SB 819 (Edwards) was heard on Feb. 14 in the Higher Education Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. Dr. Jennifer Gentry, vice chancellor for institutional advancement for the Virginia Community College System and executive director of the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education made a compelling case to the subcommittee members about the value to the Commonwealth of the two-year scholarship match legislation.

The subcommittee decided that this legislation had merit, and should be examined within the context of the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation, and Investment, which will be working for another year. The subcommittee directed that a letter be sent to the Chairman of the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education so that the scholarship match concept could be explored as a part of the committee’s work plan during the upcoming year. 

SB 1363 (Stosch) received a unanimous vote in the House Education Committee last week, and was re-referred to the House Appropriations Committee, where it has been assigned to the higher education subcommittee. Community College presidents Dr. Gary Rhodes and Dr. Marshall Smith testified in favor of the bill last week, as did Kim Harding, a Germanna Community College student.  The VCCS appreciates all of the work of Senator Walter Stosch in sponsoring SB 1363.

The House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance Committee have each approved competing versions of the state budget, and once they reject the budget bills of the opposing house, conferees will officially be named. Last year’s conferees were Senators Colgan, Howell, Houck, Saslaw, Stosch and Wampler and Delegates Putney, Cox, Landes, Sherwood, Jones and  Joannou. The calendar calls for the first conference report on the budget to be complete by Feb. 22.