Authority: Title 23.1, Chapter 27, 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. Out of this appropriation, $3,790,639 the first year and $3,790,639 the second year from the general fund is designated for continued enhancement of the existing Bachelor of Science academic programs in Computer Science, Manufacturing Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mass Communications and Criminal Justice, and the doctoral program in Education.

2. Out of this appropriation, $37,500 the first year and $37,500 the second year from the general fund is provided to serve in lieu of endowment income for the Eminent Scholars Program.

3. Any unexpended balances in paragraphs B.1. and B.2. in this Item at the close of business on June 30, 2018 and June 30, 2019, shall not revert to the surplus of the general fund but shall be carried forward on the books of the State Comptroller and reappropriated in the succeeding year.

C. This appropriation includes $200,000 the first year and $200,000 the second year from the general fund to increase the number of faculty with terminal degrees to at least 85 percent of the total teaching faculty.

D. Out of this appropriation, Virginia State University is authorized to use up to $600,000 the first year and $600,000 the second year from the general fund to address extremely critical deferred maintenance deficiencies in its facilities, including residence halls and dining facilities.

E. 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.

F. Out of this appropriation, $1,300,000 the first year and $1,300,000 the second year from the general fund is designated to support the Manufacturing Engineering and Logistics Technology program.

G. Out of this appropriation, $104,792 the first year and $104,022 the second year from the general fund is designated for debt service costs under the Master Equipment Lease Program (MELP) for upgrades to the university's police radio system. In addition to these amounts, $154,451 the first year from the general fund is designated to support training and software costs.

H. Out of this appropriation, $324,140 the first year and $321,757 the second year from the general fund is designated to support debt service costs under the Master Equipment Lease Program (MELP) to improve the university's information technology network. In addition to these amounts, $412,923 the first year and $295,419 the second year from the general fund is designated to support training and software costs.

I. 1. Out of this appropriation, $480,710 the second year from the general fund is designated to address increased degree production in Data Science and Technology, Science and Engineering, Healthcare, and Education.

2. Degree production shall be measured for Bachelors, Masters, Doctorates and First Professional awards as follows:

a. Data Science and Technology awards shall be based on completion data contained in the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, C-16 completion report;

b. Science and Engineering awards shall be based on completion data contained in the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), C-1 A1 completion report for the following programs Biological and Biomedical Science (26), Engineering (14) less those already counted in paragraph 2 a., Engineering Technologies (15), and Physical Sciences (42);

c. Healthcare awards shall be based on completion data contained in the SCHEV C-1 A1 completion report for the Health Professions and Related Programs (51); and

d. Education awards shall be based on completion data contained in the SCHEV C-1 A1 completion report for the Education Programs (13).

3. Virginia State University is expected to increase:

a. Data Science and Technology awards by 5 in the second year.

b. Science and Engineering awards by 5 in the second year.

c. Education awards by 5 in the second year.

d. The 2016-17 year will serve as the base year for these purposes.

4. SCHEV shall report on the progress toward these goals to the Chairman of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees report on the progress toward these goals annually beginning August 2020.

I. Out of this appropriation, an amount estimated at $299,286 from the general fund and $224,464 from nongeneral funds in the second year 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.

J. Virginia State University, Norfolk State University, and the University of Virginia's College at Wise, shall develop a framework and funding recommendations associated with enhancing access to undergraduate education for students with high financial needs. The institutions shall submit a single report on their findings and recommendations by September 1, 2019, to the Secretary of Finance, Secretary of Education, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, the Chairmen of the Senate Finance Committee, and the Director, Department of Planning and Budget.