Authority: §§ 23-91.20 through 23-91.23, 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. The software engineering curriculum being established to insure success of recent economic development projects in Southwest Virginia, shall be considered on its merits by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and shall not be dependent on funding by the Commonwealth.
C. 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.
D. Out of this appropriation, $233,358 from the general fund and $138,577 from nongeneral funds the first year and $233,358 from the general fund and $138,577 from nongeneral funds the second year is designated to facilitate the technical training programs for the Northrop Grumman state backup data center.
E. 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.
F. Out of this appropriation, $1,703,000 the first year from nongeneral funds is provided to support educational and general programs and student financial assistance. The source of the nongeneral funds is the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This funding is intended to moderate the general fund reductions to the institution, as well as moderate the need for tuition and fee increases and increase student access. The institution is authorized to spend this funding in either the first year or the first quarter of the second year. Prior to release of this funding, the institution shall provide a plan to the Governor delineating the respective portion of this funding to be used for educational and general program funding and financial assistance, and the year it will be spent. In addition, the plan shall include anticipated tuition and fee increases for the first and second year of the biennium. The amounts appropriated are an estimate, and may be modified by the Director, Department of Planning and Budget, depending on final budget reduction actions taken to higher education and public education in the final budget bill enacted for the 2008-2010 biennium.
G. Out of this appropriation, $962,336 the second year from the general fund is designated to support the goals of the Governor's Higher Education Commission of access, affordability, quality and increased degrees. Of this amount, $400,000 is provided to increase the number of full-time faculty, and $562,336 to support operations and maintenance of new buildings.