The History of Virginia State University
 

Virginia State University was founded on March 6, 1882, when the legislature passed a bill to charter the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute. The bill was sponsored by Delegate Alfred W. Harris, a Black attorney whose offices were in Petersburg, but who lived in and represented Dinwiddie County in the General Assembly. A hostile lawsuit delayed opening day for nineteen months, until October 1, 1883. In 1902, the legislature revised the charter act to curtail the collegiate program and to change the name to Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute. In 1920, the land-grant program for Blacks was moved from a private school, Hampton Institute, where it had been since 1872, to Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute. In 1923 the college program was restored, and the name was changed to Virginia State College for Negroes in 1930. The two-year branch in Norfolk was added to the college in 1944; the Norfolk division became a four-year branch in 1956 and gained independence as Norfolk State College in 1969. Meanwhile, the parent school was renamed Virginia State College in 1946. Finally, the legislature passed a law in 1979 to provide the present name, Virginia State University.

In the first academic year, 1883-84, the University had 126 students and seven faculty (all of them Black), one building, 33 acres, a 200-book library, and a $20,000 budget. By the centennial year of 1982, the University was fully integrated, with a student body of nearly 5,000, a full-time faculty of about 250, a library containing 200,000 books and 360,000 microform and non-print items, a 236-acre campus and 416- acre farm, more than 50 buildings, including 15 dormitories and 16 classroom buildings, and a biennial budget of $31,000,000, exclusive of capital outlay.

The University is situated in Chesterfield County at Ettrick, on a bluff across the Appomattox River from the city of Petersburg. It is accessible via Interstate Highways 95 and 85, which meet in Petersburg. The University is only two and a half hours away from Washington, D.C. to the north, the Raleigh-Durham- Chapel Hill area to the southwest, and Charlottesville to the northwest.

Virginia State University has a long history of outstanding faculty and administration. The first person to bear the title of President, John Mercer Langston, was one of the best-known blacks of his day. Until 1992, he was the only black ever elected to the United States Congress from Virginia (elected in 1888), and he was the great-uncle of the famed writer Langston Hughes. From 1888 to 1968, four presidents - James H. Johnston, John M. Gandy, Luther H. Foster, Robert P. Daniel-served an average of 20 years, helping the school to overcome adversity and move forward. The next twenty years, 1968-1992, saw six more presidents—James F. Tucker, Wendell P. Russell, Walker H. Quarles, Jr., Thomas M. Law, Wilbert Greenfield, and Wesley Cornelious McClure. On June 1, 1993, Eddie N. Moore, Jr., the former Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Virginia, became the twelfth President of Virginia State University.  Dr. Keith T. Miller became Virginia State University's 13th president from 2010 to 2014.  In 2015, Dr. Pamela V. Hammond became the first woman to lead Virginia State University in 133 years.  She was appointed as interim president on January 1, 2015. Since that time, she has made it a top priority to establish VSU as a catalyst for innovation in higher education.

On February 1, 2016, Dr. Makola M. Abdullah became the 14th President of VSU. Before coming to VSU, Dr. Abdullah served as the Provost and Senior Vice President at Bethune-Cookman University – a private, historically Black University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Dr. Abdullah is committed to: providing a transformative experience for VSU students; strategically investing in academic programs; embracing our position as a top Land Grant University; embracing our role as Virginia’s Opportunity University; and partnering together as a University to tell our story.

Mission Statement
 

Virginia State University, a public, comprehensive 1890 Land Grant institution and historically black college/university, is committed to the preparation of a diverse population of men and women through the advancement of academic programs and services that integrate instruction, research, extension, and outreach. The University endeavors to meet the educational needs of students, graduating lifelong learners who are well equipped to serve their communities as informed citizens, globally competitive leaders, and highly effective, ethical professionals.

OUR VALUES

• Student Centered - Promoting the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of students in all facets of University life.
• Integrity - Displaying the highest degree of ethical commitment in the pursuit of knowledge.
• Engagement - Developing civically engaged citizens who value all persons and demonstrate the desire to positively impact their immediate surroundings, nation, and world.
• Customer Service - Creating an atmosphere of respect, collegiality, and responsiveness to provide excellent service to our internal and external constituents.
• Excellence - Utilizing a balanced approach to create a high expectation of achievement, awareness, and intellectual development among our students, faculty, and staff.
• Scholarly Research - Conducting scholarly activity is at the forefront of our disciplines and applying translational discoveries and intellectual pursuits to benefit the community.
• Global - Preparing globally aware citizens that respect and appreciate cultural differences of all people through service and the dissemination of knowledge to the world.
• Teaching - Providing learning environments and activities consistent with best educational practices to create a framework where scholarship is intentional, transformational, and deepens understanding in the preparation of future leaders.
• Diversity - Fostering a community that identifies, values, and respects difference of all people by creating a positive experience for students, faculty, staff, and the community.

Virginia State University is committed to upholding standards of academic integrity, excellence, and accountability. The policies outlined in this section are designed to ensure a fair, consistent, and transparent academic environment for all students, faculty, and staff. These policies govern key areas of academic life and define the expectations, as well as, responsibilities associated with academic participation at the University.

Policies and procedures may include, but are not limited to:

• Academic Integrity: Standards related to honesty in academic work, including definitions of academic misconduct and procedures for resolution.

• Grading Policies: Information on grading scales, grade point averages (GPA), grade changes, and the process for grade appeals.

• Enrollment and Registration: Guidelines for course registration, course loads, add/drop periods, and withdrawal procedures.

• Attendance Requirements: Institutional expectations for class attendance and participation, including policies on excused and unexcused absences.

• Progression and Retention: Criteria for satisfactory academic progress, academic standing (good standing, probation, suspension), and reinstatement procedures.

• Transfer Credit and Prior Learning: Evaluation of transfer credit, advanced placement (AP), dual enrollment, and credit for prior learning experiences.

• Degree Completion Requirements: Institutional policies for fulfilling degree requirements, including minimum credit hours, residency requirements, and graduation application procedures.

• Appeals and Grievances: Processes available for students to appeal academic decisions or file grievances regarding academic matters.

All students are expected to familiarize themselves with and adhere to these policies throughout their academic journey. For more information or inquiries about the policy statements at Virginia State University, contact the Office of the Registrar.