Officials at Virginia Polytechnic Institute failed to promptly alert the college community of two shooting deaths that preceded the school's 2007 shooting massacre, according to findings released by the Department of Education this week, Inside Higher Ed reported Wednesday. The Department's report states that the school administration's untimely announcement of information vital to the safety of students and staff did not comply with federal and school standards. School officials alerted the campus of the two shootings nearly two hours after officials had discovered the bodies, and only minutes before the start of Seung-Hui Cho's later spree of murders, Inside Higher Ed reported. Virginia Tech officials contend that federal guidelines in place at the time did not specify a time frame for notification, according to a response released by the University. The two early-morning shootings did not appear to reflect an ongoing threat to the campus community, school officials have said. Virginia Tech may face fines if the Department of Education finds that the actions of its officials violated federal law.
Voters in primary elections in Arizona and Oregon passed propositions that will grant public colleges and universities increased funding and help them avoid new budget cuts, Inside Higher Ed reported Wednesday. In Arizona, the passage of Proposition 100 will direct revenues from increased taxes to colleges that have faced drastic spending cuts. According to estimates released by the Arizona Board of Regents, Arizona State University, the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University would have had to cut $107 million from their budgets had voters failed to pass the initiative, Inside Higher Ed reported. Such cuts would have resulted in staff layoffs and an increase in class sizes. With the success of Measure 69, public colleges and universities in Oregon will utilize low-cost bonds to acquire and renovate facilities.
Members of the New Hampshire House began review of a state Senate proposal to help close the state's deficit by legalizing video slot machines in four casinos sites, the Union Leader reported Wednesday. The Senate package, which aims to reduce the state's $300-million budget deficit, also suggests the possibility of raising $50 million by leasing state assets, according to the Union Leader. Facing a House that has a history of refusing gambling-related proposals, the package which would create $80 million in revenues from license fees in its first year is unlikely to pass, Speaker of the House Terie Norelli told the Union Leader. If the House denies the Senate plan, a special session of the legislature may be called to address the state's growing deficit, or Governor John Lynch, D-N.H., may employ executive orders to decrease spending and close the budget gap.
