The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors will meet on Monday, April 4, at 1:15 p.m. in 2100 Torgersen Hall (620 Drillfield Drive) on the Blacksburg campus to consider tuition and mandatory fees for the 2022-23 academic year.
As part of that consideration, Virginia Tech will hold a public comment opportunity on Tuesday, March 22, at 1:45 p.m. in Assembly Hall at the Holtzman Alumni Center (901 Prices Fork Road), also on the Blacksburg campus. Several members of the Board of Visitors will be on hand as university officials provide an overview of proposed tuition and fees ranges and receive public comment in accordance with guidelines posted to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors website.
Virginia Tech’s tuition and fees strategy is intended to support the university’s strategic plan within the context of the various budget implications of the state’s general assembly actions and other major initiatives that impact university costs in the upcoming year.
Over the last several years, the board has prioritized the affordability of a Virginia Tech education while making targeted investments that enhance the value to students and the commonwealth and continue to position the university as a leader in teaching, research, and innovation.
As a result of these continued efforts, the board has been able to limit the average tuition increase to just 1 percent per year over the last three years and has kept tuition increases well below inflation for the last six years.
On April 4, the board will consider a combination of cost containment and revenue enhancement strategies that will address employee compensation and benefit increases (including graduate assistants), fixed cost increases, continued investment in academic programs including faculty, and the enhancement of high-demand student support services.
To further advance affordability, the university will continue working to expand private philanthropy in support of the university and increase student financial aid programs, namely the university’s Funds for the Future program that offsets the cost of tuition and fee increases on returning students with family incomes up to $100,000.
The following ranges of tuition and educational and general (E&G) fee adjustments for fall 2022 will be considered by the Board of Visitors. Final decisions are contingent upon the outcome of the Virginia General Assembly session when total mandated costs and the level of state support are fully understood by the university. The university is hopeful that additional state support will help to continue to moderate tuition increases.
Virginia resident undergraduates: Tuition and E&G fees may increase between 0 percent and 4.9 percent.
Non-resident undergraduates: Tuition and E&G fees may increase between 0 percent and 4.9 percent.
On-campus graduate students: Tuition and E&G fees may increase between 0 percent and 4.9 percent.
All students: Mandatory non-E&G fees may increase up to 5.9 percent to support mandated cost increases including employee compensation and benefits, the cost of the transit system, and enhancements in student health and counseling services. Virginia Tech maintains the lowest mandatory non-E&G fees among public four-year institutions in the commonwealth.
Public comment
Board of Visitors members and university administrators will facilitate a budget workshop on March 22 at 1:45 pm at the Holtzman Alumni Center within the Inn at Virginia Tech (901 Prices Fork Road) on the Blacksburg campus. After a presentation providing an overview of the proposed increases, the public will be provided an opportunity to make comments in accordance with Board of Visitors guidelines.
For those interested in participating in the public comment opportunity, by Tuesday, March 15, speakers must pre-register on a first-come, first-served basis for the public comment period with the board secretary. Speakers will be asked to specify their affiliation with the university, (current student, parent, alum, faculty or staff, member of the public). Register at the Board of Visitors website.
Following the public presentation on March 22, the public comment period will be held for 60 minutes. If time remains during the one-hour public comment period after the pre-registered speakers offer their comments, additional speakers may be offered the opportunity to speak during the remaining time.
Time slots will be dedicated for a representative from the Undergraduate Student Senate and from the Graduate and Professional Student Senate to provide a statement on behalf of their respective constituency. This does not preclude individual students from registering to speak during the public comment period or from providing written comments.
Each speaker is limited to three minutes and must restrict comments to tuition and fees only. Speakers wishing to have their comments entered in the public record must bring a typed copy.
In lieu of oral comments, written comments will be accepted through Monday, March 28.