ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Friday, August 30, 1996                TAG: 9608300024
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: B-4  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS
SOURCE: Associated Press

STATE COLLEGES' OVERSIGHT BOARD RESHAPES ITSELF THINGS WILL GO THROUGH COMMITTEES

The State Council of Higher Education on Thursday made the first fundamental change in 40 years to the way it conducts business.

The council, which oversees the state's colleges, voted to restructure itself by dividing into three committees dealing with outreach, planning and research.

But some council members said during their monthly meeting at Christopher Newport University that the restructuring could increase the time they have to spend with the council and complicate its flow of information to the public.

``Everything that comes to council will be filtered by committees,'' said George G. Phillips of Virginia Beach, the lone dissenter on the council.

Phillips, who was placed on the outreach committee, said that ``anything I have to say I will express before [the entire] council.''

The council also postponed a decision on discontinuing certain associate's degrees at John Tyler Community College in Chester and Tidewater Community College in Hampton Roads after hearing appeals by the colleges. The decision will be made in October.

If the degrees are discontinued, the colleges could still offer classes in mobile equipment mechanics and repair at John Tyler and agricultural business and management at Tidewater.

Tidewater's president, Larry Whitworth, said the council should reconsider halting the degrees, saying that agriculture businesses, including landscaping and home and garden supply stores, need students skilled in those areas.

Last year 78 million adults spent $50 billion dollars on gardening, a 47 percent increase over five years ago, according to figures Whitworth cited in the college's appeal. The agricultural industry is Virginia's largest, he said.

Phillips said that he agreed with Whitworth and that state colleges should meet the needs of local businesses. ``We have an obligation to give them that program, provided we can do it efficiently,'' he said.

Council officials said they're considering eliminating the programs because not enough students enrolled, graduates and satisfaction with the programs.

If the degrees are discontinued, they would be eliminated over time, allowing students in the programs to finish.

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