NOVA Works Alongside VCCS to Advocate for Funding for Our Students

September 5, 2023 / Tuesday Topics

Today’s topic is the Virginia Community College System 2024-2026 legislative agenda.

Even as the General Assembly reconvenes in Richmond this week for a special session to vote on the delayed 2023-2024 budget, higher education institutions, including the VCCS, are beginning advocacy for funding in the upcoming biennium budget, which will run from 2024 to 2026.

Chancellor David Doré has been consistent in calling for increased investment in VCCS since his appointment. As he recently noted, “The community college system has the potential to be the standard-bearer of the future of higher education, but to keep momentum and allow for the scalability of programming, regional curriculum development and industry alignment, we must strategically invest in a best-in-class community college system that provides world-class talent.”

The Chancellor has formalized the system’s strategic funding priorities for the next biennium budget, which include the following:

  • Increasing regional capacity to grow talent and meet industry workforce demands. This includes increasing funding for state-of-the-art career and technical programs and spaces; Virginia’s FastForward program; career coaches and placement centers; expanded online learning and marketing for VCCS’s affordable educational opportunities.
  • Providing every high school student with a meaningful postsecondary credential. This includes securing funding to blur the lines between high school and college; increase high school dual and concurrent enrollment and provide more and more meaningful opportunities for high school students to earn FastForward credentials.
  • Supporting what works by scaling outcomes-based funding. This includes increasing state support for high-value, high-demand and high-cost programs—both credit and non-credit—that are directly linked to regional workforce needs and that advance student economic and social mobility.

NOVA’s new strategic plan, Inspiring Excellence: A Bold Blueprint for Student Success, aligns with and supports these priorities, positioning our college in the coming months to play a key role in advocating for much-needed resources for VCCS, our college and our students.

I have included here the VCCS document that provides a deeper dive into VCCS’ Legislative Priorities. If you have questions or would like to become involved in advocating for NOVA and the VCCS, please reach out to me at  PresidentsOffice@nvcc.edu.