ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, July 27, 1996 TAG: 9607300028
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: Associated Press
Democratic leaders say they may call for hearings into what they characterized as a power grab by Republican Gov. George Allen's appointees to the State Council of Higher Education.
The council on Monday created a five-member executive committee, despite objections of some members who said it would dilute the full council's authority. The move was engineered by Allen appointees who now control the council.
``This shift in power opens the door for a handful of political appointees to micromanage our campuses and put politics before Virginia's tradition of excellence in higher education,'' Democratic Lt. Gov. Don Beyer said Thursday.
The new committee will be appointed by Elizabeth McClanahan, an Allen appointee who was elected chairwoman at Monday's meeting. She said the new arrangement will allow more study of issues.
``It truly takes more than two or three hours a month to run a $3.5 billion industry in the commonwealth, and that's about how long our meetings have been lasting,'' McClanahan said Thursday.
She said the move is not politically motivated, and ``we certainly don't intend to micromanage the colleges and universities.''
Democrats complained that the action will erode the authority of the council's 44-member professional staff. In the past, the council has heavily relied on staff members to recommend policies.
``Virginia's public education system is second to none, and much of the credit for that is owed to the professional, nonpolitical staff of the council,'' said Del. Alan Diamonstein of Newport News, chairman of the House of Delegates' Democratic caucus.
McClanahan said that while the staff plays a vital role, state law places ultimate responsibility for managing higher education in the hands of the appointed council members.
Diamonstein said hearings may be required to determine the impact of the change and whether it could hurt the quality of education.
Allen told reporters Tuesday that creation of the executive committee makes sense. He noted that the legislature has operated under a committee system for years.
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICSby CNB