Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 2, 1994                   TAG: 9402020120
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ALLISON BLAKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TORGERSEN SAYS TECH WILL STAY A PUBLIC SCHOOL UVA SAYS IT PREFERS TO

As it turns out, going private is not exactly what UVa has in mind, said university spokeswoman Louise Dudley. Rather, the university has put forth a budget amendment to allow state-supported colleges to call themselves state-assisted if they receive less than 25 percent of their total annual operating budgets from the state's general fund. Those schools would be exempted from a range of regulations.

Among bureaucrats, that's known as decentralization, a mundane-sounding proposition that has gained increasing support from colleges and universities in recent years. Similar proposals have been floated twice before the General Assembly in recent years, all in an attempt to cut red tape.

Decentralization means colleges and universities would more directly do business with those they work for in areas including personnel, capital outlay and purchasing.

"We will continue to seek relief from inefficient policies or strictures in procurement, building and personnel," Torgersen said.

Tech, which this year receives 35 percent of its overall funding from the state, would not be eligible for the UVa amendment.

Filed by Del. Alan Diamonstein, D-Newport News, and Sen. Hunter Andrews, D-Hampton, in their respective houses, the amendment is widely considered to affect only UVa and the College of William and Mary. These schools suffered among the largest percentage cuts and were hit with big out-of-state tuition increases this year, although Tech spokesman Larry Hincker said Tech suffered the greatest overall decrease in funding, at $15 million. Amendments have been filed to recover the funding.

Decentralizing means that waits for a string of state agency reviews of building projects could save up to six months if a designated state building official were appointed and quartered at a university, said Peter Karp, university architect at Tech.

It means "Every time someone travels from Charlottesville to Tech and applies for reimbursement, it has to be approved in Richmond. I'm not sure every single travel expense has to come through Richmond," said Mike McDowell, spokesman for the state Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

While the education council generally has favored decentralization, "we don't have any comment on [UVa's] specific amendment," McDowell said.

"[The council] has historically favored any action that would increase the efficiency of colleges and universities and cut administrative duplication of effort. If institutions can realize both increases in efficiency and cost savings, then we are very much in favor of any way to keep tuition down," he said.

Tech spokesman Hincker said an annual audit of university books would provide the check for state government to ensure that money is being properly spent.

Meanwhile, back at UVa, administrators stressed:

"The university is not intending to go private to separate from the state," Dudley said. "The intention of this amendment is to accomplish efficiencies and elimination of redundant bureaucracy."