An HBCU-focused governance proposal in the Virginia General Assembly could reshape oversight of the Virginia Military Institute. According to reporting by Bill Atkinson of The Petersburg Progress-Index, Del. Michael Feggans (D–Virginia Beach) introduced House Bill 1374 on Jan. 20. The bill would transfer VMI governance to the Board of Visitors at Virginia State University, a public HBCU located in Petersburg.
The legislation would dissolve VMI’s current Board of Visitors. However, VMI would remain a separate institution. Its supervision and management would instead move under the control of the HBCU’s governing board.
HBCU Oversight Enters a Long-Running VMI Debate
The proposal follows years of political tension surrounding VMI leadership. Previously, Senate Democrats blocked two board appointments made by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Lawmakers said those selections favored alumni donors over institutional values, according to Atkinson.
More recently, the dispute carried into the new administration. Shortly after taking office, Gov. Abigail Spanberger removed several Youngkin appointees from the boards of VMI, the University of Virginia, and George Mason University. At the same time, she appointed former Gov. Ralph Northam, a VMI graduate, to VMI’s board.
As a result, placing VMI under the governance of an HBCU would mark a significant shift in the state’s oversight approach.
Sponsor: HBCU Role Centers on Stability and Accountability
Feggans said the legislation focuses on governance, not punishment.
“This legislation is about governance and the General Assembly’s responsibility to ensure that public institutions are overseen in a manner that reflects stability, accountability, and sound judgment,” Feggans said in a statement cited by The Progress-Index.
In addition, Feggans said the bill preserves VMI’s military mission and academic role. It also places the institute under the oversight of Virginia State University’s Board of Visitors. He added that long-standing concerns exist about whether VMI’s current governance meets Virginia’s higher-education standards.
Still, Feggans did not explain why Virginia State University, an HBCU located 163 miles from Lexington, was selected. Meanwhile, Washington & Lee University, which neighbors VMI, remains a private institution.
VMI Responds as HBCU Leaders Await Comment
VMI officials said the institute did not request the proposal. They also said they learned of the bill only after it was introduced.
In a statement reported by Atkinson, VMI said it plans to engage lawmakers. The school emphasized its 186-year history and noted that nearly 1,500 cadets are currently enrolled.
So far, officials at Virginia State University, the HBCU named in the legislation, have not responded to The Progress-Index’s requests for comment.
Lawmakers Offer Limited Reaction
Reaction from other lawmakers has been limited.
At a Jan. 21 press conference announcing the formation of a Virginia HBCU Caucus, legislators declined to comment when asked about the bill, according to Atkinson. Additionally, requests for comment were sent to multiple lawmakers and the governor’s office.
House Bill 1374 now awaits committee assignment.