State Caps '94-96 Tuition Increases Va
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^^MM ' ' "— ^ WEATHER INSIDE TODAY: ntnWMfy NEWS 3 posstoie thunderstorm M0KSOS LOW:40 FOCUS „.J» OPINION 22 TUESDAY: mortly sunny STYLE 25 breezy SPORTS 29 M0E58 LOW:45 HUMOR 22 JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY CLASSIFIEDS 35 MONDAY MARCH 21.1994 VOL 71, NO. 41 State caps '94-96 tuition increases Va. may allow parents to prepay their children's college tuition byCyndyLledtke Tuition for in-state students senior writer may not be raised more than 3 percent per year for the 1994-95 Students and parents may and 1995-96 school years. Out- now breathe a little easier when of-state tuition increases are possible tuition hikes are limited to 5 percent per year. announced for Virginia's public The tuition caps were colleges and universities. approved at the request of Gov. George Allen, who made it a GENERAL priority in his campaign to limit tuition increases. ASSEMBLY Mike McDowell, spokesman for the State Council of Higher 1994 Education for Virginia, said the caps were placed because initiatives to increase state funding for higher education were also passed by the General Assembly. These extra funds mean that institutions wouldn't have to rely as much on tuition The General Assembly increases for revenue, MAGGIE WELTER passed a bill placing tuition McDowell said. caps on all state public colleges Linwood Rose, JMU senior Pounding out a tune and universities for the next two vice president for years. A separate bill was administration and finance, said Junior Tony Deyo takes advantage of the spring weather Sunday to practice for a March passed that will allow parents to that the governor's plan gives Mallot Madness concert this week. prepay their children's tuition, possibly saving costs. TUITION page 2 General Assembly passes Current students required to take stricter crime legislation First-Year Seminar to graduate by Cyndy Liedtke for driving while intoxicated falls from .10 to .08 in the new by Karen McLaughlin Freshman adviser Cheryl Plank said she doesn't senior writer law. If a person fails to pass a staff writer have any freshman advisees who are in this The Virginia General breath test to measure the blood situation right now. "I don't suspect the numbers Assembly is getting tougher on alcohol level, his or her driver's -Although First-Year Seminar has been will be very high," she said. some crime-related issues. license could be suspended on discontinued, current freshmen are still required to Plank said the few students who would be in this During its 1994 session, the spot for seven days. successfully complete the course if they have not situation would be those who have not passed the which ran from the beginning of Allen has said he has some done so by the end of this semester. class, have already withdrawn from the class or January until March 12, the problems with the provision for Jack Armistead, dean of the College of Letters have overlooked registering for it. In these cases, Assembly passed several pieces license revocation because he and Sciences, said students who entered JMU she recommends that the students sign up for one of of legislation related to public feels it might be too harsh, but during or before the 1993-94 school year and the sessions offered after this semester. safety issues. will probably sign the bill transfer students with fewer than 28 credits will Armistead said the decision to set up the May Among the bills passed were anyway. need to fulfill the First-Year Seminar requirement and Summer session options was made after the stricter drunk driving laws, a Also, if a person driving with in order to graduate. University Council announced the discontinuance mandatory life sentence without a suspended license is charged Armistead said, "The discontinuance of the of First-Year Seminar in January. He recently sent parole when an offender is with driving while intoxicated, freshman seminar is after this year; it is not a letter to freshman advisers and to selected found guilty of a third violent the driver's vehicle could be including this year. We are just reminding people students reminding them of the requirement. crime and the establishment of a impounded for 30 days. that they have that obligation." "This was really a way to sort of tidy up the state-wide sex offender registry. State Sen. Kevin Miller (R Students who have not completed the seminar by situation, making sure people weren't confused Gov. George Allen has said Harrisonburg) did not vote in the end of this year will have the option of taking it about what to do," he said. he will sign these bills into law, favor of lowering the legal during May session, the first four-week term during As a result of this decision, Armistead said these although he has some blood-alcohol limit. the summer or the fall semester of 1994. students won't be able to skip the class by adopting reservations with part of the He said that while there Armistead said, "It shouldn't be a big problem. a new catalog in which First-Year Seminar is not new drunk-driving regulations. seems to be increased public There aren't very many that haven't [completed the required. course], and they should simply sign up for one of The legal blood alcohol limit CRIME page 2 "It's a good course," he said. "They will enjoy it. the sections offered in May, summer or fall." They'll learn something." 2 THE BREEZE Monday, March 21, 1994 Tuition continued from page 1 prepay children's tuition. higher education the money it needs Allen has said he will sign a proposal without large tuition increases. that would allow state tuition to be paid Bills passed by the Virginia "We're pleased with it," he said. years before a child would go to college. JMU's budget will be presented to the The payments would be at a rate equal to General Assembly: Board of Visitors on Friday, and Rose said current tuition costs, rather than the higher — juvenile tried as an adult opliojjal at age he hopes that the board will be able to costs that would be in place when the approve tuition increases that will be child started school. 14 for serious ci below the limits placed by the General Details for the prepaid tuition plan Assembly. would be worked out over the next two — victim's right t Tuition and fee increases at JMU were years by the board of the Virginia Higher 6.2 percent for in-state students and 5.7 Education Tuition Trust Fund. The plan — increased work force percent for out-of-state students for the would make Virginia the 13th state to 1993-94 academic year. In previous years, have such a program. there have been double-digit increases in State Delegate William Mims (R- — parental notification for tuition to make up for state cuts to higrfer Leesburg), co-sponsor of the bill, said in counseling of school ch education. the March 4 Washington Post, "This is This year, in-state students paid $222 something we need to do. We have ve branch lobbying more in tuition and fees to attend JMU unfortunately priced our public colleges than last year. The maximum additional and universities at the level people expect ased penalty for tho! tuition and fees an in-state student will pay private colleges to be, and that's scary." nBmres'to'cwraTnTWI in 1994-95 is $113.94. Parents would set up a tax-deferred McDowell said that SCHEV is pleased account in the child's name and make with the outcome of this year's budget and monthly or lump sum payments toward — strengthened child support enforcement that it is a "welcome relief from the tuition. The contributions would be based on the tuition rate at the time of the payment. When the child reaches college age, parents would receive a voucher for Source: GovernorS Office press release We worked very CHRIS CAMERA full tuition at a state institution. hard to come up with Under the bill, the program must cover penalties have not been worked out yet. was suspended two years later because the tuition and fees at any four-year state The plan is also subject to approval by trust funds were earning interest at a rate the best budget that institution. the Internal Revenue Service so that the lower than the increase in state tuition. Participation in the prepaid tuition accounts set up can be tax-deferred, and But according to the Washington Post, could be done under program would not guarantee admission at neither the participants nor the state would analysts say that most prepaid tuition a state college or university. have to pay taxes on the investment. programs are going well. the circumstances. Funds collected from parents would be McDowell said that while he could not The General Assembly also took steps invested by a state agency, and the comment on the likelihood of IRS to increase the efficiency of state colleges investment earnings are supposed to make approval, he is sure that the board putting and universities. Mike McDowell up the difference between current and the plan together is knowledgeable enough The assembly approved funds for SCHEV spokesman future tuition rates. to meet IRS requirements. higher education decentralization pilot Art Einhorn, president of College State Sen. Kevin Miller (R- projects. According to McDowell, five budget woes of recent years. Financial Aid Services in Gaithersburg, Harrisonburg) said he is "very much in institutions will submit plans to SCHEV Between 1990 and 1993, state-wide Md., told the Washington Post that it favor" of the program if it can be tax and the General Assembly on how they higher education was cut a total of '22 makes sense for parents to participate in exempt and interest can accumulate on the plan to improve basic operations.