Cuccinelli unveils higher education policy at VCU

Ken Cuccinelli today unveiled his Plan for Higher Education at Gov. Douglas Wilder’s public policy class at Virginia Commonwealth University. The plan works within the existing system to reinvest in our colleges and offers Virginians access to a quality and affordable higher education.

“Earning a college education is about gaining the knowledge necessary to take the next steps in life,” said Ken Cuccinelli. “However, a college degree is more than that. It’s part of your identity and it provides a person immeasurable confidence and a foundation from which to pursue his or her version of the American dream. As governor, my higher education plan will be about helping more Virginians make their dreams a reality and attain a college degree.”

Cuccinelli’s Plan for Higher Education is founded on four principles: Growth, Employability, Affordability, and Accountability. Click HERE to read the full plan.

Growth: 

• Higher education is the economic engine of our Commonwealth. Virginia’s colleges and universities are vital to our long-term economic growth. Investing in these institutions will make it more attractive for our local businesses to expand and encourage new investments in Virginia.

Employability:

• Our colleges and universities should strive to graduate young men and women who are ready to leave school and become active citizens and leaders in their communities. From an investment standpoint, we owe it to students to concentrate resources in areas such as STEM-H, where demand is increasing, to enhance personal employability.

Affordability:

• One of the most significant negative impacts of the Great Recession is that college tuition was put out of reach for thousands of Virginia families. As Governor, Cuccinelli will take a number of steps to make higher education attainable and affordable for more Virginians.

Accountability:

• Higher education institutions must be held accountable for their finances but also the safety of its students. We owe it to students to make sure every sexual assault incident is investigated appropriately and that sanctions are imposed in a consistent manner across all of our institutions, whether they be in rural, urban or suburban settings.

To read Ken Cuccinelli’s Plan for Higher Education click HERE.