Budget ammendment would restore some tuition grants

RICHMOND - Tuition assistance would continue for some graduate students in private schools if an amended version of the state budget wins approval in the General Assembly.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, seeking to cut about $3 billion from the state budget, proposed in December to eliminate Tuition Assistance Grants for all graduate students in private colleges and universities.

An amendment included in the House Appropriations Committee’s version of the budget, which was debated Thursday, would restore the grants of up to $2,200 per year, but only for students in health-related professional programs.

Nursing, pharmacy, medicine and osteopathic medicine programs are covered by the amendment.

Lynchburg College and Liberty University both offer graduate programs in nursing, and LC also offers a graduate program in physical therapy. The number of students enrolled in those programs wasn’t available Thursday.

Del. Shannon Valentine, D-Lynchburg, is a co-patron on the budget amendment to restore the TAG cut. Del. Bud Phillips, D-Castlewood, sponsored the amendment.

The measure “is very important to Liberty University and Lynchburg College,“ Valentine said.

The TAG grant restoration went unchallenged Thursday when the House of Delegates debated its budget bill.

The amendment’s ultimate fate depends on a conference committee of 12 legislators who will resolve differences between the House and Senate budget bills during the next two weeks.

Reed is a staff writer for The News & Advance in Lynchburg.