Alabama State University News March 12, 2014 ASU Passes Another Hurdle in Funding Restoration Alabama State University is a step closer to having more than $10 million dollars in funding restored to its proposed state appropriations. Today, the Alabama House Ways and Means Education Committee approved a $5.9 billion education budget with an increase of $13 million to four-year universities. The new version of the budget restores $10 million that was cut from Alabama State University's appropriation in the version of the budget passed by the Senate. "I would especially like to thank Speaker Mike Hubbard and Chairman Bill Poole for their support of ASU," said State Rep. John F. Knight Jr., who also is executive vice president and chief operating officer at ASU. "Without their leadership, we would not have been able to get more than $10 million in funding restored to the University in the committee's budget." ASU President Gwendolyn E. Boyd said the restoration of the funding will help the University's students. "On behalf of the students, faculty and staff of Alabama State University, we wish to thank the House Ways and Means Education Committee for restoring the $10.4 million, which will advance the education of our students," Boyd said. The committee passed a substitute that appropriates $10,414,902 to ASU and restores the $10 million stripped as conditional by the Senate. ASU also received the small increase that was allotted to colleges and universities for FY 2015. This will result in an increase of more than $400,000 from FY 2014. The committee's vote comes after more than 200 ASU students, faculty, staff and alumni rallied in front of the Alabama State House on March 6. The Hornet Nation also visited the legislative offices, speaking to state representatives and senators urging them to restore the 25 percent that was cut from ASU's state appropriations. The budget bill now will be sent to the full House for debate and passage. 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 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 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. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2014meeting-form.html for the October 26-28, 2014 HBCU Library Alliance 6th Membership Meeting in Atlanta GA!