SB 318-068: The Legislative Priorities Act

WHEREAS, William & Mary students regularly lobby the General Assembly for a variety of causes; and

WHEREAS, it is important for the Student Assembly to support that lobbying as much as possible by showing the sense of the student body.

Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Student Assembly of the College of William and Mary makes the following statements on behalf of the student body at William & Mary–

(1)    We believe that the current ratio of in state to out of state students encourages diversity at the College of William and Mary.  Out of state students also provide an opportunity for the state of Virginia to attract elite minds to the state. As the amount of state funding has decreased, the College of William and Mary has come to depend on the funding that comes from out of state tuition.

(2)    In state undergraduate tuition and fees increased $1,088, or 9.8% for the 2010-11 academic year.  This is largely due to the fact that state provided funding has decreased by 32% over the course of the past two years. The College of William and Mary is a world-class university, and it requires funding to stay that way.  In order for William and Mary to remain financially accessible to a diverse body of students, this funding cannot come from tuition increases.  We believe that state funding is essential to preserve the quality and character of the College.

(3)    We believe that while an institution of higher learning should be concerned with the safety of its student body, students’ privacy must and should be preserved.  Students who commit crimes should be answerable primarily to the law enforcement and judicial bodies that adjudicate their crime.