Robinson07Valley City (CSi) The North Dakota Senate Tuesday approved House Bill 1003, the budget bill for the North Dakota University System and Valley City State University. The vote in the Senate was 45-2.

Senator Larry Robinson of Valley City says the bill includes funding for a new heating plant at VCSU at a cost of $14.2 million dollars. Also included in the bill is contingent funding for the Foss Hall Communication Arts Building project at VCSU. This project is a $26.2 million dollars project. The contingent funding will be triggered once the general fund reaches a certain level.

Robinson points out that the funding package for VCSU is significant following the projected reduction in the state’s revenue forecast as a result of the oil activity in western North Dakota. He says the fact that funding was preserved for the two projects at VCSU underscores the high priority they have within the university system.

Robinson issued a special thank you to VCSU President Tisa Mason and VCSU Vice President Doug Dawes, for their outstanding work on these projects during the legislative session, adding, “I also appreciate the strong support for these projects from my Senate colleagues. To realize this level of success takes a team effort. We clearly had that during the legislative process.”