There are 28 private, nonprofit, independent institutions that make up the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia. In the wake of federal cuts, they’re looking to increase funding under a state program that helps pay tuition for Virginia students.
“Families are now facing less access to federal loans, smaller grants and greater uncertainty,” said former Delegate Chris Peace speaking to reporters Monday morning at the capital.
Now the President of Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia, Peace said it’s been a rough few years for Virginia’s independent higher ed institutions.
“We’ve endured the FAFSA debacle, the beginning of the demographic cliff and we’ve endured dozens upon dozens of private colleges nationally," Peace said of recent hiccups before knocking on the podium as to ward off future college closures. "But thankfully it's been 15 years in Virginia [since we've had a closure] thanks in part to the leadership of our legislature."
Now, under the One Big Beautiful Bill, there are new grad loan caps, restricted Pell Grant eligibility, and, according to Peace, in the next round of budgeting Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants and federal work study are both likely on the chopping block.
With those changes looming, many of the schools are looking to maintain and increase funds for Virginia’s Tuition Assistance Grant, or TAG, program.
Tyler Orr leads career services at Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista.
“The skills that are being developed and grown in this private liberal arts place are not only relevant to the workforce but have the potential to be the critical difference makers that we need in the world," Orr said. "With the advent of AI in particular, the human touch is perhaps the greater differentiator than it's ever been.”
Enter a new report from Mangum Economics provided by Peace’s organization. It says Virginia indie college grads add over $160 million annually to Virginia’s economy, with a “present-value benefit over $2.3 billion over grad’s working lives.
"It's a very significant contribution in terms of overall human capital development," Fletcher Mangum, the report's author, said.
TAG currently pays out about $5,000 per year to Virginia students. Peace is asking for an increase to $5,500 in the first year and $6,000 the year after that.
Peace has at least one ally interested in seeing the increased funding: Richmond Delegate Betsy Carr.
"TAG keeps college in reach for up to 20,000 in-state students every year and helps produce the talent our Commonwealth needs," she said. "It's an investment not just in education, but in economic security and community vitality."
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
