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George Mason hires chief diversity officer
Sharnnia Artis will be George Mason University’s vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer, beginning Sept. 1. Artis currently serves as the assistant dean for access and inclusion in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences and Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. George Mason […]
John Tyler Community College renamed Brightpoint
John Tyler Community College will become Brightpoint Community College after receiving unanimous approval from the Virginia Community College System state board in its Thursday meeting. On July 8, John Tyler Community College President Edward “Ted” Raspiller announced that he had recommended Brightpoint Community College as the school’s new name to the state board. The Chester […]
What’s good for HBCUs is good for Virginia business
Earlier this year, I issued a call for the commonwealth to confront and reassess its disproportionate support of its historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). I wrote a letter to the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and the respective leadership of the General Assembly. At this juncture, I have not received any acknowledgment or response […]
Reston-based Ellucian to be acquired by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners
Investment firms Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners have reached an agreement to acquire Reston-based higher education software company Ellucian, according to an announcement from the companies released Monday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. New York-based Blackstone and Texas-based Vista Equity are acquiring Ellucian from Texas-based TPG Capital and Los Angeles-based Leonard Gr[...]
U.Va. names new medical school dean
The University of Virginia has named Dr. Melina R. Kibbe the next dean of its medical school and chief health affairs officer for UVA Health, the university announced in a news release Wednesday. Kibbe, who starts her new position Sept. 15, is the Colin G. Thomas Jr. Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of […]
VMI report released; calls school ‘traditionally run by white men, for white men’
A long-awaited state report on an alleged culture of racism at Virginia Military Institute was released Tuesday afternoon, concluding that “VMI has … traditionally been run by white men, for white men,” although the state-funded military institution in Lexington has made “incremental steps towards a more diverse, inclusive VMI.” In a statement Tuesday, Virginia Gov. [[...]
Virginia public colleges can mandate COVID vaccines, Va. AG says
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia colleges are beginning to announce mandatory fall COVID-19 vaccine policies following the state attorney general’s opinion that higher education institutes can require the vaccine. Virginia public colleges and universities can mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for faculty and students returning to campus this fall, Attorney General Mark Herring stated in late April.[...]
Course corrections
Can an old college learn new tricks? William & Mary, the second-oldest institution of higher education in the country by virtue of its establishment in February 1693, is proving that it can. It has had little choice. The pandemic pushed the faculty into a steep learning curve to master online teaching, with 2,000 courses moving […]
Commonwealth Cyber Initiative funds $1M for student cybersecurity projects
The Commonwealth Cyber Initiative has allocated $1 million toward experiential cybersecurity projects for students at universities across the state, the organization announced Thursday. The seven projects involve student researchers from George Mason University, Longwood University, Marymount University, Old Dominion University, Radford University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wil[...]
Graduation plans vary across Virginia universities
RICHMOND, Va. — College graduations will still look different due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but more Virginia universities are returning to in-person ceremonies. Graduations will be held online, in person or a hybrid format. Gov. Ralph Northam announced last month preliminary guidance for graduation events, which continues to be updated. “The acceleration of the vaccine […]
Hollins University appoints new provost
Hollins University has named Laura A. McLary as its new provost effective July 1, the Roanoke-based university announced this week. McLary arrives from the University of Portland in Oregon, where she served on the faculty teaching German starting in 1999 and became academic associate dean for the university’s College of Arts and Sciences in 2016. […]
U.Va. names new engineering school dean
The School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia announced Friday the appointment of its first female dean, Jennifer L. West. She will start July 1. A researcher, inventor and entrepreneur, West comes from Duke University, where she’s been associate dean of doctoral education for a little more than six years at […]
