{"48899":{"#nid":"48899","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Announces Legislative Priorities","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the legislative session begins, advocates for the Institute will not arrive at the capitol without goals and a plan in hand. Working with colleagues across the University System of Georgia (USG) in the summer and fall months of 2009, Georgia Tech\u0027s senior leaders set forth the Institute\u0027s legislative priorities for 2010. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0027s legislative priorities consist of budgetary and non-budgetary items intended to support continued and growing operations and foster investment in innovation. According to Dene Sheheane, Executive Director of Government and Community Relations, \u0022These legislative priorities reflect the needs of Georgia Tech and the University System as a whole to continue to provide a superb education to an increasing number of Georgia students.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the top of the list is a request for $7 million in bonds to furnish the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons (CULC). The CULC has found legislative support in the past two sessions, earning cash and bond allocations of $10 million in 2008 and $43 million in 2009 for site preparation and construction. \u0022This final request will allow us to take the [CULC] from a shell to the innovative learning laboratory that it is meant to be,\u0022 Sheheane said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFollowing closely behind the CULC project are the perennial requests for increases in USG \u0022formula funds\u0022 and Major Repair and Rehabilitation Funds. \u0022With growing demand for higher education in the state, these funds are vital to ensure that we can continue day-to-day operations and maintain our learning facilities,\u0022 Sheheane noted. Increases to these two primary USG accounts are sought annually with a portion of each total University System allocation passed through to Georgia Tech and each USG institution. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERounding out the priority list for 2010 is a request for funding of a campus water relocation project and a call for renewal of a University System funding carry-forward provision. The \u0022Eco-Commons\u0022 water relocation project is intended to help Tech adhere to its master plan, providing infrastructure to improve water management and allow for new green space. Renewal of the USG carry-forward provision will allow the University System and member institutions more flexibility in planning and allocating monetary resources. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGiven the declining tax revenues of the past year and slow rebound projected into 2010, achievement of the Institute\u0027s priorities is not a certainty. Sheheane reflects, \u0022Each state agency and department is feeling the pressure and looking to preserve and grow funding as much as possible.\u0022 \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Our Legislative Network members will be vital to achieving our goals this session. As constituents, they hold a unique ability to get their lawmakers\u0027 attention, and we will need them to reach out on behalf of our Institute.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough times are tough, Sheheane remains optimistic. \u0022Our Institute and the University System of Georgia offers an incredible return on investment to the state in terms of graduates, cutting-edge research, and economic development. We will continue to share that message throughout 2010.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EClick on the link to the right to download a copy of GT\u0027s Legislative Priorities card. \u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"CULC furnishings, Eco-Commons among budget requests"}],"uid":"27331","created_gmt":"2010-01-07 18:10:27","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:04:04","author":"George Ray","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-01-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2010-01-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"48898":{"id":"48898","type":"image","title":"Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons","body":null,"created":"1449175408","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:43:28","changed":"1475894463","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:41:03","alt":"Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons","file":{"fid":"101290","name":"culc.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/culc_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/culc_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":138138,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/culc_0.jpg?itok=7Z5r45qa"}}},"media_ids":["48898"],"groups":[{"id":"47398","name":"GCR (Office of Government and Community Relations)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"7784","name":"Georgia General Assembly"},{"id":"1486","name":"government"},{"id":"2325","name":"Government Relations"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge Ray\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProgram Specialist for Government Relations\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["george.ray@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}