Allaying the Fears
And council member Kate Griffin, chair of the group's resource committee, agrees.
"The point of this is not to [see] what institutions are not doing, but [rather to challenge] them," she says. "We're saying, ‘We're going to let you all go and do what you want with the money the state provides to you. However, you will be held to high standards and we will hold you accountable at the other end.'"
The higher education council has kept financial officials at all state schools apprised of its discussions, says Deputy Director Phyllis Palmiero, and the schools like the deregulation idea and support being held accountable.
Timothy Sullivan, president of the College of William & Mary, says that it's too early to say where the state's public college leaders stand on the council's plan, especially with a blue-ribbon commission set up by Gov. Jim Gilmore and a joint legislative subcommittee also studying college funding.
"There are so many potential other [sic] players in deciding what's going to be the process in higher education in finance," says Sullivan, who also heads the Virginia Council of Presidents, made up of college chief executives.
"My real fear is that usually they set a pattern that's a model for a university," Downs says. "Then they measure everything by that. We don't often fit that mold. I'd like to see some unique markers developed for community colleges."
— Eric St. John contributed to this report.
© Copyright 2005 by DiverseEducation.com
