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 … Continued
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. … Continued
Today’s topic contains a few updates and reminders on items of interest. First, the updates: Virginia Budget Late last week, the Senate and House of Delegates announced an agreement on the delayed 2023-24 Virginia State Budget. While information on the tax implications of the deal have been widely shared, other details of the agreement—including those … Continued
Today’s topic is a welcome! The first week of the semester always flies by in a flash, so with this Tuesday Topic, I simply want to say, welcome to NOVA’s new faculty and staff and welcome back to our returning colleagues! I am grateful for all that you bring to our students, our college and … Continued
Today’s topic contains some important updates: one on tuition and another on our fall convocation. Tuition As I write this message, the General Assembly budget talks in Richmond have yet to resume. In the absence of any new funding that might result from an agreement, Virginia’s community colleges are facing $13.6M in mandated expenditures not … Continued
Today’s topic is your summer reading recommendations. Check them out here: NOVA Collected Summer Reading 2023. NOVA loves to read! You recommended over 80 works spanning fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, plays and poetry. There was little overlap in your submissions—only four titles appeared on multiple lists, highlighting the engaging and enriching diversity of interests across … Continued
This week’s topic is summer reads. As we turn the corner into June this week, it seemed like a good time to check in on what books are on your summer reading list. Maybe your next book is a classic that you’re looking to read for the first or fourth time; a new beach-ready novel … Continued
Today’s topic is the sharing of the spring 2023 haiku submissions. Yesterday’s commencements were a wonderful celebration of our students’ success and your dedication to ensuring their journeys ended with a walk across the stage at graduation. Today seemed an ideal time to share the wonderful haiku many of you wrote in honor of Community … Continued
Today’s topic is commencement. In less than a week, thousands of NOVA Nighthawks will realize their dreams of becoming college graduates. Many will cross the stage on May 15, hearing the cheers of family, friends, faculty and staff filling the EagleBank Arena. I hope you will join us on this—the best day of the year! … Continued
Today’s topic is mental health awareness. The end of any semester always brings more stress, but in the current context, even no more stress might be too much stress. During his visit to NOVA, Chancellor Doré shared that students across the VCCS have identified mental health challenges as their top concern. Nationally, the results of … Continued
