Virginia lawmakers rejected 14 nominations by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin at three institutions: Richard Bland College, VCU and Old Dominion University.
This article was reprinted with permission from Virginia Mercury.
President Debbie L. Sydow and her team at Richard Bland College had operated for years without a governing board until last year, when the school gained independence from its parent university, William & Mary.
So when state legislators recently rejected all nine governing board nominations at Richard Bland, Sydow assured the public that the institution remains on “solid footing” with an experienced leadership team.
“While the General Assembly’s recent decision regarding the prior slate of Board of Visitors appointees creates a temporary gap in formal governance, our day‑to‑day operations, strategic initiatives, and student‑centered mission continue without interruption,” said Sydow in a statement to the Mercury.
She said the institution is “optimistic” and “encouraged” over Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s forthcoming appointments, “individuals we expect will bring a strong commitment to higher education, diverse experience, and a shared belief in the vital role Richard Bland College plays in the Tri-Cities region and the Commonwealth.”
Last year, the state legislature passed a measure that triggered the development of Richard Bland’s first governing board.
In total, lawmakers rejected 14 nominations by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin at three institutions in the Commonwealth this month: Richard Bland College, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Old Dominion University.
None of the rejections at VCU and Old Dominion prevented their respective boards from maintaining a quorum. Spanberger backfilled significant vacancies at George Mason University, the University of Virginia and Virginia Military Institute, appointing 27 in January.
Virginia governors are responsible for nominating members, but their decisions must be confirmed or rejected by the General Assembly. Over the past year, the process was called into question after the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee rejected 22 nominations made by Youngkin, whose administration unsuccessfully challenged the decision.
Outside of the nominations for Virginia colleges, lawmakers over the current session have rejected 89 nominees to Virginia’s boards and commissions, including two for the Board of Education.
Others were blocked from the State Air Pollution Control Board and the Boards of Juvenile Justice and Fair Housing, as well as the African American and Asian Advisory Boards.
Potential changes
The nomination process for governing boards at Virginia’s colleges and universities remains under review by state lawmakers and Spanberger’s administration, a process which started immediately upon the governor taking office in January.
Lawmakers are now considering two bills that would revise membership and governance requirements for governing boards of public higher education institutions. They appear to be on track to clear the legislature.
Senate Bill 494, carried by Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, would increase each member’s terms from four years to six, prohibit consecutive terms and require a two-year gap, and add nonvoting advisory members from faculty, staff and student bodies.
The bill also clarifies the terms “quorum,” “executive committee,” “primary duties” and “restrictions” of governing boards. Boards would also be required to adopt policies for shared governance, which a work group created by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia will develop, fostering more voices in decision-making.
SCHEV will also be responsible for creating a work group and recommending processes for Attorney General reviews of legal representation for institutions and recusal policies for board members with conflicts of interest.
According to the bill’s fiscal impact statement, the cost of the proposed changes are expected to be absorbed within existing resources by both institutions and SCHEV.
Del. Lily Franklin, D-Montgomery, is carrying similar legislation in the House of Delegates, which includes proposals from Democratic Dels. Katrina Callsen and Amy Laufer, representing Albemarle.
On Jan. 17, Spanberger issued an executive order directing her cabinet members to prepare a report detailing the procedures for board nominations at Virginia’s public higher education institutions, including member term lengths, reappointments, term start dates for new members, and the evaluation process used by the Virginia Commission on Higher Education Board Appointments.
What’s next
Sydow said she’s confident Richard Bland’s governing board will be in place by the next April 22 board meeting, based on conversations with the governor’s office and elected representatives.
Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander will replace Sydow in May when she steps down after 14 years at Richard Bland. Alexander has served as vice chancellor for strategic partnerships of the Virginia Community College System and as executive director of the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education.
Lawmakers will have until the weekend of March 14 to advance or kill any legislation before it heads to Spanberger for consideration.
Prince William County police arrested Virginia Commonwealth University’s athletics director for drunken driving over the summer after he crashed his Cadillac into a ditch near Gainesville.
Prince William County police arrested Virginia Commonwealth University’s athletics director for drunken driving over the summer after he crashed his Cadillac into a ditch near Gainesville.
Ed McLaughlin, the athletics director at the Richmond school, was initially charged with DUI June 5, the Richmond Times-Dispatch first reported Dec. 19, but the charge was later downgraded to reckless driving.
McLaughlin crashed his 2025 Cadillac Escalade into a ditch around 3 p.m. near Bristow Road and Wright Lane in Bristow, according to police records obtained by InsideNoVa.
He told police he was attending a golf tournament earlier in the day, according to the Times-Dispatch, which also noted he was wearing a VCU shirt during the incident.
A LIV Golf tournament was being held nearby that weekend at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville. The tournament’s first round didn’t begin until the June 6, but there were corresponding tournament events in the days prior.
Bodycam footage obtained by InsideNoVa showed a long line of backed-up cars along the roadway as law enforcement worked to clear the scene in the aftermath of the crash.
Police records note there was an odor of alcohol on McLaughlin’s breath and that he could not keep his balance. After officers arrived, McLaughlin told them he swerved after seeing what he thought was an animal in the road.
In a statement to the Times-Dispatch, McLaughlin said: “More than six months ago, I was involved in a one-car accident in which I was injured and taken into custody. I pleaded no contest to reckless driving. I deeply appreciate the overwhelming positive support that I have received since the accident.”
The charges were downgraded to reckless driving, to which McLaughlin pleaded no contest in November. He was sentenced to 30 days, though a judge suspended the full sentence. McLaughlin also pleaded no contest to a civil charge of refusing to take a breathalyzer, which carries a one-year license suspension.
“Whoop There It Is” played over the speakers at Lenovo Center during the final timeout. N.C. State men’s basketball forced an in-bounds turnover and Tre Holloman went to the line for a pair of free throws up four points with 6.9 seconds to go.
A win over Virginia Commonwealth was in its grasp. Holloman hit both free throws to give his team a six-point lead. Game over.
N.C. State pulled off the 85-79 victory after its biggest test of the season, sending head coach Will Wade’s former program back to Richmond with its second loss of the season.
N.C. State’s Darrion Williams reacts after drawing a foul during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 85-79 win over VCU on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
It was a hard-fought win, filled with mistakes, but late-game execution allowed the Wolfpack to start 4-0 before heading on the road for the first time. “We were very fortunate to win,” N.C. State head coach Will Wade said. We got outshot by 12 balls, which is hard to do. We won it at the free throw line. We drew a bunch of fouls. We didn’t make nine-plus threes. [Phil] Martelli’s teams have never won when the opponent makes nine-plus threes, out-shoots them and out rebounds, and we only got one of those three. You’re living very, very dangerously when you can’t get two or three of those things.”
N.C. State made eight 3-pointers, made 25 field goals — VCU had 27 made baskets — and finished with a 45-31 rebounding advantage.
Darrion Williams led the team with 28 points, while Holloman recorded a career-high 25.
N.C. State’s Tre Holloman drives to the hoop during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 85-79 win over VCU on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
N.C. State has one of the best offenses in the country. According to KenPom stats, the Wolfpack ranks in the national top 25 for seven performance-related categories and averaged 106 points in the first three contests.
VCU’s defense, however, effectively kept N.C. State from breaking away at any point. VCU took a 1-point lead to open the game, before Williams made N.C. State’s first five points. The teams were tied at 13 with 15:39 to go in the first half, but the Wolfpack used a 12-3 run and built a nine-point advantage.
The Rams (2-2), as expected, provided a tough test on both ends of the floor and remained within a few possessions. They went to the half trailing the Wolfpack by four.
N.C. State’s offense started the second half slow, and its defense didn’t pick up the slack. VCU shot 6 of 8 from the field before the under-16 media timeout, while N.C. State shot 3 of 7, out-scoring the home squad 14-11. The Rams’ efficiency allowed them to tie the game twice in the second half.
VCU had a chance to take the lead twice but missed free throws cost them. Tyrell Ward missed went 1 of 2 with 9:49 remaining, and Jadrian Tracey missed the and-1 30 seconds later. The Rams missed four game-tying 3-pointers in the final three minutes, as well.
Williams started the game 5 of 5 from the field and 2 of 2 from 3-point range. He did not miss a shot for nearly 13 minutes. At halftime, Williams led all scorers with 17 points on 7 of 10 shooting. He entered the game averaging 21.7 points per game and making 64.7% of his 3-point baskets, ranking No. 12 in the nation and No. 2 in the ACC.
The forward finished 9 of 15 from the field with seven rebounds. Holloman shot 6 of 12 from the field and hit a trio of 3s. He also went 10 for 10 from the free throw line. “We’ve got to cut down on some of the turnovers,” Wade said. “We’ve got to cut down on some of the silliness on some things, but he’s getting more and more professional. He’s getting more and more businesslike. I think that he’s going to continue to grow throughout the season. I’ve been very pleased.”
Paul McNeil, who averaged 20 points in the first three games, went 0 for 4 against VCU without a point. The sophomore still added nine rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. His teammates also said they want him to keep shooting his shot.
Ven-Allen Lubin contributed 11 points and nine rebounds, five on the offensive glass.
N.C. State’s Ven-Allen Lubin battles VCU’s Brandon Jennings for a rebound during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 85-79 win on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
N.C. State’s defense has been a work in progress all season, playing well in spurts but not for full games. That remained true against VCU.
The Rams had success moving the ball in their first three games. They averaged 15 assists per game and ranked No. 14 in the country with a 67.9% assist rate. The Rams ended the game with 17 assists for a 63% assist rate. Williams said the Pack needed to follow the game plan better. There were schematic aspects it didn’t accomplish that will need to be corrected going forward.
Barry Evans led the Rams with 18 points, while Jadrian Tracey added 16 points and seven assists.
“VCU is not some charity program It’s a real program,” Wade said. “They win 20-plus games every year; 22 to 25 games every year. … “They’re as good as many teams in our league. I think it makes sense when you’ve got to build a resume to play good teams. I mean, the games are going to be tough, but it makes a lot of sense to play good teams.”
Here’s what we learned from the latest Wolfpack win:
Sagnia steps up
After the Wolfpack allowed the Rams to pull down four offensive rebounds and six second-chance points in the first 4 ½ minutes, Musa Sagnia came in to help clean up the glass and provide a larger presence on the box outs. In the next four minutes, the team gave up two offensive boards but no additional second-chance points.
Sagnia played 15 minutes after the break, including a large stretch alongside Lubin, which helped his team hold VCU to three offensive rebounds and force 10 turnovers in the second half.
“I thought that those two gave us the best chance to rebound. We played with those lineups in practice. We just hadn’t played with them much in a game,” Wade said. “Sometimes you need different things. Sometimes you need shooting. You put Jerry [Deng] out there. When you need defense and rebounding, Musa and Ven been give us a great chance.”
Sagnia forward entered the game as one of the more underrated Wolfpack players. He averaged seven rebounds per game in the first three contests, including three on the offensive glass. The freshman from the Gambia also contributed two steals per game.
According to KenPom, Sagnia ranked in the national top 20 in three categories. He ranked No. 6 in the nation for offensive efficiency (173.5), No. 17 in offensive rebounding rate (21.3%) and steal rate (6%), despite playing only 18 minutes per game.
On Monday, Sagnia finished with two points, six rebounds and one steal. Even when he wasn’t adding numbers to his stat line, the rookie provided size, length and toughness when the team needed it most.
“He was big, being able to come out and just bring the energy on both ends of the floor, grabbing offensive and defensive rebounds, getting some stops on defense,” Lubin said. “He’s just an incredible player that can really, really help us. We really value him.”
Pack called for untimely fouls again
N.C. State and UNC-Greensboro were called for a combined 44 fouls on Friday night. The Wolfpack was called for 25 of those, including 15 first-half fouls. UNCG took 41 free throws in its loss.
The fouls didn’t stack up quite as drastically on Monday, but there were still several called quick and early. Lubin picked up his first personal 57 seconds into the game. Officials called a foul on Tre Holloman one minute and 50 seconds after tip.
Darrion Williams received an untimely call less than three minutes into play after hitting his second 3-pointer and putting the Wolfpack up five points.
“I’m not worried about that,” Wade said when asked about his team getting five technicals in four games. “We’ve got to play with an edge. I’d rather tell them, ‘Whoa’ than ‘go.’ We’ll back them off a little bit. But, he made a three tonight, and whatever. I’m not worried about that.”
N.C. State head coach Will Wade speaks with an official during the first half of the Wolfpack’s game against VCU on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
The number of foul calls slowed down after the early flurry — N.C. State ended the half with seven — but the Wolfpack was on the receiving end of several questionable whistles in the second half, as well. Quadir Copeland picked up his fourth foul with 13:41 remaining in the game. Officials called Copeland for two fouls within the span of 58 seconds.
Paul McNeil picked up his second foul with roughly 10 minutes to go. McNeil’s call was met with outrage from the bench and fans. There was no visible contact on the shooter, and his swat on the ball could be heard throughout the arena.
Turnovers nearly kill Pack
N.C. State doesn’t want to commit more than 12 turnovers in a game. Keeping it to 10 or fewer is even better. That goal wasn’t met on Monday.
The Wolfpack committed 17 turnovers, a season high, against the Rams. Holloman and Copeland, two of the Pack’s most experienced ball handlers, committed the most. Holloman finished with five turnovers, while Copeland accounted for three. Lubin and Williams also committed three turnovers apiece. The team picked up five turnovers in the final five minutes.
“They’re a great team,” Holloman said. “They’re scrappy, they press the ball, but I think that was on us, not be being patient but rushing and trying to press. But, we got them back on defense.”
N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland drives to the basket past VCU’s Brandon Jennings and Lazar Djokovic during the first half of the Wolfpack’s game on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
N.C. State entered the game averaging nine turnovers per contest, or one per 12.2% of its possessions. The Rams defense, and a little bit of sloppiness on the Pack’s part, led to a 24.6% turnover rate against VCU.
In fact, the Pack should be thankful the Rams missed 3-pointers down the stretch, otherwise, it would’ve been on the losing side of the effort.
“We weren’t clean. We didn’t value the ball like we needed to, but we made our free throws, which was enough in this game,” Wade said. “We made our free throws. We got enough stops.”
This story was originally published November 17, 2025 at 9:28 PM.
Police with riot shields detain a pro-Palestinian demonstrator on the ground as a National Lawyers Guild representative holds up an…
Police with riot shields detain a pro-Palestinian demonstrator on the ground as a National Lawyers Guild representative holds up an emergency contact notebook, on the University of Virginia campus, in Charlottesville, Va., where tents are set up, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Cal Cary/The Daily Progress via AP)(AP/Cal Cary)
Police with riot shields detain a pro-Palestinian demonstrator on the ground as a National Lawyers Guild representative holds up an emergency contact notebook, on the University of Virginia campus, in Charlottesville, Va., where tents are set up, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Cal Cary/The Daily Progress via AP)(AP/Cal Cary)
The Virginia House of Delegates has formed a select committee on maintaining campus safety and allowing students to exercise their First Amendment rights, after more than 125 arrests at four of Virginia’s college campuses.
According to Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Richmond, the Senate will announce its plans to form a similar committee on Tuesday.
“I’ve heard very different scenarios from those who were on the ground and in encampments either as students or as community members that were part of those protests,” Hashmi said. “I think it’s important to get a very clear picture of what’s happened.”
Demonstrators and faculty members have criticized law enforcement and college administrators for their handling of anti-war protests, including using pepper spray to clear encampments. While the majority of the protests in Virginia have called for a cease-fire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas militants and have drawn attention to the deaths of thousands of Israeli and Palestinian citizens, some demonstrators have also claimed that protests have connections to antisemitic activity on campuses, WRIC reports.
Hashmi, who serves as chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee, said on Monday she wants a more precise picture of how the protests unfolded after hearing various reports about the demonstrations that have yielded 80 student arrests at the University of Mary Washington, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia over the Israel-Hamas war.
On Saturday, several graduating students walked out at the start of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s keynote address at VCU’s commencement ceremony after he expressed his support of law enforcement’s response to campus demonstrations at Virginia’s colleges.
Two days later, the House announced a 12-member select committee would be formed to provide potential legislative recommendations.
House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, said in a letter that Virginia must understand the policies allowing students to exercise their protected right to free speech while maintaining campus safety.
“It is imperative that we understand the protocol followed and resources used by our local and state police when requests for assistance are made by our institutions of higher education,” Scott wrote. “We should identify areas where we can improve state policies in order to mitigate the incidents of unrest and arrest that we have witnessed this spring.”
Protester Sings Read ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Ceasefire Now’
The protest outside the university at VCU’s James Cabell Library began earlier in the day on Monday, April 29, in conjunction with a number of other similar protests across the country.
Campus protesters carried signs demanding “Free Palestine” and “Ceasefire Now,” among other slogans.
According to Norfolk’s 8 News, their “team members on the ground witnessed VCU Police in riot gear create a police line around 8:30 p.m., exiting from a bus that had been staged near the protest’s encampment. Soon after, a VCU alert was sent out calling the protest ‘violent’ and an unlawful assembly was declared. Police then moved in on the protestors, working to break apart their line. Some of them were seen wearing gas masks.”
Their reporters and staff “on the ground said they saw hundreds of officers moving in, taking down the barricade by force. Virginia State Police deputies were seen among them.”
Many videos were taken of the chaos where police officers can be seen forcing protestors to the ground and using zip ties to bind their hands.
Protesters hurled water bottles and other missiles at the officers as well, according to the video.
JUST IN: Police clash with students at VCU in Richmond, Virginia with students setting up barricades and throwing bottles.
The students set up a “Liberation Zone” on campus on Monday with tents.
According to our team members, some protestors were seen tossing water bottles at officers. Protesters raised tents and established what they called their ‘Liberation Zone’ in the early evening.
Before police arrived, protestors donned masks and formed a line around their encampment. They can be seen using palettes to create their barricade.
VCU is a state school which means its property is public. Richmond’s City Code says that people cannot “camp, lay or sleep on, near or about any public lands or structures belonging to or under control of the city after 11 p.m.” if they don’t have special permission.
On Monday, it appears Richmond law enforcement intended to enforce that code.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin weighed in on the protests across the commonwealth as well, saying, “Across the Commonwealth we’ve seen student and significant non-student participants, throw projectiles at law enforcement, violate the policies of our colleges and universities, obstruct and disrupt student life and endanger public safety.”
In the early morning hours Youngking also gave his final verdict: “After repeated warnings and refusal to disperse, law enforcement must protect Virginians. My administration will continue to fully support campus, local and state law enforcement and university leadership to keep our campuses safe.”
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Virginia’s Department of Education announced over $1.5 million in “Grow Your Own” grants, created to fund apprenticeship programs that help school divisions recruit and retain teachers.
Prince William County Public Schools Superintendent LaTanya McDade said the new funding will allow the county to pay for up to 25 apprentices. (WTOP/Scott Gelman)
Prince William County Public Schools Superintendent LaTanya McDade said the new funding will allow the county to pay for up to 25 apprentices. (WTOP/Scott Gelman)
After nine years of working as a teaching assistant in a special education classroom, Imani Gray decided it was time to work toward becoming a teacher herself.
It’s something she always knew she wanted to pursue, but the cost of getting a degree and licensing proved to be a barrier. But then she learned more about a Prince William County partnership with the Virginia Commonwealth University that covers tuition and pays educators to work in a classroom while they finish their coursework. It also pairs aspiring teachers with mentors to help them with day-to-day tasks.
Anticipating that many aspiring teachers face similar barriers to becoming educators, Virginia’s Department of Education announced over $1.5 million in “Grow Your Own” grants, created to fund apprenticeship programs that help school divisions recruit and retain teachers.
Prince William County, the state’s second-largest school division, received $350,000 from the state to help pay for its partnership with VCU. The funding, Superintendent LaTanya McDade said, will allow the county to pay for up to 25 apprentices.
“We’re losing a whole generation of future teachers by not thinking differently,” State Superintendent Lisa Coons said Wednesday, after announcing the grant funding at Leesylvania Elementary School in Woodbridge. “This program and the grant funding allow a low-cost [or] no-cost way to become a teacher, and be honored while doing that.”
In Prince William County, the partnership with VCU offers undergraduates who already have an associate degree the chance to get their bachelor’s degree paid for while they work in a county school. They get paid to work in the school division during the week, according to Shelby Elliott, admin coordinator for human resources with the school district.
The students train with a teacher-mentor during the two years of the program, and once they’re finished, they get jobs in county schools that are hard to staff, Elliott said. As part of the program, the teachers stay with Prince William County schools for three years after they’re finished.
The grant, Elliott said, is helping fund the program for the 18 apprentices that started the program in January. The school division is also recruiting a new cohort of aspiring teachers to start the program in May.
“This is how every teacher should be trained,” Elliott said. “It serves as a recruitment and a retention [tool]. But, for me, the most important thing is that we’re putting quality educators in front of our students.”
Since starting the program, Gray, who works at Leesylvania, has been involved in team meetings and crafting lesson plans, among other things. It’s a helpful partnership in the midst of a national teacher shortage.
“It’s very important that the students see that there is someone who is caring about them enough to come to work every day to teach them,” Gray said.
Alondra Sorto, another teaching resident at Leesylvania, used to be a substitute. She’s at the school four days each week, working with students one-on-one and supporting them in small group settings.
“It’s a great opportunity for me,” Sorto said.
Her mentor, third grade teacher Monica Clabeaux, said she was inspired to work with future educators because of the influence her mentors had on her.
“This is really beneficial, especially for our need of teachers right now, and strong teachers in the classroom,” Clabeaux said. “This program would build stronger teachers, because they will have two years of experience under their belt before they accept a position.”
Coons, the state superintendent, said initiatives such as the one in Prince William modernize the approach to recruiting teachers.
“We’re seeing a national teacher shortage, but there are ways that we are really impacting that and doing things differently that will sustain us for the future,” Coons said.
Babur Lateef, chairman of Prince William County’s school board, said Coons’ visit “represents a significant step in advancing our mission to provide high-quality education for all students.”
Other school districts, including Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Essex, Henrico, Petersburg City, Prince George County, Surry County, and Waynesboro Public Schools, are also receiving some of the grant funding.
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