Delegate Ken Plum's "Closer Look at Higher Education in Virginia"

September 28, 2022

Virginia has excellent colleges and universities, but recent studies indicate that they can be made more affordable, equitable, and transformative.

IN THIS ISSUE

Commentary: Closer Look at Higher Education in Virginia
Bulletin Board
What Can I Do?
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COMMENTARY

Closer Look at Higher Education in Virginia

My advice to young people has always been to go to any college you want as long as it is in Virginia. Whatever the criteria for choosing an institution to pursue higher learning, Virginia colleges and universities can meet the need. For liberal arts, engineering, science, performing arts, big or small, there is a school well-ranked nationally that will meet the criteria. While the community college system is organized statewide, all other institutions are individually planned and administered with a personality all their own. Taking a granddaughter visiting college campuses recently reminded me once again of the diversity and strength of our colleges and universities.

Behind the beautiful campuses and excellent program offerings there is a story that tells us that we need to move beyond bragging about what we have to making some fundamental changes that will strengthen an already great system. A study report on higher education in the Commonwealth written by the think-tank organization, Education Reform, entitled “Fair Funding and the Future of Higher Education in Virginia” issued earlier this month points the way to some needed reforms.

According to the report, “A state of de facto segregation by income and race exists in Virginia higher education. At some of Virginia’s wealthiest public institutions, barely one out of ten students come from low-income households…” The report concludes that “the sources of the unfair distribution of access to higher education and uneven outcomes for those who enroll in the Commonwealth’s colleges and universities are manifold, but unfair state funding creates significant drag on Virginia higher education’s power to transform lives, communities, and economies.”

In 2021 Virginia ranked 38^thlowest in the nation for appropriation per full-time equivalent student while the state is the 12^th wealthiest in the nation. State funding covers just 48 percent of the cost of public higher education today while in 2001 it was covering 77 percent of the cost. Tuition is 4^th highest in the nation among comprehensive institutions. George Mason University is the second best university in the state for increasing social mobility in the state, but it receives the smallest appropriation per student of any of the four-year institutions.

The findings of the report are not new to those who follow higher education issues in the state. The State Council of Higher Education issued a report earlier this year, “Virginia Cost and Funding Need Study Report,” with many of the same findings and with a proposed conceptual framework to fund higher education in a way that makes it “affordable, equitable, and transformative.” It is important that future legislative sessions follow through with the findings of these two reports. As I stated from the beginning, Virginia has an excellent system of higher education, and it is from this base that important changes can be made to make it an even better system. Funding considerations need to go beyond how long the institution has been in existence, how many of their alumni are in the legislature, or where they are located. Performance standards that demonstrate that colleges are affordable, equitable, and transformative should drive funding decisions in the future.

BULLETIN BOARD

New DC Civil Rights Tour and App

Going beyond well-known monuments, the tour spotlights the original headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women, the True Reformer Building – the first building in the country to be designed, financed, built, and owned by Black Americans, the home of Alain Locke, a prominent African American philosopher who fought for equal pay for Black faculty at Howard University, and more off-the-beaten-path sights that tell the civil rights story of Washington. Next time you are in DC or walking between meetings, check the app for nearby tour stops and listen and read along to learn more about Black leadership in the fight for equal rights in our nation’s capital. Share this with your friends or family so they can take the tour, too. Learn more and download the app.

Whether you are walking, biking or driving, keep in mind that safety is a two-way street and is everyone’s job. Read more.

Do it Your Way 0.5K

October 16; 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza

Dubbed “The Most Rewarding 650 Steps You’ll Take This Year,” the Do It Your Way 0.5K has become one of the best-attended fall events in Reston, and organizers are hoping to make 2022 another record breaker. Individuals can register online, with special pricing for students and families.

WHAT CAN I DO? CIVIC INVOLVEMENT

Give Your Input on Reston's Comprehensive Plan

RESTON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Reston Association is hosting an informational community meeting on Thursday, September 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the RA Headquarters, 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive.

View the Plan.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Saturday, October 1, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Reston Community Yard Sale, 12018 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston. Seventy-five families will be selling a variety of items, so this is a great opportunity to find bargains on children’s clothes, toys, furniture, a variety of things for your home or a college dorm. Sign up to have a booth or stop by to browse for great bargains. Booth space is two parking spaces. Tables are not provided. Space is limited. All sales are final. No refunds unless canceled due to rain. Rain date: 10/2. Questions? Contact Ashleigh@reston.org or 703-435-6577. Reserve a table here.

Saturday, October 1, 9:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m., Fall Native Plant & Art Sale, on the Lawn at Arts Herndon, 750 Center Street, Herndon. Great event in downtown Herndon.

Saturday, October 1, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Vienna Oktoberfest, Historic Church Street and the Town Green, 131 Church St NE, Vienna. Live entertainment on three stages, two beer & wine gardens, tons of multi-national food offerings, free kids activities, business expo showcase, vendor & artisan marketplace, Bavarian car show (11:00 am-3:00 pm.) Free admission! Learn more and sign up to volunteer.

Sunday, October 9, 4:00 p.m., Mosaic Harmony: Celebrating the Harmony that Connects Us, at the GW Memorial Theater, 101 Callahan Drive, Alexandria. Learn more and purchase tickets.

Friday, October 14, 10:00 a.m., Gun Violence Awareness Vigil at National Rifle Association headquarters, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax. The vigil commemorates the anniversary of the day 26 children and educators were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Please DO NOT park in the NRA's parking lot. There is plenty of free parking in the office building lot on Fairfax Ridge Drive across Waples Mill Road. Signs and flags will be provided. Some protesters will drive past the NRA with signs taped to their car windows or doors; others will stand on the sidewalk.

Sunday, October 16, 7:00 a.m., 2022 Friends of Reston Fall 5k, at Browns Chapel Park, 686 Browns Chapel Road, Reston. Join the Friends of Reston to help raise funds for their scholarship and enrichment programs. All proceeds for this event support the Friends of Reston, a 501(c)3 supporting organization of Reston Association. Strollers are welcome! More information and registration fees are at Friends of Reston.

Sunday, October 16, 6:00 p.m., Ukrainian Charity Music Evening, at United Christian Parish, 11508 North Shore Drive, Reston. Questions? Contact Help.Bulava.Org@gmail.com

Saturday, October 22, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Fall Festival at the Farm at Halley Rise, 2025 Fulton Place, Reston. From free kid-friendly scavenger hunts, to farm tours, to bouquet making stands, there’s something for everyone. We’ll have live music from the wonderful bluegrass band, The High & Wides, and José Andrés' Pepe Food truck will be on-site selling delicious lunch. Bring your family, and enjoy a day filled with fun fall activities! Learn more and register.

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