Virginia's colleges need the flexibility to raise tuition to help cover state budget cuts, but a portion of the increases should go toward student financial aid, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia said yesterday.

Between 5 percent and 30 percent of tuition increases should be used for need-based financial aid, the council said in an addendum to its 2008-2010 budget amendment recommendations.

It also wants the state to give priority to financial aid for graduate students if additional revenue becomes available. No increase in that aid is currently budgeted for the second year of the biennium.

Virginia's public colleges and universities this month were hit with general fund budget cuts ranging from 5 percent to 7 percent as the state seeks to make up a revenue shortfall of about $2.5 billion. More cuts are expected next year.

State budget problems make an increase in tuition charges almost inevitable, said Whittington W. Clement, the council's chairman.

"I hate to say it will occur, but it will," he said.

The council is putting an increased emphasis on affordability as higher education becomes "more and more out of reach for many Virginians," he said.

SCHEV is working on an affordability study, expected to be completed by January.

A draft of that report notes that in at least 17 states, public institutions channel from 5 percent to 30 percent of funds from tuition increases into student aid. SCHEV adopted that range in its addendum pending completion of the report. Contact Karin Kapsidelis at (804) 649-6119 or kkapsidelis@timesdispatch.com.