VCU board of visitors approves 2000-02 budget

By Cari Brunelle
University News Services

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Commonwealth University’s board of visitors today (May 12) approved a two-year budget that continues the freeze on Virginia undergraduate tuition, strengthens the university’s research initiatives and enhances its academic programs in areas such as life sciences and engineering.

The new budget projects revenues of $579.7 million and expenditures of $577.5 million for fiscal year 2000-01, representing a slight increase over this year, and 2001-02 revenues at $597.4 million and expenditures at $594.7 million.

Among VCU’s priorities is a focus on strengthening campus research, with $3.4 million allocated for the first year and $3.1 million the second year. The budgeted research funds will support the research infrastructure, faculty retention and expenses related to the university’s Institutional Review Board.

"Continuing to strengthen our research programs is essential to support our infrastructure for innovation," said Eugene P. Trani, Ph.D., VCU president. "The VCU research faculty are prominent in their fields and among the most creative faculty in the nation. Any future progress at VCU on behalf of teaching and patient care will depend on this body of excellence."

Additional support is allocated for other university priorities such as new School of Engineering faculty, operation of the School of Engineering clean room and the Student Computer Initiative.

Additionally, $3.6 million for the biennium is earmarked to enhance the life sciences curriculum and libraries. VCU launched a major new life sciences initiative last month with the creation of a new position which will lead the development and implementation of life sciences education and scholarship on both VCU’s academic and Medical College of Virginia campuses. VCU named Thomas F. Huff, Ph.D., VCU professor of microbiology and immunology and director of the Institutional Grants program at VCU’s Massey Cancer Center, as its new interim vice provost for life sciences. In addition, several life sciences programs will be integrated into VCU’s new 132,000 square-foot Life Sciences Building, located at Harrison and Cary streets. The $28.1 million facility is scheduled for completion in summer 2001.

University initiatives were funded in part by $2.8 million in budget reallocations for each year of the biennium. The funds were reallocated from all executive levels across the university and represent about 1 percent of the Educational and General Programs budget.

The budget includes a continued freeze on tuition for resident undergraduates at VCU for 2000-01, and only a 2 percent increase for non-resident students and Virginia graduate students. Increases also have been approved in some mandatory campus fees, including 4.9 percent for the student health fee and 6 percent for the university fee, which supports student programs and facilities, intercollegiate athletics and student recreational programs.

In addition, for 2000-01, housing rates will increase by 2 percent and meal plans will increase by 3 percent. The annual technology fee — VCU’s only required instructional fee — will remain at $41 for full-time students.

"We continue to try to find ways to make quality higher education affordable for Virginians. We’re pleased to be able to do that and make investments in our programs at the same time," said Dr. Trani.

The budget includes salary increases of 3 percent for instructional, administrative and professional faculty, part-time faculty and graduate-teaching assistants; and 3.25 percent for classified staff.These increases are only partially funded by state tax dollars. The General Assembly recommended that institutions contribute through incremental revenue from tuition rate increases for in-state graduate students and out-of-state undergraduate and graduate students.

VCU will receive a total of $22 million in funding for the first year of the biennium to support indigent care at VCU’s MCV Hospitals and will continue to seek additional funding for 2001-02.

Total sponsored awards at VCU are projected to reach $116 million in 2001 and $122 million in 2002.