Legislative Advocacy Archives - 2005
January 11, 2005
Join Us February 2nd for Virginia Tech Hokie Day at the General Assembly...
We have set the date for our 7th annual Hokie Day at the Virginia General Assembly, which provides an excellent opportunity for Virginia Tech alumni to visit their local members of the Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Senate. If you can, please join us in Richmond on the morning of Wednesday, February 2nd, to meet with your legislators and voice support for Virginia Tech. Making advance appointments for your visits is strongly recommended. Contact information for legislators is on-line at legis.state.va.us (click on "Senators" or "Delegates").
Hokie Day will begin with a continental breakfast at 8:00 a.m. in the SunTrust Bank Building, with a brief program to follow at 8:30. If you can join us on the 2nd, please respond to Nancy Hagen in the Richmond office at 804-786-8110 or email nhagen@vt.edu. The SunTrust Building is at 919 East Main Street, and proceed to the 24th Floor. Nancy can provide specific directions to SunTrust and parking information. We will brief you on specific Virginia Tech priorities when everyone is gathered that morning and provide an outline of the salient points to use in your visits with legislators. Later, we will gather in the Capitol for a photo with Governor Warner at about 11:30 a.m. and return after the convening of the Assembly sessions to the SunTrust Building for a debriefing and lunch.
As you know, the Chartered University Initiative is highest among the university's priorities for consideration in this session. Your personal visits with legislators will be extremely important in helping Virginia Tech with its legislative requests this year. We look forward to having you join us on February 2nd.
Sincerely,
Thomas C. Tillar, Jr.
Vice President for Alumni Relations
February 10, 2005
Hokie Day on February 2, 2005, Results
Thanks to all who participated in our Hokie Day at the General Assembly on February 2nd. We gathered Hokies from many parts of Virginia to meet with their legislators as advocates for support of Virginia Tech and higher education. The alumni and students participating represented class years ranging from 1934 to 2007 - - 73 years! Areas of the state that were represented included Northern Virginia, Richmond, Tri-cities, Tideneck, Tidewater, Roanoke, New River Valley, Emporia, Williamsburg, Lynchburg, Fredericksburg, Culpepper, Augusta, Charlottesville, Martinsville, and Danville.
The good news is that bills providing for "Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations" have advanced in both legislative houses with strong votes of support.
On Tuesday of this week, two bills - HB 2866 and SB1327 - which propose a new restructured relationship between higher education and the Commonwealth, passed their respective houses. The bills passed in the Senate with a 37 to 3 vote and in the House by 76 to 22. Both bills create a three step process for further decentralization and autonomy in managing the administrative and financial operations of all public colleges and universities (step three is essentially the former "Charter Initiative").
This legislation is critical to the future of the university and the entire system of higher education. It provides much needed flexibility and reduced governmental oversight in the areas of capital outlay, procurement, human resources, and financial management. In return, the institutions commit to certain state goals in the areas of enrollment, access, financial aid, defined articulation agreements, partnering with public education, and increased economic development activities. State institutions would receive a varying amount of autonomy based on the institutions' expertise and ability to manage operations in a particular area. The Boards of Visitors would be vested with greater authority in managing the institutions locally. The institutions would also commit to developing a six-year financial plan and to meeting certain performance standards and benchmarks in exchange for this increased management authority.
The bills now cross over into opposite houses, where they will be heard in committee before advancing to the House and Senate floors within the next two weeks. Voices of support from our alumni are still needed to reinforce the favorable momentum established by these initial votes. A call, letter or email to your legislator will have a powerful impact on the ultimate passage and adoption of this legislation.
Thanks, again, for your help and support.
Thomas C. Tillar, Jr.
Vice President for Alumni Relations
March 14, 2005
Next Steps for the Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act
The Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act passed both houses and is awaiting the Governor's signature and possible amendments. The legislation provides for three levels of graduated autonomy from state rules and regulations in capital outlay, financial management, human resources, and procurement for all public institutions of higher education.
Level 1 of the restructuring initiative requires the institutions to commit to ten different state goals in exchange for greater flexibility in designated operational areas. In addition, if the institutions meet certain performance measures they will receive financial benefits including interests earnings, charge card rebates, and unexpended appropriations. Each institution is responsible for developing and submitting to the State Council of Higher Education a six year institutional plan which includes separate plans in financial management, academic planning, and enrollment.
Level 2 allows the institutions to negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding with the Administration for further decentralization in areas designated by the Governor.
Level 3 requires meeting all the requirements in Level 1, but also sets up an entirely new management model for the institutions where all operations are managed locally by the Board of Visitors and central reporting is limited to meeting designated performance measures as negotiated through a management agreement between the institution and the Commonwealth. The provisions in Level 3 are similar to what was originally sought in the charter initiative.
Work will soon begin on six-year institutional plans, which are due October 1. The State Council of Higher Education is charged with developing the templates for these plans.
Virginia Tech is most interested in Level 3 and negotiating a management agreement, which must be done by November 15.
The bill's passage through the General Assembly was due in large part to the tremendous support of the university's friends and alumni. Thank you for your help with this initiative and for conveying your support to legislators around the state. We were fortunate to also have a number of key legislators who served as advocates to ensure the legislation passed both houses.
The General Assembly reconvenes on April 6 to vote on the Governor's amendments. Another update will follow the reconvene session.
Thomas C. Tillar, Jr.
Vice President for Alumni Relations