Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 15, 1993 TAG: 9309150224
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MOUNTAIN LAKE LENGTH: Medium
The plan, to be forwarded to Gov. Douglas Wilder's office this week, doesn't include any proposed cuts and reiterates the need for an additional $223 million in state funds.
Gordon Davies, director of the State Council of Higher Education, unveiled the plan at a council meeting at Mountain Lake in Giles County on Tuesday.
"Higher education is speaking with one voice," Davies said. "Can we get all this money? I don't know."
Wilder has predicted a $500 million budget shortfall next year, and the state has given colleges and universities until Monday to prepare contingent budgets cutting state aid as much as 15 percent.
Davies said the budget plans the colleges must submit "are not compatible" with the proposal supported by the presidents.
No formal vote was taken, but the plan was endorsed by all of the council's members except Paul Goldman, the former Virginia Democratic Party chairman who joined the body in July.
"I think the paper is a major step forward," said Hugh L. Patterson, chairman of the council.
Goldman, however, said the state board was "crying wolf" and risking its reputation by asking for more funds during the budget crunch.
"I'm not sure what the people will say. We haven't really suggested any cuts," he said. "We're not cutting, we are keeping."
Goldman's last comment was directed at an initiative in the plan requiring each college to free up 1.5 percent of its general budget to be used for new instructional programs.
"We emphasize that such reallocations should not be used to make further budget reductions but rather to meet higher education's growing responsibilities," it said.
In response to the plan, Wilder, in a prepared statement, said: "I find their remarks quite startling, and yet, enlightening. Their comments further illustrate why I need to convene a meeting, as I was already intending to do, so as to discuss their concerns."
The meeting, which will include Davies, all university presidents and rectors, the chancellor of the Virginia community college system and the state education and finance secretaries, will be held next week, according to the statement.
The council's plan spells out three objectives for higher education in the next decade: access for all students who want higher education, quality instructional innovations coupled with greater state support, and using resources efficiently to increase services without increasing costs.
"The state's budget constraints are severe and make our work particularly difficult," the paper said. "Nevertheless, we believe that the faculties and staffs of our institutions will strive to achieve these three objectives if they are assured that higher education is valued and that it will eventually receive the financial and other support it deserves."
It asks the state to continue allocating 12 percent of its budget to higher education, provide faculty salary increases and provide an equipment trust fund.
The report said the additional $223 million is needed to keep higher-education support at 12 percent and to keep tuition and fee increases to a maximum of 3 percent next year.
"We know the debilitating effect high tuition will have on families and students," read the paper.
The "Presidents' Paper" points out that Virginia will sink to 48th among the states in higher-education funding if the proposed cuts are implemented and that state support will drop to 9.6 percent - its lowest level since 1964.
"Personally, I find that depressing," Davies said.
It also stresses that state funding for Medicaid will be about $750 million greater than for higher education if the cuts are made.
Goldman also said he was concerned because the paper implies that aid to Medicaid and prisons should be cut in favor of higher education.
"I'm not of the posture of saying we should do less for the poor, disabled and the elderly," he said.
Council member John Wynne countered that the General Assembly will make the final decisions on what programs are cut. He said the council should only be concerned with figuring out how much money higher education needs to remain competitive with other states.
In addition to suggestions to the state, the proposal says colleges should:
Initiate a formal review of how faculty members spend their time, what results from that time, and how the faculty members are promoted and tenured.
Gradually increase their graduation rates, if necessary, to make sure at least 40 percent of their students graduate within six years.
Reserve spaces for qualified transfer students from community colleges and award them full junior-level standing.
Publish admissions, graduation and retention rates and alumni surveys to gauge the success of higher education.
by CNB