Richard Bland College Announces Public Hearing on Budget
For Immediate Release: March 23, 2026
Contact: Gerrit Smith, Senior Executive Administrator and Clerk to the Board of Visitors/804-862 6221
The Richard Bland College Board of Visitors will host a public hearing April 22, 2026, on the proposed tuition and mandatory fees for continuing and incoming in-state, out-of-state Richard Bland students for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The public hearing will take place in the Mamie Locke Boardroom (A215) of the Academic Innovation Center (AIC), located at 11301 Johnson Road, S. Prince George, VA 23805 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The hearing will include a presentation by the administration and time for comments from the general public. In addition to participating in the public hearing, members of the public can provide written comments on the proposed fee increase via an online form, via email to the RBC Office of the President at gsmith@rbc.edu, or via regular mail or hand-delivered to the RBC Office of the President, 11301 Johnson Road, South Prince George, VA, 23805. Written comments will be accepted until 8:30 a.m. on April 22. All comments submitted will become part of the public record. The Richard Bland College Board of Visitors will not respond to individual comments, whether submitted orally or in writing.
Section 23.1-307 (D) of the Code of Virginia requires that 30 days prior to approving an increase in undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees, the boards of visitors of Virginia’s higher education institutions announce the range of increase under consideration and the proposed use of any incremental revenue, and public comment will be invited.
The Board will set tuition and fees for continuing and incoming in-state, out-of-state and transfer students admitted to the college for the 2026-2027 academic year during its April 22 meeting. As part of those actions, the Board will consider tuition and mandatory educational and general fee increases for RBC ranging from 0 percent to 5 percent and mandatory auxiliary fee increases ranging from 0 percent to 3 percent to offset direct costs.
Revenue generated from tuition and fees, in combination with other revenues, will likely be used to address operating and personnel costs, including Richard Bland’s share of any state-mandated salary increases for employees or commitments related to salaries, fringe and health benefit changes, strategic institutional initiatives, and cost escalations for college services. The exact uses will be determined in part by budget actions yet to be finalized by the Governor and General Assembly.
