Controversy has emerged in the wake of a commentary on community college budgeting by Piedmont Community College President Frank Friedman.
Del. Vincent F. Callahan Jr., R-Fairfax, recently issued a Freedom of Information Act request for Glenn DuBois, chancellor of the Virginia Community College Systems.
According to a March 5 letter in The Daily Progress by Friedman, the governor and Senate's proposed budget would give community colleges $25 million more over a two-year period than is projected in the House's budget, which allocates the money to transportation.
Friedman's letter misrepresented the House's position, Callahan said.
"I think [Friedman] had a number of errors and misstatements about how we treated education in Virginia," Callahan said. "We increased over the community college system by $95 million -- 14 percent over the current budget -- and he says we cut the budget."
The letter stokes a debate that has continued between the House and the Senate, explained Del. David Toscano, D-Charlottesville.
"What you've got is a situation where the House Republicans can claim the community colleges got an increase over last budget cycle and President Friedman can also claim that the House Republican budget trimmed 27 to 28 million dollars off of Gov. Warner's proposed funding," Toscano said.
The letter and subsequent editorial responses led Callahan to submit a FOIA request for DuBois's information, Callahan said.
The letters "were all saying the same thing, like a student from U.Va. lifted a term paper off the Internet," Callahan said. "We wanted to find out where they came from and if they came from the office of the Chancellor of the Virginia community colleges."
Callahan's actions can be seen as a divisive move for House and Senate relations, Toscano said.
"I frankly do not see how a [FOIA] request is going to get us closer to the compromise that needs to be struck," Toscano said. "I'm not sure what that gets us in terms of resolving the budget impasse that we are now in."
Friedman and DuBois did not return multiple phone calls.
Read More
Department of Education reverses course, awards Federal Executive Institute to U.Va.
By Ford McCracken | 2 days agoThe ED had previously awarded the institute to Charlottesville City Schools.
Students reflect on the life and legacy of Pope Francis
By Bertie Azqueta | 3 days agoAt the University, students shared a range of perspectives on his legacy of reform, inclusivity and his impact on the global Catholic community.
What does the University’s contract with dining service Aramark entail?
By Brandon Kile | 3 days agoThe Cavalier Daily submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the University for its contract with Aramark to understand the specific terms of the agreement.
