation rate identifies the most important risk factor to that investment — what are the chances of my child actually completing the degree? I am very proud of UMW's graduation rate — one of the highest in the nation for our type of institution. [ Editor's note: UMW's most recent graduation rate was 76 percent. ]
How important do you think it is that colleges and universities contribute to the economic development of their region? Please explain your college's role in regional economic development. Does your college/university have any local tax exemptions? How does that affect your role in the community?
Higher education institutions can and should play vital roles in the economic development of the region in which they are located. Aside from the cultural, athletic and other attractions that bring people and money to the region, they are a rich human capital resource that can be tapped to address regional, local or business problems and issues. I am proud of our recent creation of a Center for Economic Development that serves as a resource for existing businesses and for those seeking to explore relocation to the Fredericksburg area.
President Obama has a goal of making America the country with the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. Do you think this is possible?
The president's goal is laudable, and the University of Mary Washington is doing its part. However, this objective is challenging for a nation that shares with only one other country the distinction of having an older generation that is more educated than the younger.
Responses from Michael Rao, president of Virginia Commonwealth University
With rising college costs far outstripping the rate of inflation and with increasing student debt, many Americans are now questioning the value of a college education. Do you think a college education is still a good value for most people, even if it leaves them in debt?
Ending formal education with a high-school degree places an individual at an immediate disadvantage. The rate of unemployment for those with only a high-school degree tends to be more than double that for those who completed college. The math is unequivocal. Median earnings for those who graduated with a four-year college degree in 1973 were 40 percent higher than those of someone with only a high-school education. By 2008, the difference had grown to 66 percent. Further, job competition is global. About a quarter of working-age adults in the U.S. hold a bachelor's degree, an insufficient statistic especially when you look at the increasing numbers of college graduates in other countries.
The slow recovery from the recession has caused palpable financial stress on many Americans. They have been forced to look at every dollar they spend, and the cost of a college education can be formidable for many families. We are acutely aware of this strain and the fact that VCU must do more to increase the amount and availability of financial aid. In addition, when we spend money, we have to spend it in ways that matter to our students. VCU's job is to get results, meaning we have to put our students in a better position for life and employment from the time they arrive here until the time they graduate and leave.
What is your institution doing to contain or reduce the costs of a college education? What have been the results?
VCU has cut tens of millions of dollars over the past several years. We re-evaluated operations across the board and imposed a wide range of reform and efficiencies and maintained tuition and fee levels below the average of the state's four-year public universities and colleges. VCU is very efficient and, based on some criteria, the most efficient major university in the country. A 2010 study out of the Goldwater Institute in Arizona listed VCU as the most efficient university in the land, with "a 45 percent increase in enrollment with a 75 percent decrease in the rate of administrators and a 5.5 percent drop in faculty" per 100 students.
The study got the numbers right, but it wasn't entirely by choice. Between fiscal year 2001 and 2012, VCU lost $4,279 in state support for each in-state student. Since VCU is heavily dependent upon Virginia's students, the impact of those cuts was substantial.
While VCU appears to be efficient, it also is very, very stretched. Higher education is people-intensive. After all, we are helping to prepare people for the world. If VCU is to achieve its own and the commonwealth's goals to increase the number of graduates, it needs significant investments in faculty and staff. Too much efficiency could jeopardize the quality of education that we can provide and the number of graduates we can produce.
State and federal support to colleges and universities has steadily declined. What is the appropriate role for state and federal government in financing a student's college expenses? Have state and federal government met their obligations in supporting higher education?
The citizens of our country determine the "appropriate" role for state and federal governments. Before the Second World War, the role was relatively limited. That all changed with the G.I. Bill, one of the most significant legislative acts in our national history. It made a college education accessible to millions of Americans who otherwise would not have considered it and it changed America.
Americans also must decide their obligations. Higher education in this country, for several generations, has been the ticket to a better, more rewarding life. The idea is to give people not only specific skills, but also the ability to think critically and lead in an ever-changing world. The economic competition we face reaches around the globe and Americans should understand that the rest of the world is coming on, without any apparent interest in taking second place. We ought to pay attention.
What do you believe is the principal value of a college education — to help an individual grow personally and intellectually, or to teach specific skills and knowledge that can be used in the workplace? Or, do you have another idea?
Everything you've mentioned and more. The age at which young people traditionally enter college is a formative period whether or not they actually attend college. A collegiate experience is a concentrated time period that charts a course for the rest of a student's life — inspiring intellectual growth, lifelong learning and leadership.
VCU is a research university. We exist to create new knowledge and find solutions to the problems that confront humanity. Our students — all of them — should experience that in a practical way while they are here. I like to call it immersion in discovery — whether it is scientific research, creating a marketing plan for a real company or leading a community-service project in a Richmond neighborhood. This immersion is one of my highest priorities. From freshman year through graduate study, our students engage in the act of discovery that culminates in a capstone experience that has real-life implications.
According to the Virginia Business Higher Education Council, polls indicate that more than 75 percent of Virginia voters believe a four-year or community-college degree is essential for success in the new economy. Yet, the council says only 35 percent of college-age Virginians currently enroll in college, and only 42 percent of working-age Virginians have college degrees.
What steps do you think should be taken to spur college enrollment and completion? What steps has your institution taken?
Let's use VCU as an example. I know of few academic research institutions that are more directly involved in the welfare of their communities and their surroundings. We fix things every day. VCU literally tends to the health of the Richmond people. The university tends to their economic future, as well. We harbor the most significant and influential artistic and design community in the commonwealth. We directly confront some of the most intractable and difficult social issues faced in America. VCU does not operate in a pastoral setting, far removed from the reality of the world. We do our business in the city, and, as a result, people see the value of VCU's work. This involvement in the community has everything to do with student success — graduating — because the more engaged and relevant the university is, the more students stay with us and vice-versa.
VCU's focus on student success aligns well with the recent Top Jobs legislation and Gov. Bob McDonnell's call to graduate more Virginians. Few efforts toward that end have had a more significant impact than our guaranteed admission program with the Virginia Community College System that expands transfer-student access and has been called "an on-ramp to a baccalaureate degree." VCU also recognizes that outreach well before high school is important. We have a cradle-to-career philosophy that has been a springboard for pipeline programs to expose elementary- and middle-school students to opportunities, such as Jump Ropes to Stethoscope that helps to recruit minorities into health sciences; Lobs and Lessons, which brings under-served youth from the Richmond area to the Mary and Frances Youth Center at VCU for life-skills tutoring and tennis lessons; and hosting the annual regional FIRST Robotics competition at our Siegel Center for more than 10 years.
Do you think the nation's higher education system is going in the right direction?
We must make investments that matter to students and their success, which translates into connecting with students as they live and work today. How we advance learning needs to be in sync with the reality of our students. I have a special fondness for this generation — the Millennials — who love to collaborate, desire just-in-time learning and have a built-in sense of giving back for the good of society. Our new strategic plan, Quest for Distinction, addresses these priorities with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, service learning and community engagement, online and mobile instruction, and more — all geared toward the success of today's students.
What do you think are the most important factors in attracting students to your institution?
VCU must be relevant — and it is. Our programs interest students. Our students tell us that diversity also is one of the most important factors in attracting them to VCU. They are proud that VCU has one of the most diverse student populations in America. The world comes here to get an education, and there is immense value in that for our students. Success in the world requires an ability to work across cultures and understand varied points of view. VCU effectively gives its students a bridge between the world they knew growing up and the world in which they will have to compete and survive.
What criteria should prospective students and their parents use in assessing the quality of your institution, and whether it's the right college or university for them?
Parents and students need to evaluate institutions with their eyes wide open. VCU is a large, urban research university — that describes us and it has real meaning for what students experience. It is part of a living laboratory — a dynamic urban environment — where students have the opportunity to get face-to-face with what the world looks like and where they might make a difference. That world includes, for example, numerous Fortune 500 companies, a vibrant arts community, a nationally ranked academic medical center, a state capital — all with options for internships and practical experiences within walking distance of our campuses.
While students and their parents must assess VCU carefully, we have to do likewise. Self-assessment is vitally important. How well do our students do once they graduate? How well are they received by prospective employers? What do we need to do differently? This process points to student success and is the focus of our Quest strategic plan for the next six years.
How important do you think it is that colleges and universities contribute to the economic development of their region? Please explain your college's role in regional economic development. Does your college/university have any local tax exemptions? How does that affect your role in the community?
VCU is very proud of its role as a regional and statewide economic engine. VCU and the VCU Health System together make the largest employer in the Richmond metropolitan area and sixth largest in Virginia. VCU and the health system have about 12,500 full-time and about 6,000 part-time employees. They are the largest contributors to the area's health care workforce. The annual impact of VCU in Virginia is an estimated $3.6 billion and more than 43,000 jobs.
University research is widely acknowledged to be an important factor in regional and national economic growth. VCU's research programs have dramatically expanded over the past dozen years, increasing to more than 1,800 research awards worth $255 million in the 2009-10 fiscal year. VCU is a major research university, ranking 61st among all American colleges and universities in National Institutes of Health funding.
VCU's research also spurs economic development through technology transfer. Among 185 transfer licenses issued by VCU in the past 10 fiscal years, 29 start-up companies were formed to commercialize the inventions, with the majority located in the Richmond metropolitan area.
As for local tax exemptions, the law applies to VCU the same way it applies to any state agency. But any way you look at it, VCU operates on the plus side of the ledger. The most recent numbers show that VCU has a spending impact of $2.9 billion in the Richmond area and $1.2 billion in the city of Richmond. VCU students and employees volunteered and committed more than 3 million hours to community-service efforts in the 2009-10 fiscal year — an equivalent of more than 1,500 full-time employees. Each dollar of state investment in VCU can generate $19 in economic impact in Virginia.
President Obama has a goal of making America the country with the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. Do you think this is possible?
I fully support President Obama's graduation goal because of its importance to our competitiveness as a nation.
Achieving that goal is technically possible — provided there are sufficient resources. The current facts worry me about our ability to achieve this great goal. As of July 1, VCU received $41 million less in government funding to support in-state student tuition than it did last year. All told, between fiscal years 2008 and 2012, state support for Virginia students at VCU will have been reduced by a net $63.5 million — about 31 percent. VCU received the largest reduction among four-year institutions in Virginia — a university that serves more in-state students than any other. We have dealt with these cuts by constantly finding ways to be more efficient, and by asking our students to carry a bigger share of the cost of education. But there are limits to how far you can go in that direction, and it will remain a challenge in these economically trying times.
Nonetheless, I remain optimistic about the president's goal and will support it in every way possible.
