Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner revealed new pieces of his Education for a Lifetime initiative, setting goals for Virginia colleges and universities to increase degrees by 10,000 each year and to increase yearly research budgets to $1 billion annually, in a speech at the College of William & Mary Tuesday.
Warner said he hoped these changes would be in effect by 2010.
Currently, Virginia's public colleges and universities collectively award 47,000 degrees each year. Of this total, 10,000 are associate degrees, 25,000 are bachelor's degrees, 9,000 are master's degrees and 3,000 are doctoral level degrees. Virginia colleges and universities' current combined research budgets are an estimated $600 to 700 million annually.
Higher education benefits Virginia by creating a class of people who have earning and spending power beyond that of those without degrees and by stimulating innovation and economic development through research, Warner said at the speech.
Warner said he was optimistic about the plan's chances for success despite the economic hardships currently facing the state.
"We must use this recessionary time to challenge old assumptions, to use existing resources more wisely and to reform and restructure our system of higher education to meet the challenges of a new era," Warner said.
In hard times, boosting research budgets will require innovation, Warner spokesperson Kevin Hall said.
"It is the governor's hope that the universities can get there by working together as opposed to competing for the same grants," Hall said.
Additionally, schools should consider shifting their research priorities to homeland security concerns in order to capitalize on their proximity to Washington D.C., Hall said.
Innovation also will be required to accommodate the increased enrollments inherent in an increase in degree output, he added.
"The governor is challenging colleges and universities to take advantage of technology such as distance learning and to perhaps take another look at what are called articulation agreements -- the transfer agreements that they have with each other and with the community colleges as to possible ways to boost the number of degrees awarded each year," he said.
Additional infrastructure needed to accomplish these twin goals including scientific equipment and lab space, new classroom and dorms will be paid for with the billion dollar bond package endorsed by Virginians last fall, according to Hall.
"With the bond package, we see negligible cost [to colleges and universities to implement the two goals]," he said.
University spokesperson Carol Wood voiced general support for the initiative, but questioned how the state would derive possible funding sources.
"It's certainly important for the state that public higher education's financial needs are met -- especially considering the expected increase in the number of Virginians who will be applying to college," Wood said. "But it's uncertain at this time, given the state's economic situation, where the money will come from."
The initiatives outlined Tuesday come as the latest in a series of goals comprising Warner's Education for a Lifetime program.
Previously announced initiatives include a "Senior Year Plus" program aimed at college-bound high school students, teacher retention and support reforms, workforce development reforms and efficiency-based reviews of state school budgets.
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