Virginia Private Colleges

Virginia Private Colleges will be closed tomorrow for Juneteenth, which is an important holiday reminding us of our nation’s progress as well as the promise of freedom we must continue to advance. For this commemoration of freedom and hope, please find a list of events around the Commonwealth: https://www.va250.org/juneteenth/

Virginia Private Colleges is attending a meeting of Senate of Virginia Finance & Appropriations Committee this morning. We appreciate all legislators working to find common ground and pass a state budget on time to provide financial certainty and affordable access to higher education for Virginia’s non-profit private college students. The Senate released a new budget proposal following the House’s similar action Friday. A slide deck on higher education spending is shown.

Virginia Private Colleges applaud the passage and signing of HB54 and SB286, creating a State Government Internship Coordinator to strengthen the pipeline between Virginia students and public service careers. We are especially grateful to Delegate Rip Sullivan and Senator Lashrecse Aird for their leadership and hard work on this important legislation, and to Governor Spanberger for her endorsement and signature at yesterday’s event. CICV President Chris Peace and Director of Government Relations and Member Services Sabena Moretz represented the 28 member institutions.

Budget Watch: As Virginians await action on a new state budget before July 1st, it is worth remembering that “core services” is not a defined statutory category. Without an appropriation, state funds generally cannot be spent from the state treasury, and an Attorney General’s 2006 opinion says the Governor cannot simply create a spending plan if the General Assembly fails to pass one.

This budget reality makes programs like the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG) especially important. Since 1972, VTAG, authorized by § 23.1-628, has helped hundreds of thousands of students access and afford a college education, providing direct aid to thousands of Virginia families. Currently the 2025-26 regular undergraduate award is $5,250.

As policymakers define Virginia’s core commitments, VTAG deserves to remain part of the conversation. It is not institutional support, it is student support making college affordable.

On this National Higher Ed Day, Virginia Private Colleges salutes its member institutions for providing affordable access to life changing opportunities for students and supplying the Commonwealth with its essential skilled workforce.

This week, leaders from 10 Virginia Private Colleges gathered at Randolph College with our partner, Interfaith America to conclude the CICV Advancing Campus Pluralism Cohort.

Together, college professionals explored how campuses can foster belonging, bridge differences, and prepare students for citizenship in a diverse democracy.

As our President Chris Peace recently wrote, “Pluralism is the practice of living, learning, and working together across our deepest differences.”
We are grateful for our college partners and Interfaith Americ for advancing this important work.

American democracy depends on educated citizens, and it always has. In this moment as we celebrate VA250 - American Revolution 250 Commission, our colleges serve as a bulwark for knowledge, research, and community problem-solving.

In an era when Americans may seem more divided than ever, that matters more than most realize. Celebrate with us this week.

Congratulations Dr. Daynes and welcome to the CICV family!

We’re proud to introduce Dr. Gary Daynes as Mary Baldwin University’s Interim President, effective July 1. Dr. Daynes brings three decades of experience at small, distinctive institutions. He’s the author of How to Be a Small College — which tells you something about his priorities. He and his wife, Kristine, will move into the president’s house on our historic Staunton campus. He is arriving as a neighbor, not just a leader. Read more: https://marybaldwin.edu/news/2026/06/03/mary-baldwin-names-dr-gary-daynes-as-12th-president/

Yesterday’s afternoon session of the 2026 Virginia Private Colleges Technology Conference at Randolph College explored practical applications of artificial intelligence in higher education with BoodleBox’s France Hoang, Shenandoah University’s Devon Taylor and University of Richmond Mac McIntosh who discussed how institutions can improve governance, automation, and user experience.

The conversation reinforced a central theme of the conference: Virginia’s private colleges are stronger when they learn from one another and tackle challenges together.

American business depends on higher education, and so does our future. In today's fast-changing global economy, the knowledge and skills our colleges and universities produce aren't just assets. They're essential. This week, join Virginia Private Colleges in celebrating the institutions that make it possible.