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. 

Our Mission
 

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.

Accreditation and Affiliations of Virginia State University
 

Virginia State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Contact the  Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 by using information available on SACSCOC's website (www.sacscoc.org) or call (404) 679-4500. 

Normal inquires about Virginia State University, such as admissions requirements, financial aid, education programs, etc., should be addressed directly to the institution and not to the Commission's office.

College and Program Accreditations

AACSB  - Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

ABET - Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology

ACEND - Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics

ACPHA - Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration

ATMAE - Association of Technology Management and Applied Engineering

CSWE - Council on Social Work Education

NASAD - National Association of Schools of Art and Design

NASM - National Association of Schools of Music

CAEP - Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation

Major affiliation and memberships of the University include:

• American Association for Higher Education

• American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers

• American Association of State Colleges and Universities

• American Association of University Women

• American Home Economics Association

• American Society for Engineering Education

• American Society for Mechanical Engineering

• American Society of Quality

• Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business

• Association for Computing Machinery

• Association for Continuing Higher Education

• Association of American Colleges

• Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges

• Association of Institution Research

• Association of International Education
• Association of Physical Plant Administrators of Universities and Colleges
• Association of Virginia Colleges
• Conference of Southern Graduate Schools
• Council for the Advancement and Support of Education
• Council of 1890 Presidents/Chancellors
• Council of Cooperative College Projects
• Council on Hotel Restaurant and Institutional Education
• Council on Social Work Education
• HBCU Summit on Retention
• International Technology Education Association
• Nation Academic Advising Association
• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
• National Association of African-American Honors Program
• National Association of African American Studies and Affiliates
• National Association of Business Teacher-Education
• National Association of College Admissions Counseling
• National Association of College Deans, Registrars and Admissions Officers
• National Association of Mentors in Higher Education
• National Association of Schools of Art and Design
• National Association of Schools of Music
• National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges
• National Association of Student Affairs Professionals
• National Collegiate Athletic Association
• National Commission for Cooperative Education
• National Collegiate Honors Council
• National Citizens Commission on Alcoholism of the National Council on Alcoholism, Inc.
• National Honor Society
• National Orientation Directors Association
• National Society of Black Engineers 
• Oak Ridge Associated Universities          
• Society of Manufacturing Engineers
• Southeastern Universities Research Association, Inc.
• Southern Education Foundation
• Southern Regional Educational Board
• Southern Regional Honors Council   
• Southern Universities Research Association
• Technology Education Collegiate Association
• Technology Student Association
• The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
• The Association for General and Liberal Studies
• The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
• The College Board
• The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• The Society of Automotive Engineers
• The University Center in Virginia
• Virginia Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers
• Virginia Collegiate Honors Council
• Virginia Social Science Association
• Virginia Technology Education Association

Our Policy Statements

Virginia State University is committed to maintaining an academic environment that upholds the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and inclusivity. The policies outlined in this catalog are designed to provide guidance, ensure consistency, and communicate the rights and responsibilities of students, faculty, and staff. All members of the University community are expected to adhere to these policies in order to preserve the academic excellence and ethical standards that define Virginia State University.

Click on POLICY STATEMENTS to see each policy. 

Catalog Authority

This academic catalog serves as the official record of Virginia State University’s academic policies, procedures, program requirements, and student obligations. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the University reserves the right to update, revise, or amend policies and programs without prior notice, in response to changing academic, administrative, or legal considerations.

Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination

Virginia State University is an equal opportunity institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or genetic information in its educational programs, activities, admissions, or employment practices. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Compliance.

Academic Integrity

Academic honesty is a fundamental value of Virginia State University. Students are expected to conduct themselves with integrity and honesty in all academic matters. Violations such as plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty will be addressed according to the University's Academic Integrity Policy.

Student Responsibility

Students are responsible for becoming familiar with and adhering to all University policies, procedures, and deadlines outlined in this catalog and other official University communications. Failure to read and understand these policies does not excuse students from their obligations.

Policy Updates

Virginia State University reserves the right to make changes to policies, procedures, academic offerings, and course schedules as necessary. Any changes will be communicated through official University channels and will apply to all students unless otherwise specified.