Grant aid suspended for CNU, 24 schools

The results of a study that examined Virginia’s higher education institutions has led the Portsmouth-based Beazley Foundation to suspend grant funding for 25 colleges, including Christopher Newport University. The nonprofit foundation gave CNU $10,000 in August for its Beazley scholarship endowment and $50,000 in 2010 for its chapel campaign, according to Beazley’s website.

CNU is listed as increasing spending on administration by 78 percent between 2002 and 2009, compared to 48.2 percent more on instruction.

The Beazley Foundation said in a statement that it is “taking a stand” against schools that aren’t focused on a core curriculum that is “fundamental to education in the liberal arts.” It is also suspending grants to the College of William & Mary, Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University.

“The data contained in this report show that we are, in fact, supporting rising costs, more administrators and a diffuse and incoherent curriculum,” said Richard Bray, chairman and CEO of the foundation. The foundation will also begin to set institutional performance as a condition of funding in addition to needs-based grants. CNU President Paul Trible said in a statement that CNU has had a long and cordial relationship with the Beazley Foundation.

“We welcome the review and are convinced that our strong academic curriculum and commitment to the liberal arts and sciences will enable us to work together in the days ahead,” he wrote.