Don't Increase VA In State Tuition with H.B. 1696

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    Virginia House of Delegates
  • Sponsored By:
    Virginia College Students
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Delegate Dave Albo (VA 42) has drafted an amendment to his bill before the Virginia House of Delegates (HB 1696) that would increase college tuition for in-state students earning more than 120 credit hours before graduation.

This bill would negatively affect students who transfer between schools, switch majors, and those who have credits earned before entering college, as well as those who are taking heavy course loads and expanding their educational horizons.

The bill would make the students in question have to pay out of state tuition once they reached 120 credit hours, provided their major does not call for more. Additionally, it would force in state schools to take 80\% of their student body from within the state, which would drastically impact the schools' budgets (already facing cuts). The bill would shortchange talented students who are learning above and beyond what their major requires and students taking time to find out what major suits them best.

Ultimately, this would affect most of the in-state student body as well as in state colleges and universities for the worse. We ask that those voting on this bill will consider this petition first.

103 Signatures

  • Aimee Fausser
    • Comments
    • This bill is a terrible idea.
  • Christopher Midgley
  • Bradley Shapiro
    • Comments
    • This bill gives the incentive for bright students to leave the state. The difference in pay you speak of is more than covered by thespillover benefits of these talented students. I cannot donate money to an institution if the state will be placing limits on its talented students.
  • Greg Bouchillon
  • John Bowling
    • Comments
    • Should I pay more when taking additional classes will make me a more productive and well-educated citizen?
  • Erin Heller
    • Comments
    • Increasing VA tuition with H.B. 1696 would be detrimental to the high quality of education for which Virginia is known. This would discourage students from taking additional credit hours.
  • Drayton Munster
  • Michael Hochkeppel
    • Comments
    • В
  • William Fausser
    • Comments
    • В
  • John O. Woods, III
    • Comments
    • Additional courses were critical to my development as a person and an American. Today I'm a graduate student at the University of Texas; I bring a diverse perspective, in part because I'm from another state, but mainly because I had so many classes unrelated to my major course of study.
  • Katherine Dowdy
  • Johnny Camacho
  • Gary Riggins
  • Kirk Sutton
  • Anna Bedell
  • Diana Campbell
    • Comments
    • В
  • Megan Elisabeth Wichser
  • Aaron Wilson
    • Comments
    • The idea is good, but the execution unsound. While it is good to get those students who obstinately refuse to graduate to move on with their lives, it would drastically impact those who take a couple of extra courses, or who came in from high school or community college with credits that didn't count toward the major, but nontheless count as hours.
  • Matthew Paul Allen
  • Daniel Curaca
    • Comments
    • Don't drive the talent out of VA.
  • Peter Kauffmann
  • Terry Papillon
  • Zachary Kanicka
  • Alek Duerksen
    • Comments
    • I am entirely against the premise of requiring motivated, curious students to pay more for their education simply because they are going above and beyond the minimum. It counteracts the fundamental entrepeneurial spirit of America that has inspired its citizens to always exceed what is asked of them and challenge the limits. This bill will discourage students from excelling and, in some cases, completely prevent them from doing so due to financial circumstances. I am wholeheartedly against the proposed legislature and, frankly, disappointed that it was put forth to begin with.
  • M. Cody Dunn
  • Douglas Hogan
  • Ayla Wilk
  • Michael Blackwell
  • Erin Rockwell
  • Kelsey Altholz
  • Meredith Park
    • Comments
    • В
  • Gregory James
  • Michael B. Dowdy
  • Kyle Gardiner
  • Chris VanEvery
  • Gaurav Raja
    • Comments
    • В
  • Brooke
    • Comments
    • Keep tuition down!
  • Jacqueline Addesa
  • Michael Hundley
  • Mallory Brangan
  • Ross McFarland
  • Nathaniel Lynch
  • Matthew Vanden Hoek
  • Elizabeth Lowry
    • Comments
    • As a double-major honors student, I heartily oppose being punished for trying harder than other people.
  • Benjamin Beasley
    • Comments
    • Once we've scrimped and saved to pay for already-outrageous college costs, should we really be expected to pay extra for the privilege of a well-rounded education? When each extra class becomes a cost/benefit analysis with hundreds of dollars in extra tuition at stake, who can afford to take that extra class in theatre, or that political seminar, or even that one-credit musical ensemble? The proposed legislation would provide a powerful disincentive to the exploration and diversification that is a vital part of a university education, and Virginia would pay a heavy price in the quality of its graduates' educations. Attacking higher education is not the road to a better future. If tuition must be raised again, so be it. Do not nickel and dime those students who choose to get the most out of their education.
  • Kathleen Miles
  • Douglas Lowry
  • Nancy Lowry
  • Donna Dilley
    • Comments
    • PLEASE DO NOT INCREASE VA tuition!
  • Chris Bushnell