President@NOVA

January 7, 2025 / @NOVA

In December, Governor Youngkin introduced his fiscal year 2026 amendments to the current biennium budget. In his remarks to the General Assembly’s Joint Money Committees, the governor praised Virginia’s colleges and universities while also calling for an increased focus on affordability and the need for higher education institutions to find savings by reducing administrative and overhead costs. His introduced amendments support capital investment in college and university facilities (including at NOVA) but allocate no new operating funds to higher education. The governor’s budget amendments also call for no tuition increases at Virginia public colleges and universities in the fiscal year 2026 and a ceiling on future tuition increases.

Focusing on VCCS and NOVA, the Governor’s introduced amendments

  • provide hold harmless high school dual enrollment (HSDE) tuition funding for VCCS institutions that will lose this revenue when dual enrollment offered in high schools must be at no cost to students (does not impact NOVA)
    • add HSDE funding to expand CTE dual enrollment to include FastForward for high school students
    • increase FastForward funding
    • create stable funding for the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP)
    • increase the funding for the Annandale Campus Founder’s Hall capital project to allow for the building to be replaced rather than renovated (planning showed renovation to be unfeasible; shows as “Godwin Hall” in the amendment)

We thank Governor Youngkin for the important and needed investments in HSDE and VMSDEP and increased FastForward funding. NOVA is especially grateful for the expanded funding for the Annandale Campus’ Founder’s Hall, which is essential to this project.

As part of our budget advocacy, NOVA held two December breakfast meetings for our delegates, senators and their staff. In these convenings, I provided updates on our college; Chancellor Doré and Associate Vice Chancellor Davenport outlined the VCCS funding priorities; and impressive NOVA students in Welding, Automotive Tech, Healthcare, IT, and transfer programs shared their stories, talked about the importance of the General Assembly’ s investment and spoke movingly about the role our college and our exceptional faculty and staff played in their current success and brighter futures.

In January and February, we will travel to Richmond to meet with our General Assembly members to amplify the VCCS requests for budget amendments. VCCS is seeking funding amendments to (1) expand high demand, high-cost career pathway programs; and (2) cover the second-year costs of the well-deserved employee raises and benefits awarded in the biennium budget.

Our General Assembly members deeply respect and value NOVA and praise the transformational role our college plays in the lives of our students and economic growth of our community. Credit for NOVA’s stellar reputation and inspiring outcomes goes to you and your commitment to our mission. Thank you! It is an honor to advocate for the amazing, powerful work that happens at our college.

I will update you on the progress of this short budget session next month.

Anne