RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ A new report says Virginia students earned a record 54,2888 undergraduate degrees during the 2013-2014 academic year. The total includes 47,383 associate and baccalaureate degrees awarded by public institutions and 6,905 degrees awarded by private non-profit institutions. The report says Virginia’s goal for awarding additional degrees by 2025 is attainable. But it says the latest figures show the goal becoming slightly more challenging. According to the report, growth rates have slowed. A 2011 law calls for public institutions to award an additional 100,000 undergraduate degrees, along with a comparable increase from private institutions. The report was prepared for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Council members are expected to discuss the findings at their Jan. 12 meeting
