Culver- The Virginia Example

I was a bit confused when I finished reading the Culver article.  I was anticipated how it showed that Virginia was a model of coming together and sharing information, but that wasn't the case.  From what I read, the state wanted schools to share information, so it could be analyzed, but most schools did not participate and only reported what they wanted it to be.

This seems to be in line with my understanding of the Virginia higher ed system.  I grew up/worked in New York State and Pennsylvania, and these systems seemed to be much more hierarchical than Virginia.  New York has the SUNY system, and Pennsylvania has the flagship with branch campus and other state schools that are tied together with specific missions (many of these schools have a focus on teaching).  Virginia has nothing like that.  Each state school is completely differently.  People are always surprised when they learn William & Mary is a state school since it is its own separate entity, and it really is. I don't see a lot of communication and sharing among state schools, almost like it's a competition- maybe it is.  Since Virginia has such a strong public education system, the non-sharing surprises me.  Yet I can understand that every school wants to maintain its uniqueness.

The only way sharing could happen and Virginia could in fact be "an example" would to have mandates from the state-- but this would require resources and funding that are severely lacking in support of individual schools.  As a result, I do not know if that will happen in the near future.