Authority: §§ 23-114 through 23-131, Code of Virginia, and Chapter 440, Acts of Assembly of 1991.

A. Out of this appropriation shall be expended an amount estimated at $869,882 from the general fund and $436,357 from nongeneral funds the first year and $869,882 from the general fund and $436,357 from nongeneral funds the second year for the educational telecommunications project to provide graduate engineering education, subject to a plan approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

B. Out of this appropriation, $225,294 from the general fund and $250,813 from nongeneral funds the first year and $225,294 from the general fund and $250,813 from nongeneral funds the second year is designated to support the Educational and General portion of the debt service for the coal-fired facility, as approved in Item D-6.1, Chapter 459, Acts of Assembly of 1991. It is the intent of the General Assembly that this appropriation be adjusted in future appropriation acts to reflect the actual interest rate on the bonds.

C. Out of this appropriation, $400,000 the first year and $400,000 the second year from the general fund is designated to support the Marion duPont Scott Equine Center of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.

D. Out of this appropriation, $10,000 the first year and $10,000 the second year from the general fund is designated for a part-time research position to meet the state's responsibilities associated with the Virginia Coordinate System as specified in Chapter 17, Title 55, Code of Virginia.

E. Out of this appropriation, $100,000 the first year and $100,000 the second year from the general fund is designated for the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research.

F. Out of this appropriation, $21,375 the first year and $21,375 the second year from the general fund is designated to support the Virginia Writing Project.

G. Out of this appropriation, $50,000 the first year and $50,000 the second year from the general fund is designated to support continuing education activities at the Reynolds Homestead.

H. Out of this appropriation, $5,589,311 $6,953,032 from the general fund and $415,254 in nongeneral funds the first year and $4,367,840 $5,667,014 from the general fund and $415,254 in nongeneral funds the second year for estimated lease payments to support the cost of equipment purchased with the proceeds of bonds issued by the Virginia College Building Authority. The Director of the Department of Planning and Budget shall transfer to the Virginia College Building Authority on July 1, 1998, the amounts in the first year, and on July 1, 1999, the amounts in the second year to support the authority's debt obligation.

I. Out of this appropriation, $125,000 the first year and $125,000 the second year from the general fund is designated to support the research activities of the Virginia Water Resources Center.

J. The University shall provide to the Secretary of Education and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees no later than July 1, 1999, a comprehensive master plan which delineates what has been completed in the Upper Quad Phase I capital project and what is proposed in Phase II. This plan is to address shortcomings identified by the Department of General Services in its October 30, 1997, Budget Recommendation Summary report and should describe the other educational and general facilities which will be renovated as a result of the Upper Quad conversion. The University should seek to limit this project to areas that will first benefit students academically and reduce the subprojects that involve building or renovating faculty offices, program consolidation, and other endeavors not having direct student benefits.

K. Out of this appropriation, $342,341 the first year and $412,103 the second year from the general fund is designated to support one new position for tobacco research for medicinal purposes. Of this amount, $100,000 and two positions in each year will be used to support field tests at sites in Blackstone and Abingdon.

L. This appropriation authorizes Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University to charge students a technology service fee in conformity with § 4-2.01 c of this act. This appropriation includes $1,089,375 the first year and $1,089,666 the second year from nongeneral funds, the unexpended balance of which shall not revert to the general fund in any fiscal year but shall be carried forward on the books of the Department of Accounts and allotted for expenditure each July 1. The fee charged resident undergraduate students each year shall not exceed one percent of the total of tuition and required fees charged in fiscal year 1998, and the amounts appropriated in this item reflect that policy. The Department of Planning and Budget shall allot technology fee revenues in excess of the amounts appropriated in this item provided that the revenues are not generated by resident undergraduate students and provided that such revenues reflect a fee that does not exceed three percent of the total of tuition and required fees charged in fiscal year 1998 to nonresident undergraduate students and three percent of the total of tuition and required fees charged in fiscal year 1998 to graduate and professional students.