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Legislative Advocacy Archives - 2011

November 2011 

Greetings from the Virginia Tech Alumni Association and its Legislative Advocacy Committee...

Election Day is right around the corner, and many members of the General Assembly are in competitive races to ensure their return to the 2012 legislative session. In fact, there are 38 contested House of Delegate races and 27 contested Virginia Senate races this year. We encourage all of our Hokies to go out on November 8th and make their vote count! Find out who your local leaders are in the General Assembly here, or visit the Virginia Public Access Project to access more information about a particular candidate in your area.

Since the adjournment of the 2011 legislative session, Virginia Tech officials have been hard at work with the Governor’s office, and other universities and colleges, to implement the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2011. We appreciate the Governor’s continued commitment to higher education and his investment of nearly $100 million in 2011. Virginia Tech embraced the Governor’s call for affordability and accessibility, and joined James Madison University, the University of Virginia, and the College of William & Mary to increase in-state enrollment. We are happy to report that Virginia Tech fulfilled this agreement and enrolled an additional 50 in-state students for the 2011 entering freshman class.

Uncertainty in state support for higher education has caused institutions to rely more heavily on tuition revenue to support instructional activities and financial aid. Securing financial aid funding for our students is a major priority of the university as we attempt to ensure continued access for low- and moderate-income Virginia undergraduates. Virginia Tech will work with its fellow universities and colleges, the Grow By Degrees campaign, Virginia21 (which lobbies on student-focused issues), and the Virginia Business Higher Education Council, to advocate for more financial aid funding in the 2012 session and 2012-2014 biennium budget.

Recently Governor McDonnell, through his Chief of Staff, requested state agencies to prepare contingency plans for savings equivalent to two, four and six percent of 2012-2014 general fund base appropriations. Targeted reallocation plans for certain areas such as K-12 and higher education will be developed by work groups. These savings plans are intended to provide flexibility for the reallocation of resources given the uncertainty in the economy, especially in light of federal budget issues.

As we look forward to the 2012 session, Virginia Tech understands that state resources will remain limited. Each year we depend on our alumni to be advocates for Virginia Tech’s students and programs, and convey the message that Virginia Tech is a worthy investment now and for the future. Soon Governor McDonnell will submit his 2012-2014 Biennium budget to the General Assembly. Virginia Tech is requesting funding for a number of initiatives, including enhancing our research capacity for economic growth and development, expanding and enhancing our Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Health (STEM + H) degree production, and support for existing and future Virginia student enrollment growth and degree attainment.

Finally, a significant 2011 legislative appropriation has allowed Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) to continue its forward momentum. VCE filled 22 positions that had become vacant though retirements and resignations. An additional 25-28 Extension agent positions will be filled no later than early 2012. An important factor in VCE's ability to fill so many vacancies continues to be on-going political and fiscal support from local governments. Locally-elected officials are key partners with Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Virginia Tech President Charles Steger underscored the University's commitment to Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Stations at a recent meeting with leaders from the Virginia Farm Bureau and the Virginia Agribusiness Council. Dr. Steger also reiterated Tech's intention to move forward with a fresh approach to VCE strengthening, assuring the group that the restructuring plan which had been announced last fall has been withdrawn. The President indicated that we will collaborate with local stakeholders and governments as we move forward.

We hope that you will be able to join us in Richmond on February 2nd, 2012, for our 14th Annual Hokie Day. For more information on our activities for that day, please contact Nancy Hagen: (804) 786-8110 or nhagen@vt.edu.

2011 Hokie Legislators

The Virginia House of Delegates:
Del. Anne B. Crockett-Stark Del. Edward T. Scott
Del. Joe T. May Del. David L. Bulova
Del. Richard Anderson Del. Robert D. Orrock Sr.
Del. James E. Edmunds II Del. William K. Barlow
Del. Johnny S. Joannou Del. Thomas D. Rust 

The Senate of Virginia:
Sen. John C. Watkins Sen. Mark D. Obenshain
Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel Sen. Phillip P. Puckett 

Upcoming Dates:

January 11, 2012 • General Assembly begins
February 2, 2012 • 14th Annual Hokie Day

Questions or Comments?

Please contact:

Elizabeth Hooper
State Legislative Liaison
ehooper@vt.edu

Betty Lee
Regional Alumni Programs & Legislative Advocacy
bettylee@vt.edu

Nancy Hagen
Administrative Staff Assistant
nhagen@vt.edu

Or visit us online!