Authority: Title 2323.1, Chapter 922, Code of Virginia.

A. This Item includes general and nongeneral fund appropriations to support institutional initiatives that help meet statewide goals described in the Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act of 2005 (Chapters 933 and 945, 2005 Acts of Assembly).

B.1. This appropriation includes an amount not to exceed $1,393,959 the first year and $1,393,959 the second year from the general fund for the operation of the Family Practice Residency Program and Family Practice medical student programs. This appropriation for Family Practice programs, whether ultimately implemented by contract, agreement or other means, is considered to be a grant.

2. The university shall report by July 1 annually to the Department of Planning and Budget an operating plan for the Family Practice Residency Program.

3. The University of Virginia, in cooperation with the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority, shall establish elective Family Practice Medicine experiences in Southwest Virginia for both students and residents.

4. In the event the Governor imposes across-the-board general fund reductions, pursuant to his executive authority in § 4-1.02 of this act, the general fund appropriation for the Family Practice programs shall be exempt from any reductions, provided the general fund appropriation for the family practice program is excluded from the total general fund appropriation for the University of Virginia for purposes of determining the university's portion of the statewide general fund reduction requirement.

C. 1. Out of this appropriation, $1,454,176 the first year and $1,454,176 the second year from the general fund and $700,000 the first year and $714,900 the second year from nongeneral funds is designated for the Virginia Foundation for Humanities and Public Policy. Out of the total funding, $250,000 and two positions the first year and $250,000 and two positions the second year from the general fund and $700,000 and four positions the first year and $714,900 and four positions the second year from nongeneral funds is provided to support Discovery Virginia, an online archive to preserve elements of Virginia history, culture, and heritage, and make the materials accessible to the public.

2. Pursuant to House Joint Resolution 762, 1999 Session of the General Assembly, funds in this Item begin to address the objective of appropriating one dollar per capita for the support of the Foundation.

D. Out of this appropriation, an amount estimated at $527,610 the first year and $527,610 the second year from the general fund and at least $468,850 the first year and at least $468,850 the second year from nongeneral funds are designated for the educational telecommunications project to provide graduate engineering education. For supplemental budget requests, the participating institutions and centers jointly shall submit a report in support of such requests to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia for review and recommendation to the Governor and General Assembly.

E. Out of this appropriation, $192,954 the first year and $192,954 the second year from the general fund, and at least $283,500 the first year and at least $283,500 the second year from nongeneral funds are designated for the independent Virginia Institute of Government at the University of Virginia Center for Public Service.

F. Out of this appropriation, at least $156,397 the first year and $156,397 the second year from the general fund is designated for support of diabetes education and public service at the Virginia Center for Diabetes Professional Education at the University of Virginia.

G. Out of this appropriation $318,946 the first year and $320,976 the second year from the general fund and $53,189 the first year and $53,189 the second year from nongeneral funds are designated for support of the State Arboretum at Blandy Farm.

H. As Virginia's public colleges and universities approach full funding of the base adequacy guidelines and as the General Assembly strives to fully fund the general fund share of the base adequacy guidelines, these funds are provided with the intent that, in exercising their authority to set tuition and fees, the Board of Visitors shall take into consideration the impact of escalating college costs for Virginia students and families. In accordance with the cost-sharing goals set forth in § 4-2.01 b. of this act, the Board of Visitors is encouraged to limit increases on tuition and mandatory educational and general fees for in-state, undergraduate students to the extent possible.

I. The 4-VA, a public-private partnership among George Mason University, James Madison University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Old Dominion University, and CISCO Systems, Inc., utilizes emerging technologies to promote collaboration and resource sharing to increase access, reduce time to graduation and reduce unit cost while maintaining and enhancing quality. Instructional talent across the five institutions is leveraged in the delivery of programs in foreign languages, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The 4-VA Management Board can expand this partnership to additional institutions as appropriate to meet the goals of the 4-VA initiative. It is expected that funding will be pooled by the management board as required to support continuing efforts of the 4-VA priorities and projects.

J. The appropriation for the fund source Higher Education Operating in this Item shall be considered a sum sufficient appropriation, which is an estimate of the amount of revenues to be collected for the educational and general program under the terms of the management agreement between the University of Virginia and the Commonwealth, as set forth in Chapters 933 and 943, of the 2006 Acts of Assembly.

K. Out of this appropriation, $3,657,388 the first year and $5,334,772 the second year from the general fund is designated to support the goals of access, affordability, quality and increased degrees. Given the increased investment from the general fund during this biennium, it is the expression of the General Assembly that the institution seek to minimize tuition and fee increases for in-state undergraduate students. This language shall be in effect for the 2016-2018 biennium only. The Board of Visitors shall set the tuition rates for the institution, and forward their action to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia within three business days of such action. The Council shall analyze the Board's actions and report such analysis to the Chairmen of House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees within three business days of receipt, at which point, the Board's action shall be final. The Director of the Council shall report the final Board actions to the Chairmen by August 1, 2016 and August 1, 2017.

L. Out of this appropriation, $200,000 the first year and $200,000 the second year from the general fund is designated for a pilot program to expand health care services to rural and medically underserved areas through the use of nurse practitioners and telemedicine.

M. Pursuant to § 4-1.02 d. 6.a) of this act and notwithstanding any other provision of law, appropriation reductions in the amount of $7,036,035 in the second year from the general fund for the University of Virginia specified in this Item may be distributed to programs within Educational and General Programs, grantees, or among programs other than Educational and General Programs, except Higher Education Student Financial Assistance.