Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 16, 1993 TAG: 9301160264
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
LEGISLATORS SAY COLLEGE UNLIKELY NOW
THE IDEA for a public four-year college in Roanoke isn't so new; a similar plan was considered by the legislature and higher education's governing organization in the 1970s. But then, as now, there is one major obstacle: money.
As a citizens group starts to push for Roanoke to have its own public, four-year university, those close to the money say staggering prices that would accompany such a project make it inconceivable, at least for now.
But legislators and educators did not rule out an increased role for Roanoke in programs offered by other area colleges, or even a small branch campus.
"I don't see any new universities being created in Roanoke in the next 15 or 20 years," said Del. Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton and majority leader of the House of Delegates.
He said a new university would duplicate programs available at other area institutions. "It wouldn't be a wise expenditure of our tax dollars to create an independent university. The likelihood? There's not a real likelihood."
But Cranwell, and several others in the House and Senate, said Roanoke could be a home for some programs at Tech, Radford University or private colleges. The Hotel Roanoke, for example, could house a substantial portion of Tech's program in hotel and restaurant management, he said.
Sen. Elliot Schewel, D-Lynchburg, said it would be too expensive to start a new university in the state regardless of the location.
Schewel is head of the Senate's committee on education and health. To take care of an increasing number of college-bound students in the state, he said he expects to see more funding and expansion for the community colleges.
He mentioned, too, a plan from the State Council of Higher Education that would partner community colleges with private colleges, so students who start in community colleges could transfer to the private ones for public prices.
Roanoke College President David Gring has said he would be interested in hearing more about such a plan.
"This is not to say that there won't some day be a college or university in Roanoke," he said. "But right now, I think it's nothing more than a remote possibility because of the staggering costs."
Del. Clifton Woodrum, D-Roanoke, hasn't yet heard from any of the citizens involved in a grass-roots campaign to drum up support for the project. But he said Friday he would be willing to hear what they have to say.
"A public university takes many forms," Woodrum said. "There could be a Roanoke campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute . . . Tech is going to grow. The question is, where? I think it can grow in Roanoke as well."
Costs would prohibit starting a college from scratch, Woodrum said. "But if you're looking to expand the functions of an existing college or university, you have a little different question."
Most of the state's newer colleges over the past century have started as branch campuses for the senior institutions. George Mason University, for instance, was once the branch campus for the University of Virginia; Old Dominion University was a branch of the College of William and Mary.
The state council had no ready estimates as to how much a new college would cost - all of the recent institutions have built up gradually, said Mike McDowell, a spokesman for the council.
Radford University is planning now for a New College of Global Studies. So far, the project is getting $5 million for one building from a bond referendum, and the net capital request is for $15 million, for two more buildings.
But the new college will share some of the university's facilities - the library, for example, and the student center.
Building a college from scratch would actually take "hundreds of millions," said Charles King, Radford's chief business officer.
The citizens' group says a new college would help with an enrollment increase of 65,000 students in the next decade and that the city's medical facilities might be used to become part of a medical college.
The council has worked out several plans to deal with the 65,000 new students, including expanding some campuses and building new ones, mostly branches of community colleges. There is nothing in the plans, which cover the next four years or so, about Roanoke.
"The dilemma has always been money," said Don Finley, the council's associate director of finance and facilities. "This is a subject that goes way back."
Roanokers fought this same battle in 1971, when Del. Ray Garland of Roanoke introduced legislation asking the council to study the possibility of a four-year college or graduate school.
But the council, which is responsible for establishing guidelines for operating and capital outlay budgets of higher education institutions, rejected the idea after the study was completed.
But the staff did say then that more educational opportunities for working adults were needed. The graduate center in Roanoke is partly a result of that report, said Finley, a past secretary of education.
"The fiscal situation now isn't as good as it was a short time ago," Finley said.
He said the nearby universities still need to be accessible to Roanoke. A proposed highway that would shorten the commuting time between Roanoke and Blacksburg might help, he said.
Of all of the educators and legislators interviewed Friday, Finley had the most positive response to a potential college in the Star City. "It's not out of the realm of possibility when you look at having a lot more Virginians wanting to go to college in the next few years," he said. "Everybody might not agree . . . ."
Demographics would be one factor to consider in looking at a new college, Finley said.
The Roanoke Valley's population has increased by 10 percent in the past two decades, but most of the growth occurred in the 1970s.
In 1970, the valley population was 199,629. It increased to 220,393 in 1980, but rose by slightly less than 2 percent during the 1980s.
Secretary of Education James Dyke said he would have to see a specific proposal before going one way or the other on a new college.
"But at this point in time, I don't see this as something high on the agenda, unless there's some reason I'm unaware of."
And obviously, he said, finances would be a consideration.
Over the past few years, more than $400 million has been cut from state higher education to make up for budget shortfalls.
A year ago, the cuts equaled the operating budgets of George Mason University, Old Dominion University and James Madison University combined.
"My initial reaction is that it would not be the best use of resources at this point," Dyke said. But he said he knew that the idea had come from Cabell Brand, president of Total Action Against Poverty's board of directors.
And a proposal from Brand, he said, "is certainly worth taking a look at. . . . People would have to be convinced of the need, and see what programs would be addressed. We'll have to wait and see."
Staff writer Joel Turner contributed information to this story.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1993