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Virginia's Political Leaders Send $36 Million Over the Next Two Years Home to RU; RADFORD – The Virginia General Assembly and Governor Tim Kaine have good news for Radford University. The budget that Assembly conferees proposed to Governor Kaine, and the Governor has now approved, contains over $17 million in new operating general funds for the 2006-2008 biennium and approval for $19 million in capital projects. “This infusion of additional operational and construction monies will help us move the university’s strategic initiatives forward,” said President Penelope W. Kyle. Kyle established a special commission in January to assess RU’s future direction and recently appointed the institution’s first Provost. “Our institution has a solid foundation, but our campus community agrees that we must now refine and strengthen our programs to continue meeting the needs of our students today and tomorrow,” she said. Former Governor Mark Warner’s last budget submission included new funding for RU, but the state legislature’s budget provides substantially greater funding in base budget adequacy, in addition to supporting funds for faculty salaries, student financial aid, capital projects, and institutional initiatives. “That’s significant for us and, in fact, is the single largest increase in recent years,” Kyle said. “I am very pleased with the end result of this budget and what it means for Radford University,” said Senator Brandon Bell (R- Roanoke County). “Working with Senator William Wampler as a budget conferee, we were able to make a significant investment in our region.” Radford’s biennial budget also includes an additional $1 million appropriation in financial aid, suggesting the Governor and the Legislators recognize that RU serves a diverse population of students from a variety of social and economic backgrounds. “Historically Radford has been known as an institution that recruits the state’s young citizens, many of whom are first generation college students, who then choose to make Virginia their home after graduation. That’s a service we’ve provided the state for almost a century,” Kyle said. More than 91 percent of RU students are Virginians. Dr. Ivelaw Griffith will soon arrive on RU’s campus as its first Provost in the school’s nearly 100 year history. Griffith will leave the post of Dean of the Honors College at Florida International University in Miami and head north to Radford later this month. “News of such a significant increase in funding is music to my ears,” said Griffith. “Keeping the interests of our students and faculty in central focus, the President and I have an ambitious agenda to strengthen our already strong record of teaching, research and service. The President clearly led a highly successful budget process.” Radford’s biennial budget contains more than $2 million in general funds to develop clinical simulation laboratories for nursing students in the Waldron College of Health and Human Services. “The labs, which will be located at the Roanoke Higher Education Center, where RU already provides programs for hundreds of students each semester, and in Radford, are tremendous assets for our region,” Kyle said. Students and licensed nurses from area programs and medical facilities will have access to the labs. In addition, RU’s biennial budget contains more than $1 million to replace the administrative computing system that will significantly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the University’s student, academic and administrative services. The $19 million earmarked for construction will help renovate academic and auxiliary buildings. The University’s soon-to-be constructed Douglas and Bea Covington Fine Arts Center received additional monies for equipment. “I truly believe that every dollar invested in higher education is an investment in the community and its future,” said Delegate Dave Nutter (R – Christiansburg). “I am pleased to see my fellow members of the General Assembly recognize the importance of funding for RU as I do.” “We realize there are difficult fiscal choices faced by our elected officials each year. We are grateful for their support for higher education and for Radford University,” said Kyle. |
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July 2006 |
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