Public Universities And The Race For Money

William C. Symonds' "Should public universities behave like private colleges?" (Social Issues, Nov. 15) misses the point when he says public universities are "ducking a key social role" regarding access to higher education. It is no secret that there has been a widening economic gap between rich and poor students who attend college. Through AccessUVA, the University of Virginia is committing $16.44 million of institutional funds each year for need-based grants for undergraduates.

For our most needy students, there are loan-free packages. For the less needy, there is a cap on need-based loans at one-quarter the cost of four years of education. And for all students, there are packages that meet 100% of their need. Also, AccessUVA caps eligible out-of-state students' need-based loans at an in-state level and provides grants for the remainder.

Carol Wood
University Relations
University of Virginia
Charlottesville