Legislative update: a briefing for faculty and staff of the University System of Georgia, No. 5 (Feb. 11, 2010)

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

A Briefing for Faculty & Staff of the University System of Georgia No. 5, February 11, 2010 "Creating a More Educated Georgia"

House Appropriations Committee Makes FY 2010 Recommendations
On Wednesday, the House Appropriations Committee approved the recommendations of its Higher Education Subcommittee for the Fiscal Year 2010 Amended Budget, which funds the University System of Georgia (USG) through June 30, 2010.
On the heels of a report on Tuesday that the state's tax revenues have now declined for the 14th consecutive month, the Higher Education Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Earl Ehrhart, recommended an additional reduction of $7.6 million to the USG budget, representing two furlough days for University System employees.
The recommendations also included an additional reduction of $1.7 million to the budgets of the University System's special funding initiatives. Another recommended reduction shaves $150,000 from the funds the state is providing to enable the USG to assist NCR in relocating its world headquarters to Georgia and retooling a manufacturing facility in Columbus.
The Higher Education Subcommittee also recommended that the special funding initiative that provides Georgia Gwinnett College with needed "start-up" funds become part of the USG's formula funding and that $88,000 be restored to the USG's budget for the Southern Regional Education Board and $27,000 be restored for the USG Research Consortium.
The House of Representatives was scheduled to vote on the FY 2010 Amended Budget today. Q

Carry-Forward Bill Introduced
House Bill 1128, which permits the University System of Georgia (USG) and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) to carry forward from one year to the next a percentage of the annual tuition revenues they collect was introduced this week by Rep. Earl Ehrhart of Powder Springs.
The ability to carry forward tuition revenues from year to year gives the two systems flexibility in matching revenues with an-
See "Carry," Page 2 ...

Legislature Honors Regent Elridge McMillan for Service to Higher Ed, HBCUs

Both houses in the Georgia General Assembly recently recognized Dr. Elridge McMillan, the longest serving member of the Board of Regents in the history of the University System of Georgia.
Resolutions read in both the House of Representatives and the Senate praised the former regent for "his selfless service to

education, his commitment to Georgia's institutions of higher education and his stalwart support of Georgia's Historically Black Colleges and Universities" (HBCUs).
McMillan served as a regent for 34 years before retiring from the board in August 2009. He played a key role in implementing a federally ordered desegrega-

tion plan for the USG's colleges and universities during the 70s and 80s and served as the board's first AfricanAmerican chairman in 1986-87.
The first AfricanAmerican president of the Southern Education Foundation and a recognized expert in the fields of higher education policy, research, governance and curriculum de-

velopment, McMillan currently serves as Scholar-in-Residence at Atlanta Metropolitan College. Q

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -- February 11, 2010, Issue No. 5

Carry Forward
Continued from Page 1...
ticipated expenditures. TCSG has not had this option available before.
Legislation passed in 2008 allowed the USG to begin carrying forward up to 3 percent of its tuition revenue, but the bill contained a June 2010 sunset provision, meaning that this strategy can only continue to be used if a similar bill extending tuition carry-forward is passed during this session.

The sunset provision also applies to revenue collected from departmental sales or services, continuing education fees, technology fees or indirect cost recoveries.
The bill also allows the two systems to write off small amounts $100 to $3,000 which have been deemed not collectible. This relates primarily to student receivables and will have no fiscal impact on the State. Q

Session Schedule for Remainder of February
Thursday, Feb. 11.................................... Legislative Day 17 Friday, Feb. 12.......................................... In adjournment Monday,Feb. 15....................................... In adjournment Tuesday, Feb. 16...................................... Legislative Day 18 Wednesday, Feb. 17............................... Legislative Day 19 Thursday, Feb. 18.................................... Legislative Day 20 Friday, Feb. 19.......................................... In adjournment Monday,Feb. 22....................................... In adjournment Tuesday, Feb. 23...................................... Legislative Day 21 Wednesday, Feb. 24............................... Legislative Day 22 Thursday, Feb. 25.................................... Legislative Day 23 Friday, Feb. 26.......................................... In adjournment

-- 2 --