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 each year 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. Virginia State University may expend any prior year end balances to support its educational and general activities or its auxiliary enterprise activities.

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. 1. Out of this appropriation, $480,710 the first year and $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 (40);

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 maintain increases in:

a. Data Science and Technology awards of 5 annually over the base year.

b. Science and Engineering awards of 5 annually over the base year.

c. Education awards of 5 annually over the base 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 Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees annually.

H. Out of this appropriation, an amount estimated at $299,286 the first year and $299,286 the second year from the general fund and $224,464 the first year and $224,464 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.

I. Virginia State University, in partnership with Norfolk State University, shall collaborate with Virginia Union University and Hampton University and various localities throughout the Commonwealth to (a) create Minority Small Business Launch and Innovation Centers that support entrepreneurship customized to minority community needs, (b) improve health outcomes of vulnerable and marginalized populations in their surrounding localities through research, education, workforce development and outreach, (c) expand and upgrade broadband and technology in order to close the digital divide and provide students with additional tech job training, (d) actively engage with local public school districts to provide opportunities and awareness of post-secondary programs and curriculum, and (e) support the creation of an HBCU NoVA Campus by establishing an off-campus instruction site at Northern Virginia Community College in order to provide an opportunity to expand the HBCU presence in Northern Virginia, and access and opportunity to an increasing population of students seeking a four-year degree.