"Virginia's public colleges and universities and their students have been financially whipsawed over the past 15 years by an erratic economy, according to a new report from state officials that calls for better long-range planning for public higher education.</br></br>The report, by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, notes that although education is more affordable today than it was a decade ago, sharp declines in funding during two recessions and subsequent tuition increases have made it difficult for families to plan for college expenses.</br></br>And although Virginia's institutions have maintained their prominence in many national rankings, their per-pupil budgets and faculty salaries have slipped well below the average among their national peers, according to the report.</br></br>""Higher education support is on a slippery slope,"" Carl N. Kelly, the state council chairman, said in a statement released yesterday. ""What took years to build we stand to lose, and it will take a long time to rebuild a nationally reputable system of higher education.""</br></br>The report was released at a time when many of the governing boards for the state's public colleges are moving to raise tuition and fees substantially for the 2003-04 academic year -- the third round of increases since state officials ended a five-year tuition freeze last spring."