SPORTS >> PAGE 8
VARIETY >> PAGE 7
The Tribe dropped its third straight in a double-overtime heartbreaker at Richmond.
Quidditch, sorting ceremony, Yule Ball set college apart from other schools.
College loses in double-overtime Tribe ranks highest for HP fans
Vol. 102, Iss. 24 | Friday, November 30, 2012
The Flat Hat The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
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of The College of William and Mary
general assembly
State
fundingoffalls short higher education’s needs State Council of Higher Education in Virginia proposes additional funding, prospects look bleak by katherine chiglinsky flat hat news editor
In
1980,
the state supported more than
{42%
of the College’s operating budget
In 1980, the state of Virginia supported 42 percent of the College of William and Mary’s operating budget. State support has decreased recently, with state funding only constituting less than 13 percent of the operating budget in 2012, and both local lawmakers and school officials are not too optimistic about prospects for increased funding. The State Council of Higher Education in Virginia released its budget recommendations to the General Assembly in November, stating that public universities and colleges need an additional $109 million for fiscal year 2014. Higher education in Virginia did see an increase of $258 million in funding for fiscal year 2013. The suggested additional increase in funding by SCHEV comes in an attempt to hold down tuition increases, raise faculty salaries, and fund parts of the 2011 Higher Education Opportunity Act. But College Vice President of Finance Sam Jones is not planning the school’s budget with any expectations of increased state support. “It is unlikely that the Commonwealth will have sufficient funds to address all of these areas given the state need to support K-12 education, Medicaid, and transportation,” Jones said in an
email. “While we expect to get some funds from the state, the College’s success will continue to depend on its ability to become more productive — reallocating funds to higher priorities, raise private funds, and increase tuition.” Tuition increases have become a staple of budget announcements for the College. In 2012, in-state tuition and fees increased by 3.3 percent; this was the lowest tuition increase at the College in more than a decade. The tuition increases will likely continue to counteract the decrease in state funding. “While both endowments and state funding will improve, funding lost during the ‘Great Recession’ [is] not likely to be restored,” Jones said. “We do expect that institutions will raise tuition, though the rate of increase is likely to be lower than in the recent past.” The 2011 Higher Education Opportunity Act supported increasing in-state student enrollment at state universities and colleges. In addition to that Act, the College agreed to enroll an additional 150 in-state students over a four-year period. As of yet, the increase in students has not significantly increased costs. “At this point, revenue generated by these additional students have covered the cost associated with these students,” Jones said. “While this works on the margins, it would not hold true if we had a major
increase in enrollment.” Over the summer, College President Taylor Reveley wrote op-eds in the Richmond TimesDispatch and the Virginian Pilot discussing funding options for higher education. One option he proposed was the recognition that out-of-state students are essential for state universities and colleges. “…for some state schools, I see no realistic substitute for political acceptance of (a) out-of-state undergraduates (who pay market value and are vital to operating budgets), (b) meaningful in-state tuition increases for financially able families, and (c) affordability through need-based aid, funded partly by tuition, for less financially able families, including some well into the middle class,” Reveley wrote in the editorial. But with a 65-35 ratio of instate to out-of-state students, the College is limited in its reliance on out-of-state students and the tuition they provide. Del. Mike Watson, R-93, has met with Reveley to discuss his ideas. “There may be some merit to the idea of allowing the universities to increase the number of out-ofstate students to bring additional revenue, but for me, personally, in order to support that, I would like to see an expansion of the
BOV announces mental health grant
Three-year grant to help fund online program and external collaborations
bY ashley hamilton flat hat staff writer
The College of William and Mary received a 3-year $235,000 grant from SAMHSA for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention yesterday, Nov. 29. Following the announcement of the grant, the Board of Visitors
Student Affairs Committee discussed the importance of mental health on campus. “Overall, we want to make sure that we do everything we can to reduce the stigma around students seeking help for mental health concerns and to See students page 2
Committee on Audit and Compliance by jill found flat hat editor-in-chief
The College of William and Mary’s Committee on Audit and Compliance passed a resolution Wednesday repealing the Code of Conduct Governing Student Loan Practices. “The real impetus of that code was to make sure that there was no undue influence by lending institutions
Index
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through what was essentially amounting to bribery in some of the worst and high profile instances of it nationwide in order for a lending institution to achieve a place on preferred lender risk,” Associate Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admission Henry Broaddus said. The Code was made redundant by
Today’s Weather
Sunny High 59, Low 37
See audit page 4
The Committee on Audit and Compliance repealed the Code of Conduct Governing Student Loan Practices since the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 made some of the Code redundant.
What does the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 do? The law caps loans at 10 percent of income and completely forgive balances after 20 years. Now, administration of all federal student loans is conducted by private firms under federal performance-based contracts. Information courtesy of www.whitehouse.gov
For more on the recent BOV meetings,
check out additional committee summaries on page 3.
Inside opinions
Learning to think by learning to write
Would you like to learn the skills you’ll need to succeed in your career after graduation? Writing term papers can help with that. page 4
2012
the state supports less than
13%}
of the College’s operating budget
See funding page 4
campus
Committee on Student Affairs
Now, in
Alumni
Alumnus announces bid for Lt. Governor
Speaks to College Republicans by zach hardy flat hat online editor
College of William and Mary Board of Visitor member Pete Snyder ’94 announced his intention to run for lieutenant governor of Virginia this past Monday. Snyder spoke at the College Republicans meeting Nov. 29 about the state of the Republican Party and what he hopes to bring to the lieutenant governor race. Snyder dove into politics this year while serving as a Republican campaign commentator for Fox News. Snyder admitted this year’s elections were a disappointment but expressed great confidence in the Republican message. He said Virginia’s status as a national standard-setter inspired him to enter the race. “I truly believe states are the great laboratories of ideas,” Snyder said. “Once again, all eyes are going to be on Virginia. How do we respond? What are we doing? How will our party here rally and fight for liberty? And that was what called me to run for lieutenant governor.” Snyder plans to present himself as a business-friendly, Washington, D.C. outsider, drawing from his experience at New Media Strategies, the social media marketing company he founded. In his talk, Snyder explained his plans to advocate for See candidacy page 3
Inside VARIETY
Dance crews break it down
SMILES crew brings Bboy groups from around the country to the College for second annual “origins” showcase. page 6