Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 27, 1995 TAG: 9501270046
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Long
The amendments, now wending their ways through the House and Senate committee systems, restore or add millions for everything from a $50,000 geography program at Radford to a $320,000 lagoon cleanup at Tech.
Their fates depend on the legislative give and take and the larger struggle between General Assembly Democrats and Republican Gov. George Allen's budget- and tax-cutting agenda. With four weeks to go, no one's making predictions.
Two big tickets dominate the agenda for both universities: $14.6 million for Tech's Cooperative Extension Service and agricultural programs; and $1.6 million in basic aid for Radford that Allen cut.
But there's also a host of nitty-gritty budget amendments college administrators are tracking.
State Sen. Madison Marye, D-Shawsville, and Del. Jim Shuler, D-Blacksburg, are shepherding the Tech-related amendments. Sen. Malfourd "Bo" Trumbo, R-Fincastle, and Del. Tommy Baker, R-Dublin, are doing the same for Radford, which they represent.
Additionally, Marye has thrown the budget wild card with his unexpected bill to restore $2 million for the global college, even after Radford's Board of Visitors had said last rites for the program. House Minority Leader Vance Wilkins, R-Amherst, meanwhile, has proposed restoring 50 percent of Extension's cutback, but only if nonagricultural programming is eliminated. Sen. John Chichester, R-Fredericksburg, too, has submitted an amendment to eliminate all of Extension's home-economic programs.
Marye, a member of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, said changes that will affect Tech and Radford come in both spending amendments and language changes in the budget bill itself. The House and Senate money committees should hash those out by the end of next week.
Tech, which employs 5,300 people in the New River Valley and another 500 across the state, has an annual budget of $474 million with 35 percent directly from state coffers.
Marye's amendments seek another $9.7 million for Tech, only $3.55 million of that from general fund tax revenues (the balance is authorization to spend money from other revenue sources, such as tuition and fees, borrowing, donations or federal money). Shuler, a Blacksburg veterinarian, has filed identical amendments, but wants another $800,000 in tax money for the equine medical center in Leesburg, where Tech veterinary students receive training.
Highlights of their eight other Tech amendments include:
Restoring $300,000 for the Interdisciplinary Applied Mathematics Center and $1.5 million for information and communication science and technology efforts. The latter is related to plans for a new $25 million center, to be located near Newman Library, to bring together research into fiber optics, wireless communications and other cutting-edge technologies. Another amendment seeks approval to spend $550,000 in nonstate money to start planning for that building.
Restoring $75,000 for the state Water Resources Center. The 13-year-old center sustained cuts earlier and would close without this money, the amendment states.
Adding $583,000 to pay for seven environmental and regulatory programs. Most are expected to cost more money in fines if they aren't addressed soon. The biggest is the $320,000 to clean up and manage a lagoon near campus that's been polluted by human and animal sewage. Other efforts range from monitoring coal-pile runoff to starting drug and alcohol testing of employees as required by the federal Department of Transportation.
Four capital projects, including $4.7 million in nonstate spending to build new training and locker room space for the football team, $1.1 million for planning for the conversion of two upper quad dorms to classrooms and offices by 1997 and $848,000 in revenue bonds for an alternative process of infectious waste disposal.
Radford has a $49.7 million annual budget, 53 percent funded by state money and the balance by tuition and fees. It employs 1,266 people. Its budget amendments are grouped in two broad categories: $1.4 million in an effort to salvage parts of the global college program by applying them to existing curricula in business, health and others; and $2.8 million of new initiatives, about one-third of that in spending from sources other than direct state aid.
The first effort, which covers 16 jobs, would use new educational technology, information systems and communications networks in existing programs, according to Baker's amendment. It would involve $1 million in state money and $388,329 in nonstate spending.
The second slate includes: $281,500 to support the master of social work program; $362,300 to pay for a permanent link with Virginia Western Community College, with which Radford will share three new programs; $50,000 to remain in the Virginia Geographic Alliance, which seeks to improve geography instruction in the state; $1.3 million to renovate parts of Young and Walker halls; $400,000 to replace coal-fired boilers; and $400,000 to buy land on Grove Avenue in Radford.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1995
by CNB