Northam announces higher ed refinancing plan
While higher education institutions have needed to make budget cuts due to the pandemic, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday a higher education refinancing plan that would save Virginia’s public colleges and universities a total of more than $300 million (among 16 schools) during the next two years. Taking advantage of low interest rates, the state […]
JMU names associate VP for diversity, equity and inclusion
James Madison University announced Tuesday that Brent Lewis became its inaugural associate vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) on Sept. 1. Lewis was most recently the chief diversity officer and director of identity, culture and inclusion with Randolph College in Lynchburg. He will work in JMU’s Division o[...]
Tech Innovation Campus announces advisory board
Amid its inaugural virtual semester, the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Alexandria is already kickstarting its future tech talent production through the creation of an advisory board, for which top Virginia executives will provide guidance to the campus on business partnerships and projects. Top executives from Qualcomm, B[...]
Perspecta lands $98.4M Education Dept. contract
The U.S. Department of Education awarded Chantilly-based federal contractor Perspecta Inc. a three-year, $98.4 million contract to help the agency manage inquiries about federal scholarships and other forms of academic financial assistance though an omni-channel contact center. Perspecta will support the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) by operating the Federal Student Aid Information Center […][...]
Va. attorney general secures $15.3M settlement for former ITT Tech students
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring secured an agreement to obtain $15.3 million in debt relief for at least 1,840 former ITT Tech students in Virginia as part of a settlement including 47 additional attorneys general and the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, his office announced Tuesday. The entire settlement is approximately $330 million for 35,000 […]
NOVA, Manassas, Prince William, local groups launch workforce program
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) announced Monday it is partnering with the city of Manassas, Prince William County, Virginia Career Works and the SkillsSource Group to launch the $1.9 million ELEVATE Program to provide free education and workforce services. Funded by federal CARES Act funding, the program will also help businesses to upskill their workforces. […]
Emory & Henry names dean for upcoming business school
Emory & Henry College announced Monday that Emmett Tracy has been appointed as dean of its new School of Business, which will be built on the former site of Carriger Hall at the college in Washington County. Until the business school opens at an unannounced date, McGlothlin Street Hall will be home for the business […[...]
26 Va. schools make U.S. News and World Report’s 2021 list
Of more than 500 schools recognized on the U.S. News and World Report’s 2021 lists of the best universities and liberal arts colleges in the country released Monday, 26 Virginia schools snagged spots. The University of Virginia was ranked as the fourth-best public school in the country and had the highest graduation rate of any […]
Va. sees fewer new COVID-19 cases, deaths last week
Virginia recorded 6,164 new COVID-19 cases and 57 fatalities from Sept. 8-14, bringing state totals to 134,571 cases and 2,743 deaths, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The state’s positivity rate is 7.2%, down from 7.7% last week. Several universities are reporting COVID-19 rates among students, faculty and staff members, although the universities are […]
BREAKING: Liberty board says outside firm will investigate university’s finances
The Liberty University Board of Trustees announced a “leading forensic firm” will conduct an investigation into the university’s operations during Jerry Falwell Jr.’s 13-year tenure as president. The firm, which is not named in the statement, will investigate financial, real estate and legal matters from [...]
Testing the waters
At colleges across Virginia and the nation, this will be a fall semester like no other. The coronavirus is turning campuses into petri dishes for experimentation. One of the state’s largest public colleges with an enrollment of about 30,000 students in the heart of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is also pivoting to[...]
Virginia Tech stakes claim on data science territory
Collecting and interpreting data has always been important in science, but Tom Woteki is at the start of a process that will teach Virginia Tech students how to make better use of information in scientific fields and possibly receive lucrative job offers. Director of the university’s data analysis and applied statistics progra[...]