December 17, 2015

Dear Colleague:

I will provide more details Friday regarding Governor McAuliffe's budget, but at first blush, it reads positively for Old Dominion University.

By now, all of you know he has supported our needed life sciences and laboratory facility, as announced last week. This $70 million building will greatly enhance our ability to attract and retain STEM-H students as well as provide additional space for faculty research.

Today, he announced increases for ODU in operating support ($7.4 million over the biennium) and financial aid ($8.6 million over the biennium), plus support for a joint online degree venture with George Mason ($8.1 million total) and a center to study sea level rise and recurrent flooding with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science ($900,000 over the biennium for each institution).

While the General Assembly session will address all budget matters in January, I am grateful to the Governor and his cabinet for this needed support, and to Elizabeth Kersey and our Board of Visitors for their assistance.

Sincerely,

John R. Broderick
President