UVa readies wish list for stimulus money

Officials at the University of Virginia are generating a list of infrastructure projects to have ready in the event Congress chooses to assign economic stimulus money for higher education nationwide.

Cheryl Gomez, UVa’s director of energy and utilities, said the list is comprised of projects that could be begun quickly should federal stimulus money — called for this week by dozens of college and university presidents — be made available.

“It’s pretty loose and a moving target right now,” Gomez said of the list she and Charles Johannesmeyer, director of Facilities Planning and Construction, began formally compiling within the last week. “We haven’t solidified anything yet.”

Gomez said the number of projects on the working list of priorities was in flux as of Tuesday, and that a more sculpted list would be available within the week after vetting from officials that include David Neu-man, architect for the university, and Leonard W. Sand-ridge, executive vice president and chief operating officer.

The urgency to compile the projects comes as UVa President John T. Casteen III added his name to a list of 40 other high-ranking university and college officials who’ve called for Congress to commit $40 billion to $45 billion in economic-stimulus money to higher education.

That money, officials said in an open letter to Congress this week, should be part of an economic stimulus package expected to pass after President-elect Barack Obama takes office Jan. 20.

Casteen and UVa Rector W. Heywood Fralin were the only representatives from a Virginia school to sign the letter to Congress.

“That investment initially should focus on infrastructure: building essential classroom and research buildings and equipping them with the latest technologies,” states the letter, issued by the Carnegie Corp. of New York on behalf of college officials.

The letter also touts the proposed stimulus to higher education as a way to construct “green” facilities that would save money on bills and be environmentally friendly.

It also said any federal money should be funneled to the states, based on population, for distribution to colleges and universities. In addition, governors — not the state legislatures — would approve projects for funding, the letter said.

Both public and private institutions should be eligible, and only projects that can begin in 180 days and are matched by at least 20 percent in money by the states, or institutions, should be funded, the letter said.

The amount of money UVa has received, allocated and spent on infrastructure projects in the last two years was not available at press time.

But the university has had millions of dollars of construction projects under way, finished or in the works in recent years, ranging from classrooms and research space to dormitories.

Asking for the money comes as Gov. Timothy M. Kaine is expected, today, to decree further reductions in funding to state agencies in an attempt to close an estimated $2.9 billion shortfall in the state’s budget.

During a round of cuts by Kaine in October, UVa was asked to cut its state funding by 7 percent, or roughly $10.6 million.