The Virginian Pilot May 11, 2016 Gov. Terry McAuliffe touts higher education spending at Norfolk State University * By Cherise M. Newsome The Virginian-Pilot<https://pilotonline.com/users/profile/cherise%20newsome> Gov. Terry McAuliffe wants state-funded colleges to keep tuition low, provide more opportunities for underserved students and better prepare them for the workforce. McAuliffe visited Norfolk State University on Wednesday to discuss his higher education budget and vision. The two-year budget, approved by the General Assembly earlier this year, includes about $1 billion for education, $300 million of which is earmarked for higher education. The money will provide incentives to colleges that help underrepresented students, support career-credentialing programs, and attract and retain strong college staff, among other things. Investing in community colleges and traditional universities will help the state's economy, McAuliffe said. During the visit, he talked about his international commerce efforts, such as recruiting businesses to Virginia. "You can have low taxes, you can have business-friendly regulations. But if you cannot convince a CEO that you are going to have a workforce 10, 20, 30 years going forward, they're not going to come to your state," he said. "And that all comes down to education. Education is what drives the workforce." McAuliffe said students' skills and educational opportunities must keep pace with the job market. For example, there are 30,000 technology jobs and 17,000 cyberjobs open in Virginia right now, he said. Colleges can help prepare students for those careers whose starting pay can be $88,000 in some cases, he said. McAuliffe said he's proud of Norfolk State for reaching into communities and educating students from underrepresented communities. The budget especially helps those students because about $50 million will support financial aid to ease school loan debt and to help prevent tuition hikes. Norfolk State University President Eddie Moore said those funds are critical to NSU students, some of whom would otherwise have a hard time affording college. It'll save students between $3 million and $6 million over the two-year cycle, Moore said. "That's really significant," Moore said. "That's very important to our students because it'll replace money that they're borrowing right now." Cherise M. Newsome, 757-446-2378, cherise.newsome@pilotonline.com<mailto:cherise.newsome@pilotonline.com> Follow @CMNewsome on Twitter. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-592-4820 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/ 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 150 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.