It’s Down to the Numbers on Virginia’s New Budget

September 12, 2023 / Tuesday Topics

Today’s topic is a VCCS-focused overview of the recently passed Virginia budget.

NOVA is grateful that the General Assembly and Governor Youngkin have made additional, much-needed investments in VCCS to support both our students and our employees. To that point, I will lead with the budget amendment that is likely of greatest interest to the NOVA community: the approved and amended budget includes an additional 2% salary increase. This increase is well-deserved, recognizing the exemplary work by NOVA and all state employees. It will be effective December 10 and will show up in paychecks on December 31. DHRM has yet to release the “hired by date” requirements to qualify for the 2% raise. Once these details are shared with state agencies, including VCCS, NOVA HR will communicate them to you.

Now for the rest. In the amended biennium budget, VCCS received the following:

  • $14.6M in funding to maintain affordable access. These dollars are dedicated to (but do not fully fund) both the previously awarded 5% (effective July 1) and newly awarded 2% raises, the mandated health insurance premium increase and inflationary cost escalations. As you will recall, the VCCS Board approved a small tuition increase for AY 2023-24: the system revenue from the tuition increase will be dedicated to covering the salary/insurance increases and other costs not funded by the $14.6M.
  • $5M in additional funding for FastForward workforce certification grants. In part, these dollars will support the expansion of FF to include high school students, which was recently approved by the VCCS Board. (Also, $250K in a specific allocation for NOVA to work with Prince William County on an apprentice program for fleet maintenance and repair.)
  • $7.5M to support the start-up costs of workforce programs in high-demand/low-supply regions. To access these funds, colleges must have an employer match. The dollars may be used for career and technical education programs that serve high school students. VCCS has not yet determined the criteria for applying and qualifying for these funds.
  • $2.1M to address Nursing shortages by prioritizing increased compensation for VCCS full- and part-time Nursing faculty. VCCS has not yet determined the criteria for distributing these funds.
  • $12.2M to reduce the amount of tuition-generated financial aid. VCCS has not yet determined how to implement this provision.

The approved amendments also included a provision related to higher education funding more broadly. In December 2024, the Joint Subcommittee on Higher Education will reconvene to prioritize a review of funding related to operations and financial aid; prioritize recommendations that improve the funding model and develop a plan for implementing these recommendations.

With this, the 2023-2024 budget is finally decided. We thank our Northern Virginia senators and delegates, the entire General Assembly, and the Governor for identifying and approving additional resources for VCCS!

Our focus now turns to advocacy for stronger VCCS funding in the next biennium budget (2024-2026). Look for more information on how to engage in the advocacy process on behalf of NOVA and VCCS later this fall.