Tech Approves Budget; Up $46 Million

Virginia Tech College of the Arts, coming soon at $90 million.^

Virginia Tech's Board of Visitors has approved a $1.1 billion budget for all its programs during academic year 2010-11, an increase of $46 million over the adjusted 2009-10 budget.

The increase reflects changes in non-general fund revenues for 2010-11, actions of the 2010 General Assembly session that will impact the 2010-11 General Fund appropriation, and the federal support through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The overall change includes an increase of $30 million attributable to the Educational and General program (primarily federal stimulus) and $9 million of projected growth in auxiliary enterprises.

In other actions:

• The board approved a resolution allowing the College of Natural Resources to change the college name to the College of Natural Resources and Environment. “The new name will align the college with current and proposed academic programs and positions the college to take advantage of opportunities in emerging scholarship,” says Dean Paul Winistorfer. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will create a new Bachelor of Science degree program in Agribusiness.
• Approved a resolution to create a new Master of Arts Degree program in Material Culture and Public Humanities, a joint venture of the Department of Religion and Culture and the art history program. It will prepare students for careers in community cultural organizations, museums, historical societies, humanities foundations, historic preservation, and governmental and non-governmental organizations.
• Approved a resolution changing the university’s consulting policy which previously prohibited “regular outside employment.” The revision now allows outside employment with prior approval of the supervisor and relevant university officials.
• Approved a resolution adopting campus design principles that will guide future campus construction and renovation.
• Approved a resolution that would close Virginia Tech Dec. 25 to Jan. 1 each year beginning in 2011.
• Board members selected George Nolen, retired president and chief executive officer of Siemens Corporation, to serve as rector, and Shelley Duke, owner and manager of Rallywood Farm, located in Middleburg, Va., to serve as vice-rector. Kim O’Rourke, a member of the Office of the President, was reappointed as secretary to the board.