University Of Virginia Faces Scrutiny After Raising Tuition

The University of Virginia is facing criticism for raising the cost of tuition for students over the last few years while at the same time, setting aside more than $2 billion in an investment fund.

Many major universities have these funds, but UVA’s is among the biggest for a public school. Today, the state legislature’s subcommittee on higher education will question top university officials about the fund, including President Teresa Sullivan.

Here are some of Sullivan’s remarks from her appearance before a Friday joint meeting of the Virginia State Legislature:

“UVA’s role as a public university means we serve the Commonwealth by offering an affordable education to citizens from all backgrounds, by advancing economic growth, and by offering excellent, safe clinical care to patients from Virginia and beyond.”

“Investments from the Strategic Investment Fund could help to support initiatives that hold great promise for improving the lives of Virginians. These investments promote excellence at UVA without passing along costs in the form of tuition increases or requests to the state for general fund appropriations.

We are making these investments because we share your commitment to ensure that UVA remains one of the nation's top universities in terms of quality, value, and excellence.”

Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd speaks with Democratic State Sen. Scott Surovell of Fairfax, Virginia.

Guest

Scott Surovell, Democratic state senator from Fairfax, Virginia. He tweets @ssurovell.

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