 | The Cavalier daily Thursday, November 11, 1971 |  |
Catching Up In Education
Should Be Major Priority
(The following is an excerpt from
the Roanoke Times coverage of an
October 20 meeting in Roanoke
during which the presidents of
seven tax-supported colleges and
universities in Virginia urged alumni
leaders to solicit legislative support
of the State's higher education
program.
—Ed.)
"We in Virginia must set a
genuine priority on education if the
Commonwealth is to continue its
momentum," said Edgar F.
Shannon, President of the
University.
Despite the state's effort in
behalf of higher education, Virginia
is only beginning to catch up with
the rest of the nation, he said.
Dr. Shannon cited the general
fund appropriation growth for
school operating expenditures from
$56 million in the 60-62 biennium
to $257.7 million in the current
biennium.
Yet, higher education must
continue to serve more people
Virginia will continue to lag behind
the rest of the nation.
In 1970, the state still had
only 41.5 per cent of its young
people in college compared to the
national percentage of 60.5.
He also quoted statistics from
the Carnegie Commission which
show that Virginia is among a small
group of states spending less than
six-tenths of one per cent of its per
capita income for higher education.
It is third from the bottom
among southern states in the
percentage of state revenue devoted
to higher education, he said.
Yet, Virginia has the highest per
capita income of any of the
southern or southeastern states....
"It is going to require effort,
determination and money to
maintain the progress made in the
60's and for Virginia to fully
overcome remaining educational
deficiencies," said UVa's president.
| The Cavalier daily Thursday, November 11, 1971 | |