Senate subcommittee advances bill to expand New College Institute board and add institutional partners

Madam Chair opened the subcommittee and took up SB 299, sponsored by Senator Srinivasan. The bill updates the statutory composition of the New College Institute board of directors to ‘‘better align the institute's governance structure with other higher education centers’’ and with regional workforce and education partners, Srinivasan said. The proposal raises the board size from 15 to 20 and preserves existing House and Senate legislative representation.

Proponents said the change adds institutional participation from the Virginia Community College System and partner institutions including Longwood University, Virginia Tech and Radford, and makes the president of Patrick & Henry Community College (or the president's designee) an ex officio, nonvoting member. Senator Srinivasan told the committee the bill reduces gubernatorial citizen appointments from 10 to 7 and specifies that five of the seven appointees will represent West Piedmont, public education and regional business and industry.

Olivia Garrett, chief advancement officer at New College Institute and executive director of the New College Institute Foundation, said the measure would align NCI with other regional higher-education centers and increase access in southern Virginia. Senator Head said the bill ‘‘will help a lot’’ and may put a ‘‘troubled institution’’ on the right footing.

The subcommittee moved and seconded to report SB 299 to the full committee; the voice vote was recorded as in favor ('Aye').

The committee will send its recommendation to the full committee; no further timing was set in the hearing record.