Authority: §§ 23-9.3, 23-9.6:1, 23-20, 23-21.1, 23-38.13, and 23-38.45, Code of Virginia; SJR 22 (1949).

A.1. It is the intent of the General Assembly to provide general fund support to contract with Mary Baldwin College for Virginia women resident students to participate in the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin College.

2. The amounts for Higher Education Coordination and Review include $546,986 the first year and $396,986 the second year from the general fund based on an estimated participation of 94 in-state students in the program each year. Funds paid to Mary Baldwin College under the contract will be based on the actual number of Virginia resident students participating in the program.

3. General fund appropriations provided under this contract include financial aid for the participating students at Mary Baldwin College in the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership program, therefore, these students are not eligible for Tuition Assistance Grants. Beginning in fiscal year 2006, funding for this program will be phased out and each incoming class will be eligible for funding under the Tuition Assistance Grant program.

B.1. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), with direction from the Secretary of Education, shall develop a system-wide strategic plan for higher education every four years beginning 2002. As part of this planning process, SCHEV shall provide guidelines from the overall strategic planning process for Virginia's institutions of higher education. The public colleges and universities shall develop strategic plans that, at least in part, include strategies to meet system-wide higher education goals. In this planning process, SCHEV shall also require progress reports from institutions on their strategic plans. Such reports shall include 1) progress in meeting both system-wide and institutional goals, and 2) specific actions to restructure institutional activities and programs to meet system-wide and institutional goals.

2. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), with direction from the Secretary of Education, shall develop, in consultation with the public colleges and universities, a Report of Institutional Effectiveness. The Department of Planning and Budget shall use the Reports of Institutional Effectiveness for its own data needs to minimize the duplication of information on performance measures required of colleges and universities. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia shall publish the reports biennially, and make the reports available on its web site.

C. In discharging the responsibilities specified in § 23-272 D, Code of Virginia, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia shall provide exemptions to individual proprietorships, associations, copartnerships or corporations which are now or in the future will be using the words "college" or "university" in their training programs solely for their employees or customers, which do not offer degree-granting programs, and whose name includes the word "college" or "university" in a context from which it clearly appears that such entity is not an educational institution.

D. Out of the appropriation for Higher Education Coordination and Review, $5,176,894 the first year and $5,236,894 $5,666,894 the second year from the general fund is provided for continuation of the Virtual Library of Virginia. This appropriation includes $378,200 the first year and $378,200 the second year to allow students and faculty at the Commonwealth's nonprofit independent colleges and universities to participate in the Virtual Library.

E.1. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the Secretary of Education, in cooperation with the three medical schools, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Eastern Virginia Medical School, shall monitor the results of the Generalist Initiative, especially the decisions of graduates from the undergraduate medical programs to enter generalist residencies, and the composition of the residencies in the two associated academic health centers. The three medical schools shall report biennially to the State Council by October 1. It is the intent of the General Assembly that:

a. At least 50 percent of Virginia medical school graduates shall enter generalist residency programs. The percentage shall be calculated based on a three-year average at each of the three academic health centers.

b. At least 50 percent of Virginia Generalist residency graduates shall enter generalist practice upon completion of residency training and at least 50 percent of those graduates shall practice in Virginia. The percentage shall be calculated based on a three-year average at each of the three academic health centers.

c. In addition to the statistical goals specified above, the Virginia Generalist Initiative program shall be evaluated for its quality based on: 1) Virginia graduates' responses to the annual survey of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC); 2) Student evaluation of the program conducted by the individual institution; and 3) Faculty and community preceptors' evaluation of the student learning and skills.

2. The State Council shall report biennially on the status of the Generalist Initiative to the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees in November.

F. The medical schools are encouraged to be aggressive in setting tuition rates that are above national average tuition rates for both in-state and out-of-state students.

G. Out of this appropriation, $300,000 the first year and $300,000 the second year in nongeneral funds is provided to support higher education coordination and review services, including expenses incurred in regulating the private and out-of-state postsecondary institutions operating in Virginia. These funds may be generated through fee schedules developed pursuant to § 23-276.9, Code of Virginia.

H. Out of this appropriation, $102,237 in nongeneral funds and 1.0 position each year are provided for the oversight of proprietary schools in the Commonwealth pursuant to Chapter 991 of the Acts of Assembly of 2004.

I.  This act includes additional funds to support nursing education programs at public colleges and universities.  By November 1, 2005, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia shall report to the Secretary of Education on how institutions are using additional funds to increase the number of nursing students and graduates.  The report shall include institutional strategies to help ensure an adequate number of nurses and a schedule for reporting on progress in achieving this goal.