                                ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Monday, January 22, 1996               TAG: 9601220036
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-3  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: PHILIP WALZER

HOW DID FUNDING INCREASE SHRINK?

How did Gov. George Allen's $475 million increase for higher education turn out to be barely more than $100 million?

Til Hazel, a Northern Virginia developer who heads the Virginia Business Higher Education Council, says the true amount of Allen's increase in terms of day-to-day needs of state-supported colleges is about $108 million. And the presidents peg it slightly less, at $105 million.

Here's what Hazel, in a recent budget analysis, deducts from the Allen plan and why:

$210 million in savings from ``restructuring'' and an employee buyout program. Hazel and college leaders say the schools had already been told they could keep the money.

$127 million for construction and renovation of buildings. Hazel says that isn't ``operating money'' for day-to-day expenses and isn't used in national calculations of per-student funding.

$22 million to complete 1995-96 raises. Raises are given every December. Hazel says that should not be considered an increase, since the raise already was approved.

$8 million for Tuition Assistance Grants. They go only to students at private colleges.

LENGTH: Short :   41 lines
KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1996

by CNB