The William & Mary Board of Visitors will host a public hearing April 19, 2023, to provide an overview of the university’s budget, potential actions on undergraduate tuition and fees and seek public comment.
Section 23.1-307 (D) of the Code of Virginia requires that 30 days prior to approving an increase in undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees, the boards of visitors of Virginia’s higher education institutions announce the range of increase under consideration, the proposed use of any incremental revenue and allow for public comment.
The public hearing will take place in the Brinkley Commons in Alan B. Miller Hall, located at 101 Ukrop Way in Williamsburg, Va., from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. The public hearing will take place in the Board’s usual meeting location and will be live streamed on the Board of Visitors webpage at www.wm.edu/bovmeeting. It will include a presentation by the administration, and time for comments from the general public. It comes in advance of the April 19-21 meeting of the W&M Board of Visitors to consider changes to the tuition rates and mandatory fees.
In addition to participating in the public hearing, members of the public can comment on the proposed tuition and fee ranges via an online form.
For five years the board has held in-state undergraduate tuition increases to zero percent, demonstrating its commitment to both accessibility and affordability. This was achieved while establishing a university commitment to cover all tuition and fees for in-state Pell Grant recipients, increasing institutional support for financial aid, and advancing critical initiatives in support of William & Mary’s mission and strategic plan, Vision 2026. William & Mary continues to have the lowest net average price for Virginia families with an income less than $110,000 annually among public universities in the Commonwealth.
At the April meeting, the Board will set tuition and fees for all undergraduate students, starting with the 2023-24 academic year. As part of those actions, the Board will consider an increase ranging from zero to 6.7% in undergraduate tuition, consistent with the university’s Six Year Plan, and an increase ranging from zero to 3.9% in mandatory fees. The Board and executive leadership will prioritize predictability and consider a process for future increases tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Revenue generated from tuition and fees — in combination with ongoing cost optimization and identifying new sources of revenue through a combination of innovative program offerings, partnerships with private industry, sponsorships, and fundraising — will be used to address personnel costs, including the university’s share of any state-mandated salary increases for employees or university commitments related to salaries, fringe and health benefit changes, need-based financial aid, investment in strategic institutional initiatives, unavoidable costs increases due to inflation, and contractually obligated cost escalations for university services. The exact uses will be determined in part by budget actions yet to be finalized by the Governor and General Assembly.