TITLE 23. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

§§ 23-1.01, 23-9.2:3.1, 23-38.84, 23-101, and 23-102.
See § 2.2-720; HB 2321.

§ 23-2.3 added.
Annual reporting of the use of student activity fees. Requires each public two- and four-year institution of higher education in the Commonwealth to publish annually a descriptive report detailing the (i) amount and distribution of student activity fees assessed each semester or during an academic year; and (ii) the name of each organization, including the nature of the organization's activity, that receives funding of $100 or more from student activity fees. The bill also requires each institution to post the annual report on its website to facilitate access and availability of the report to students enrolled at the institution and their parents. HB 1816; CH. 532.

§ 23-4.3:1 added.
Higher education; textbook sales and bookstores. Prohibits employees at Virginia public institutions of higher education from demanding or receiving any payment, loan, subscription, advance, deposit of money, services or anything, present or promised, as an inducement for requiring students to purchase a specific textbook required for coursework or instruction. An exception allows the employee to receive (i) sample copies, instructor's copies, or instructional material, not to be sold; and (ii) royalties or other compensation from sales of textbooks that include such instructor's own writing or work.
The measure also requires the governing boards to implement procedures for making available to students in a central location and in a standard format on the relevant institutional website listings of textbooks required or assigned for particular courses at the institution.
Finally, institutions maintaining a bookstore supported by auxiliary services or operated by a private contractor must post the listing of such textbooks when the relevant instructor or academic department identifies the required textbooks for order and subsequent student purchase. HB 1726; CH. 530.

§ 23-7.4:1 amended.
Virginia War Orphans Education Act. Adds the children of parents who are killed or disabled as a result of service in military operations against terrorism, a peace-keeping mission, or a terrorist act subsequent to December 6, 1941, to the list of children eligible to attend public institutions of higher education or other public accredited postsecondary institutions granting a certificate, diploma, or degree, free of tuition, room and board, and required fees. Clarifies that the children of members of the United States Armed Services Reserves and the Virginia National Guard Reserve called to active military duty and who are killed in action or are totally and permanently disabled are also eligible for such benefits.
This bill also makes the benefits consistent between eligible children of members of the military and eligible children and spouses of persons who are killed in the line of duty while employed or serving as law-enforcement officers, firefighters, correctional officers, local and regional jail farm superintendents, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, or in emergency medical services. Further, this bill provides technical amendments to clarify for whom tuition and required fees are waived. HB 1682; CH. 783/SB 1288; CH. 773.

§ 23-7.5 amended.
Higher education; vaccination for hepatitis B. Provides that full-time students enrolled for the first time in any four-year public institution of higher education shall be vaccinated against hepatitis B unless the student signs a waiver that he has received and reviewed information on hepatitis B and the availability and effectiveness of being vaccinated. SB 712; CH. 15.

§§ 23-9.2:3, 23-9.6:1, and 23-9.14:2 amended; § 23-9.2:3.02 added.
Articulation agreements. Requires the governing board of each four-year public institution of higher education, beginning with academic year 2006-2007, to develop additional articulation and transfer agreements with uniform application to all institutions within the Virginia Community College System that (i) meet appropriate general education and program requirements at the four-year institutions; and (ii) provide additional opportunities for associate degree graduates to be admitted and enrolled. The State Council of Higher Education, consistent with its responsibility to facilitate the development of articulation agreements, must develop guidelines for such agreements.
Current law requires the State Council to develop a State Transfer Module designating those general education courses that are offered within various associate degree programs at the public two-year institutions that are transferable for credit or admission with standing as a junior (third year) to the public four-year institutions. HB 2337; CH. 818.

§ 23-9.2:3.4.
See § 22.1-298; HB 2790.

§ 23-9.2:3.5.
See § 22.1-200.03; SB 950.

§§ 2.2-1124, 2.2-1132, 2.2-1149, 2.2-1150, 2.2-1153, 2.2-1514, 2.2-2007, 2.2-2901, 23-9.6:1, 36-98.1, 51.1-124.3, 51.1-505, and 51.1-506 amended; §§ 2.2-1404.1, 2.2-2518 through 2.2-2523, 2.2-5004, 2.2-5005, 23-9.2:3.02, 23-9.6:1.01, 23-38.88 through 23-38.121, and 30-133.1 added.
Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act. Sets forth enabling legislation for the restructuring of public institutions of higher education (institutions) that will extend, upon the satisfaction of various conditions, autonomy, which includes but is not limited to, capital building projects, procurement and personnel, while providing oversight mechanisms and establishing certain expectations. Under the bill, three levels of autonomy will be available to all public institutions of higher education with the level of autonomy depending on each institution's financial strength and ability to manage day-to-day operations. The bill also requires such institutions to develop six-year academic, financial and enrollment plans that outline tuition and fee estimates as well as enrollment projections, to develop detailed plans for meeting statewide objectives, and to accept a number of accountability measures, including meeting benchmarks related to accessibility and affordability.The Governor is required to submit his recommendations for the third level of autonomy as of part the budget bill or amendments to the budget bill for review and approval by the General Assembly. HB 2866; CH. 933/SB 1327; CH. 945.

§§ 23-9.8:1 and 23-38.53:21 through 23-38.53:24.
See §30-231.1; HB 2588/SB 1034.

§§ 2.2-2101 and 23-14 amended; §§ 23-231.24 through 23-231.29 added.
Southern Virginia Higher Education Center. Continues the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, previously established as an off-campus center of Longwood University, as an educational institution charged to, among other things, encourage the expansion of higher education, including adult and continuing education, associate, undergraduate, and graduate degree programs and foster partnerships between the public and private sectors to enhance higher education in the region.
The Center is governed by a 15-member Board of Trustees, consisting of the Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia or his designee; the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System or his designee; the presidents or chancellors, as appropriate, or their designees of Longwood University, Danville Community College, and Southside Virginia Community College; the division superintendent of Halifax County Public Schools; three legislators; and six gubernatorially-appointed nonlegislative citizen members. The Board is authorized to establish agreements with public and private institutions of higher education to provide associate, undergraduate, and graduate level instructional programs at the Center.
Currently, the Center is located in South Boston and is governed by the Southern Virginia Higher Education Consortium, which includes Longwood University, Southside Virginia Community College, and Danville Community College. HB 2071; CH. 799/SB 1293; CH. 774.

§ 23-41 amended.
College of William and Mary; rector. Extends the term of the current rector of the College of William and Mary for one year, to June 30, 2006. The measure also authorizes the expansion of the 17-member board to 18 members from July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006. Finally, the measure deletes obsolete language. SB 1310; CH. 12.

§ 23-50.16:12.
See § 57-16.1; HB 2697.

§ 23-231.3 amended.
Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. Increases from five to seven the citizen members of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, (thereby increasing the board membership from 21 to 23) and specifies that the citizen members shall include two business and industry leaders, and three individuals, one each representing the technology, tourism, and health care industries, respectively. Current law requires that a public school teacher or a division superintendent be included among the citizen members. HB 2422; CH. 550.

§§ 23-276.1 through 23-276.8 and 23-276.11 amended.
Certification of postsecondary schools. Clarifies the role of the State Council of Higher Education (SCHEV) in the certification of postsecondary schools (degree-granting schools other than public institutions of higher education and noncollege degree schools). Previously, SCHEV approved programs of study; this measure provides for the certification of schools rather than program approval. This certification authority does not address professional or training programs subject to a Virginia health regulatory board or other state or federal governmental agency. HB 1719; CH. 447.

§§ 23-286.1 and 23-286.2 added.
Christopher Reeve Stem Cell Research Fund. Establishes a special nonreverting, revolving and permanent fund for the support of stem cell research in honor of Christopher Reeve. The Fund will be used to support medical and biomedical stem cell research conducted in Virginia institutions of higher education relating to the causes and cures of disease, including, but not limited to, paralysis caused by spinal cord injury, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and neurological disorders, such as Lou Gehrig's disease. No moneys from the Fund may be provided to any entity that conducts human stem cell research from stem cells obtained from human embryos, or for conducting such research; however, research conducted using stem cells other than embryonic stem cells may be funded. The Fund will consist of appropriations, gifts, grants, and donations from public or private sources, will be administered by the Commonwealth Health Research Board (an existing board with appropriate expertise), will not require matching funds from the institutions, and may be used to support stem cell research that is not eligible for federal research funds through the National Institutes of Health. SB 1194; CH. 696.

§§ 23-287 and 23-297.
See § 30-73.2; SB 1115.