Students returning to classes in Virginia and Maryland are feeling the impact of mid-summer state budget cuts in both their courses and bank accounts. Across the region, students are seeing larger class sizes, faculty cuts, and increases in costs. 

At the University of Maryland Baltimore County, 40 vacant positions are frozen and the University laid off 22 other staff. At the University of Virginia, the public computer labs are closed and employees are looking at furloughs for the first time.  At George Mason University, housing costs for some students rose by $1,000. All of this comes on the heels of a ten percent cut to higher education in Maryland and between a twenty and thirty percent cut in Virginia. 

The DC region is not alone—most states have or plan to cut funding for higher education in this year’s budget.

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