A LETTER FROM PRESIDENT RUNTE ON STATE BUDGET
May 17, 2004
Dear Colleagues,
I would like to thank the Governor of Virginia and our senators and delegates from both parties for approving a budget supportive of higher education in general, and Old Dominion University in particular.
My sincere appreciation also goes to each one of you who called and wrote your representatives on behalf of Old Dominion University. I would like to thank Vice President John Broderick and Elizabeth Wallace for their special assistance, as well as the members of the Board of Visitors, the Educational Foundation, and the Alumni Association who were strong advocates for the university.
The budget provides "a portion of the funding needed to provide adequate base support of the institution's core academic function. These additional funds will allow the institution to serve more students, retain existing students more effectively, increase the number of students receiving a degree or certificate, and enhance the quality and rigor of academic programs."
The budget also includes a 3-percent merit raise for classified staff effective Nov. 25, 2004. In addition, Old Dominion University plans to set aside funds for in-band adjustments permitted by the state compensation and classification system and commits to funding the results of this process over the next few years. Such adjustments will be made at the date of award without retroactivity. For faculty administrators, the budget includes an average 3 percent raise for merit on Nov. 25, 2004. The university will also set aside a fund to begin to deal with market and internal salary alignment and will commit to funding this process in subsequent years. The state budget provides for an average 3-percent merit increase in salary for instructional and research faculty. In addition, the university will add an average of 1.5 percent for a total merit increase averaging 4.5 percent. Also, a fund will be created to deal with equity, retention, compression, and promotion. This fund will be continued in future years as required. All adjustments from this fund will be made at the time of the award. The amount for all categories of employees set aside to address salary issues other than performance will exceed $1 million.
The budget increases student financial assistance by $438,034 per annum and provides one-time research funding in year two of the biennium for research in coastal environmental science and computational modeling.
The equipment trust fund was increased by $1.3 million and a funding adjustment was made for the new Engineering and Computational Sciences Building.
The budget also provides for in-state tuition rates for dependents of military personnel stationed in Virginia for one year only, unless the student or parent is paying income taxes in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The annual funding for the university's Maintenance Reserve will increase from $318,672 to $1.13 million.
Finally, the budget authorized $55 million to support capital projects including $1 million for 43rd Street improvements, $16.5 million for renovation of the H&PE building, $4.6 million for Teletechnet expansion at the Virginia Community Colleges, $1.7 million for Technology Building equipment, $1.5 million for fire sprinkler systems, $4 million for an indoor tennis center, $2.9 million for the Elizabeth River Waterfront project, $5.7 million for Athletic Facilities expansion, $8.2 million for a Village Parking Garage, $6.4 million for the 49th Street parking garage, $2 million for land acquisition, and enabling language for recreational land development plans with the City of Norfolk.
I am enclosing a copy of the amounts to be added to the base of each university in the Commonwealth for base adequacy and enrollment growth over the next two years (fiscal years 2004-2005, 2005-2006).
We must all try to use this funding wisely by supporting our most urgent needs and the strategic initiatives that will help our wonderful university become even better. As we complete our budget, let us celebrate the wisdom of those who drafted it and take pleasure in the use of black ink instead of red, and plus signs instead of minuses!
Sincerely yours,
Roseann Runte
President
Base Operating and Enrollment Growth Funding FY 04-06
College or University - Total ($)
Christopher Newport University - 5,256,678
College of William and Mary - 3,432,872
Richard Bland College - 126,000
George Mason University - 12,058,335
James Madison University - 10,714,180
Longwood University - 5,541,770
Mary Washington College - 1,767,572
Norfolk State University - 439,077
Old Dominion University - 18,046,237
Radford University - 8,240,696
University of Virginia - 11,390,242
University of Virginia's College at Wise - 980,000
Virginia Commonwealth University - 22,300,007
Virginia Community College System - 60,039,391
Virginia Military Institute - 700,000
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University - 12,440,076
Virginia State University - 1,017,474