ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, August 7, 1996 TAG: 9608070063
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Republican Gov. George Allen's appointees to the State Council of Higher Education say their council restructuring plan is designed only to make members more effective in working with state colleges and universities.
But Democratic critics charge politics is behind the move by Allen appointees' to form committees to review staff recommendations before they go to the full council. And staff members say they're concerned the plan will create more work for them.
A five-member executive committee, created by Allen's appointees last month, began work Tuesday on a plan to place council members on four committees. Besides the executive committee, there would be committees for budgeting, planning and outreach to other education boards.
``We think we ought to work a little harder,'' said H. Lynn Hopewell Jr. of Fairfax, an executive committee member. ``The council should be a little more involved.''
He said boards of visitors at the state's colleges and universities also use a committee structure. The Democrat-controlled General Assembly works that way, too, he said.
``The senior staff will like this new approach,'' Hopewell said. ``You're going to be spending more time with council members.''
Under the committee system, ``bad ideas are stopped early and good ideas are started early,'' he said.
But Margaret A. Miller, the council's associate director for academic affairs, said staff members are concerned about spending too much time with council members.
``This staff has been stretched pretty thin,'' she said. ``One of our worries is spending a lot more time in meetings and redundant meetings.''
She said the system of having staff members make reports and recommendations to the full council at monthly meetings has worked well since the council was formed 40 years ago.
With committees, staffers could spend up to four days a month attending meetings or planning for them, she said.
``I think there's a way to do it that minimizes the redundancy,'' Hopewell said. He said the council would vote on the proposed committees at its next meeting.
Democratic lawmakers have called the restructuring a power grab that could lead to council members' micromanaging the 39 state-supported colleges and universities, which have been fairly independent of state control.
Del. Alan A. Diamonstein, D-Newport News, said he was considering whether the higher education subcommittee he leads would conduct hearings on the change.
``We're going to wait to see. This is not a witch hunt,'' Diamonstein said. ``Right now, this has created quite a bit of concern.''
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