Authority: Title 23, Chapter 12.1, 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 University is authorized to continue offering its existing doctoral degree in psychology and a limited number of other doctoral programs in specialized areas with approval from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. These doctoral programs are niche programs, consistent with the comprehensive mission of the University, and are targeted to meet critical needs in 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, $11,390,393 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 2008-10 biennium.
E. Out of this appropriation, $3,204,733 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, $500,000 is provided in recognition of in-state enrollment growth, $600,000 is provided to increase the number of full-time faculty, and $2,104,733 to support operations and maintenance of new buildings.
F. Out of this appropriation, $850,000 the second year from the general fund is designated to support a public-private partnership between George Mason University, James Madison University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and CISCO Systems, Inc., to utilize emerging technologies to increase access, reduce time to graduation and reduce unit cost while maintaining and enhancing quality. Instructional talent across the four institutions will be leveraged in the delivery of programs in foreign languages, science, technology, engineering and mathematics.