Deeds Applauds VA Business Higher Education Council

Press Release

Deeds: Colleges and Universities Need 'a Governor They Can Trust When Times are Tough'

Creigh Deeds, Democratic candidate for Governor, released the following statement on Monday regarding the Virginia Business Higher Education Council's "Grow By Degrees" campaign:

"College opportunity is part of the bedrock of Virginia's economy and strengthens our middle-class families. That's why I applaud the bipartisan Virginia Business Higher Education Council and its coalition partners for calling for additional and sustained investment in Virginia's higher education system. Virginia's colleges and universities need to know that they have a partner in the Governor's office, someone who they can trust when times are tough.

"In 2004, I was proud to stand with Governor Warner, our college presidents, the Council, and bipartisan majorities in the General Assembly to make record investments in higher education when resources were scarce. In this year's Governor's race, I released a plan that makes increased state support for higher education a central part of turning around Virginia's economy.

"The coalition has outlined several key objectives, including the awarding of 70,000 additional degrees by 2020, smart investments in high-need fields such as science, technology, engineering, nursing, and teaching, increases in public-private partnerships for research and development, and a greater focus on workforce preparation and college affordability. Not only do I fully support these goals, I also believe we cannot afford to put off these commitments—a more educated and better prepared citizenry will drive economic growth in Virginia more than any other long-term investment.

"With that in mind, I have laid out a detailed plan for expanding opportunities in higher education. This plan calls for the same goal of 70,000 additional degrees over the next ten years, targeted investments in programs that will train workers in high-need fields, and the creation of a Virginia Research Triangle that will boost grants and royalties through increased coordination among Virginia's colleges and universities.

"I look forward to a continued discussion of these critical issues over the coming weeks and months."

Source