Bond plan includes funding for key VCU priorities

By Carrie Carroll

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced his plan to issue $2.43 billion in bonds, including a portion dedicated to initiatives at Virginia Commonwealth University and other higher education institutions, during a speech at the VCU McGlothlin Medical Education Center today.

McAuliffe’s plan calls for investments in a range of efforts, including higher education, ports, the juvenile justice system, state parks, water quality improvements and veterans services.

“My emphasis has been on the projects that will support specific measurable goals for economic growth and educating a 21st century STEM workforce,” McAuliffe said. “The largest portion of this bond package is earmarked for our colleges and universities to address the growing demand for post-secondary STEM-H education as well as workforce training in these high demand fields. This bond package contains $850 million for our four-year institutions and an additional $214 million for our community colleges.”

At VCU, the governor is recommending bond funding to consolidate the School of Allied Health Professions, which is currently spread across five buildings on two different campuses, and to provide more labs and research space for the School of Engineering.

 “We are very fortunate to have such a forward-thinking, enthusiastic, can-do partner, not just for higher education, but for the entire commonwealth,” VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., said in his opening remarks. “He wants us to achieve the kind of potential that he knows we are capable of.”

McAuliffe also talked about what the funding will do for other universities, colleges and community colleges throughout the state.

“If we’re going to have the smartest, most educated workers, we need to make sure that they have the infrastructure to compete in the global economy,” McAuliffe said. “Our goal is to make Virginia the ‘brain state.’”

 

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