Virginia Commonwealth University has a lot to be proud of. A hub for creativity, diversity, innovation, and research, VCU is home to the #1 public arts and designs program in the country and a #1 regionally ranked hospital. Whether in the classroom or the basketball court, VCU Rams strive to be the best! But VCU doesn’t need to be #1 on every list... VCU is currently the second most expensive university in Virginia ($20,544) in terms of net price and the second highest in the state when it comes to growth tuition and fees over the past decade (120%). At the Board of Visitor’s meeting on May 11th, I urge you to consider the burden that yet another tuition hike will place on VCU’s students and their parents. VCU is already #1 for having the highest average student loan debt in Virginia ($31,512). VCU families pay too much for education already, so please stop trying to make VCU the #1 Most Expensive University in Virginia! VCU administration says rising tuition is just the “state of affairs for higher education”. But as a proudly diverse and innovative university, why should VCU follow the status quo and take the easy way out? I am confident that raising tuition on the backs of students and families is not our only option. Together, we can find a better way forward to make a VCU education affordable! Are you with me?

Tuition hikes should always be a last resort. VCU students and their families are already paying the second highest net price of all Virginia’s public universities. VCU graduates are already facing Virginia’s highest average amount of student loan debt. At the Board of Visitors’ meeting on May 11th, I urge you to consider the burden that yet another tuition hike will place on VCU’s students and their parents. We all want VCU to be the best school that it can be for our students, faculty, and community, but institutional expansion should not cost VCU students’ their financial futures. Students and parents deserve a voice in this decision! When the VCU Board of Visitors vote on a proposed 6.8-8.1% tuition hike at the May 11th meeting, will they have considered possible options? Has the BOV made any effort to listen to what students and parents think about the proposed tuition hike? If not, please say “NO” to the VCU Tuition Hike!

Hiking VCU tuition by 6.8-8.1% would be detrimental to VCU students and their families. After all, VCU is already the second most expensive public university in Virginia ($20,544) in terms of net price and has seen the second highest growth in tuition and fees in the state over the last decade (120%). But isn’t there are a better way? According to recent editorials in the Richmond Times Dispatch, a tuition hike at VCU is unnecessary. Better paths are possible with hard work and innovation, as Perdue University has demonstrated without raising tuition in seven straight years. Is the VCU administration and Board of Visitors willing to roll up their sleeves and work hard to serve the best interests of students and families? A tuition hike may be the easy route to take, but is it the best route? You have an opportunity to live up to VCU’s reputation as hub of creativity and innovation. On May 11th, the decision is yours to make. Tuition hikes should always be a last resort. On behalf of VCU students and their families, please find a better path forward and STOP the VCU Tuition Hike!

Virginia Commonwealth University is known for being a diverse and inclusive learning community. VCU's commitment to diversity and inclusion is even specified in its mission statement and core university values. For many VCU Rams, this emphasis on campus diversity is one of their biggest sources of school pride. I am concerned that the VCU administration is now taking action that directly harms the university's core mission. While recent studies have shown that tuition hikes harm diversity on college campuses, the administration has proposed a whopping 6.8% - 8.1% tuition hike. We should be working to make VCU more accessible to a broader range of students by making it more affordable, not considering another tuition hike to make it even more expensive. VCU students and their families already pay the second highest net price of all Virginia's public universities and VCU graduates already face Virginia's highest average amount of student loan debt. Can VCU continue to uphold its core values of diversity and inclusiveness while their actions result in families struggling to afford college tuition? Diversity and inclusiveness are a big part of what makes VCU such a wonderful and unique place to learn and grow. At the Board of Visitors' meeting on May 11th, I ask you to please Stop the Hike to keep VCU diverse!