Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 23, 1993 TAG: 9309230213
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY MARGARET EDDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
If the presidents ask him to "consider something," after proving that they've made a good faith effort to cut costs, "I will discuss it," Wilder said.
Wilder stressed that he will not propose any tax increase, but said that if the presidents wish, the state would consider asking voters to decide in a referendum whether taxes should be raised to support education. That step was proposed Tuesday by one of the governor's top political allies.
But Wilder added: "I haven't heard anybody other than Paul Goldman talk about this, and I doubt if anybody will have anything to say to me tomorrow."
The governor's remarks came during a novel session with college student leaders, invited to Richmond as part of Wilder's public relations offensive in a running battle with the college presidents.
State aid to colleges has been slashed about 20 percent during Wilder's tenure, and the governor says it might have to be cut up to 15 percent more. The college presidents contend that added cuts would gut their programs, and have recommended $223 million in new spending on higher education in 1994-96.
The governor and the presidents will air their differences today in a meeting at George Mason University in Fairfax. Wilder, who called the session, has challenged the presidents to propose specific cuts in other state programs to provide additional funds for their schools.
Coming up with $223 million for the colleges, the governor warned last week, could require draconian cuts elsewhere, including a reduction of up to 15 percent in state aid to elementary and secondary schools or a layoff of 20 percent of state government's work force.
As a prelude to today's meeting, Wilder invited student leaders from the state's four-year institutions and community colleges to a spur-of-the-moment, day-long session. Before meeting them himself, Wilder had several cabinet officers brief the group on the state's budget and sent them on tours of the Powhatan Correctional Center, a Richmond elementary school and several health facilities.
His point, Wilder said, is that - absent additional funds - some other agency's budget will have to be cut if higher education's is increased. "Tell me where the money's going to come from," he demanded repeatedly.
In a freewheeling discussion, the student leaders argued that their colleges have suffered because of budget cuts and are becoming less competitive with out-of-state universities.
"We don't have a cheek to turn anymore," said Tim Schell, president of the graduate student assembly at Virginia Tech.
"I wonder if you're getting the full view," added Lisa Goddard, student body president at the College of William and Mary. "Our professors are killing themselves."
And a student at Christopher Newport College in Newport News noted that equipment is broken, a campus security car has had four flat tires for a month and five administrators - including the president - must share a single copying machine.
Wilder confirmed earlier hints that community colleges will likely be exempt from further cuts. "As far as the community colleges are concerned, we're at the bottom," he said. "I will be very, very inclined to view the community college system a little differently."
He also had praise for scattered institutions, singling out teachers at Norfolk State University and the College of William and Mary for having heavier teaching loads than professors in some other schools. A series of stories appearing last week in most of the state's newspapers focused in part on the light teaching loads of professors at many state colleges.
Wilder denied that he has a vendetta against the colleges, noting that every other state agency has had to undergo similar evaluation. And he insisted that Virginia colleges are still offering quality education, even with cuts in state aid.
"Don't you believe for a minute that the bottom is falling out of the tub in higher education," he replied testily to a George Mason University student who questioned the intent of the session.
Reversing an earlier position, Wilder said recent events have convinced him that students should be appointed as full-time, voting members of college governing boards.
by CNB