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(04/02/25 5:06pm)
At their meeting on March 21, the Longwood University Board of Visitors approved a resolution regarding actions and guidance from the federal and state government against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, which addressed matters of compliance but stopped far short of measures taken by other Virginia colleges and universities to dissolve offices related to DEI.
(03/31/25 3:10pm)
Longwood’s theatre production of “Little Women” was exceptional, with a perfect balance between the acting aspect and the musical aspect. All of the actors in this production did a fabulous job in telling the story. Not only did the acting blow me away, but the production design was really well done and the production crew did a good job of helping clarify where the scene was taking place. The production of “Little Women” was a success in all aspects and set the standards high for future productions at Longwood.
(03/19/25 2:51pm)
Within the last two weeks, universities across Virginia have moved in the direction of abolishing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs — a chain reaction which began with the Dear Colleague letter released by officials at the U.S. Department of Education on Feb. 14, 2025. On March 18, this was briefly a topic of discussion at the Student Government Association (SGA), but has been excluded from the meeting materials for this Friday’s Longwood University Board of Visitors Meeting.
(03/11/25 7:34pm)
Longwood women’s basketball lost in devastating fashion to High Point on March 9, 2025 in the Big South Championship game in Johnson City, Tennessee. A true underdog story, after finishing seventh in the Big South the season prior, the Lancers were agonizingly close to the NCAA tournament.
(03/09/25 4:26pm)
Longwood women’s basketball recorded a historic win in Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City, Tennessee on Saturday, March 8, defeating Radford 73-65. Four players scored double figures in an close win to secure their spot in the Big South championship game against High Point.
(03/08/25 10:06pm)
Longwood men’s basketball battled back from deep adversity in their Big South Tournament quarterfinal game against Winthrop on March 8, but the initial deficit proved too big for the Lancers. Sophomore guard Colby Garland’s season-high 24 points were not enough to mount the improbable comeback.
(03/07/25 11:28pm)
According to university documents obtained through the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Longwood University officials have restored $601,865.73 to academic departmental local accounts as of Feb. 28, 2025 after two large restorations on Nov. 13, 2024 and Feb. 21, 2025.The FOIA request was filed by The Rotunda on Feb. 13 and returned on Feb. 28, after a delay due to the university's closure for inclement weather and officials’ request for more time to respond. The request asked for a record of all deployments of local funds since September 2024, a record of local funds not yet restored as part of University President W. Taylor Reveley IV’s promise to restore swept local funds, and relevant communications from Vice President for Administration and Finance Matt McGregor, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Larissa Smith and Vice President for Institutional Advancement Courtney Hodges.University officials responded with a 171-page document primarily comprised of emails from Smith informing department chairs of the restoration and attached records, but also a record of restorations to local accounts within Academic Affairs and an email from University Spokesperson and Deputy to the President Matt McWilliams to Smith and McGregor sent on Feb. 28 to put local funds information in one place for future reference.The documents also include a list of 92 accounts which had local funds restored, including $40,000 to “Eng & Mod Lan”, $35,000 to “Nurse Sim. Lab,” $30,000 to “Library Operating,” $12,000 to “Coll Business” and a variety of other accounts and amounts.Furthermore, not all accounts had their full amounts restored. For example, of the $40,000 swept from the Cormier Honors College, listed “VPAA 070-030-0102 Cormier Honor” in the August FOIA documents, only half was restored.In the Feb. 28 email to McGregor and Smith, McWilliams wrote, “A significant portion of the June sweep was of Athletics and Advancement funds, which at any given summer are drawn down normally at the end of the fiscal year.”He added, “The remaining $1.6 million had two parts – a) roughly $1 million of normal endowment yield, which we have to spend on an annual basis, and which is replenished each May from investment earnings, and b) roughly $600,000 of departmental local funds made up of annual giving.”“That third part – the $600,000 of departmental local funds that came from annual giving is what was promised to be replenished in full,” he wrote.In addition to this, the restoration also did not include accounts falling under Student Affairs. According to the FOIA documents provided to The Rotunda in August, accounts such as “Stud Affairs,” “LU Cares Eme,” “Campus Rec,” “F & S Life,” “Club Sports,” among others had funds swept in June. Also not included in the restoration was the $30,000 swept from the “Moton Operat” account.In an email statement to The Rotunda on March 4 in response to a follow up question, McWilliams wrote, “The accounts that were replenished were departmental local accounts that are used to supplement annual operations of those academic departments in a way that E&G dollars often cannot be used. Student Affairs departments and the Moton Museum operate under fewer restrictions and have other sources of funding they can use for earmarked operations, like Advancement or Athletics. The Moton Museum in its partnership with the University also receives annual support for personnel, operations, and building maintenance.”When asked via email if Student Affairs operational budgets received funds from the university to supplement the loss of swept local funds, McWilliams wrote, “Yes, the university continues to fund these departments annually.”According to an email statement to The Rotunda on March 5 in response to a question about where restoration funds were sourced from, McGregor wrote, “Funds were transferred from the Longwood Fund account which is an unrestricted philanthropic account used to support general operations.”As reported by The Rotunda in August, the June sweep of local funds resulted in frustration and concerns from faculty members over a perceived lack of transparency and communication. Faculty Senate Chair and Professor of Sociology Dr. Lee Bidwell said in an interview on August 9, “What I'm hearing [from faculty members] is grave concern about the lack of communication.”In an interview on March 7, 2025, Bidwell said that some concerns have persisted into the Spring semester. “I think some faculty might feel more trust, other faculty might feel less, and for some it's no change. I would say that overall there still is a sense of distrust of the administration after the sweeping of the funds,” she said.Bidwell said there is “frustration that not all of the money that was taken was restored, because the interest that came from endowed funds was not restored, but other local funds were.” She also said there is “trepidation” among the faculty that a sweep like the one in June may happen again. She said, “There's still a lot in flux because of what's happening nationally right now and at the state level, but I wish I could say I don't think it would happen again… I wish I could be confident.”According to publicly available minutes of the President’s Advisory Council (PAC) meeting on Feb. 25, PAC members spoke to Reveley about trust and transparency. In attendance at the meeting was Reveley, Bidwell, Faculty Senate Vice Chair Dr. Eric Hodges, Faculty Representative to the Board of Visitors Dr. Lisa Kinzer, Dr. Darrell Carpenter and Dr. Benjamin Topham.According to a summary of the conversation in the minutes, “[Bidwell] explained that the surprising sweep of local funds last summer, which occurred after repeated assurances that the university’s budget situation was strong, resulted in mistrust of the President. The climate of mistrust has fueled rumors about the fiscal strength of the university”The minutes also state, “the president categorically denied there was any truth to rumors that Longwood is experiencing financial difficulty.” Bidwell, asked about this specifically during the interview, said, “Do I still worry about the financial health of the university despite those reassurances? Yes.”According to the minutes, PAC members encouraged Reveley to create opportunities for dialogue in order to improve trust in the administration and expressed willingness to work with him in order to repair trust. “PAC members suggested that meetings about budget and other campus concerns should provide an opportunity for open dialogue, rather than be formal presentations,” the minutes state.Bidwell said during the interview, “The President volunteered and offered to come to Faculty Senate on [March 6] and to explain some things that were coming from the federal government and offer opportunities for people to ask questions. He came at the beginning of the faculty meeting and at the end of the faculty senate meeting to answer any casual questions that faculty had. I think that’s an indication that he was trying to be more open in terms of communication.”According to McWilliams in the FOIA documents, the most recent restoration of local funds took place on Feb. 21, the Friday before Love Your Longwood Day. Smith informed academic department chairs and deans of the restoration on the night of Feb. 24, the day prior to Love Your Longwood Day.She wrote, “This is [the] first of a series of emails I will be sending this week to academic departments and deans about FY25 budgets and about FY26 budget planning. This email focuses on local funds. The restoration of local funds has been completed.” Love Your Longwood Day took place on Feb. 25, and according to their website, raised $907,847 and received 2,192 gifts from 1,474 donors. According to publicly available meeting materials from the September 2024 Board of Visitors meeting, in 2023, Love Your Longwood Day raised $735,247 from 1,894 donors. In 2024, coupled with the Longwood Men’s Basketball Team’s trip to March Madness, Love Your Longwood Day brought in $1.3 million dollars from 1,773 donors.There was previously concern among some officials that the summer sweep would impact annual giving, including on Love Your Longwood Day. Member of the Board of Visitors Vellie Dietrich-Hall, at the December 2024 meeting of the board, expressed concern over the university’s credibility with donors. She said, “I received so many emails from people who donated because they didn't know where that money went,” and added, “I hope we're not losing our credibility in soliciting money for the February campaign, for Love Your Longwood Day.”[Courtney] Hodges responded to her concerns and said, “Our gifts are always allocated to the purpose and intention they've given to… we hold donor intention paramount.” In the Feb. 28 email from McWilliams, he said, “fundraising activity for this year continues to be strong.”The Rotunda will continue to report on this story. Those with information relevant to this story, or those who would like to share their thoughts and opinions, are encouraged to contact therotunda@live.longwood.edu.
(03/07/25 2:36pm)
The Longwood Lancers women’s basketball team rolled past USC Upstate on March 7 at the Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City, Tennessee for their first Big South tournament win since their championship run in 2022. The Lancers held the Spartans to under 24% from the field in a smothering defensive display.
(03/02/25 6:15pm)
Note: This E-Edition is only available on a desktop browser. Please contact therotunda@live.longwood.edu if you would like to view a mobile-friendly version. Apologies for any inconvenience.
(02/26/25 8:05pm)
Set in 1830s Germany, real estate agent Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) travels to Transylvania for a fateful meeting with Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), a prospective client. During his absence, Hutter’s new bride, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), is left under the care of their friends, Friedrich (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Anna Harding (Emma Corrin).
(02/20/25 12:54am)
Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights released a “Dear Colleague” letter, directing K-12 and higher education institutions to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs by Feb. 28, 2025 or risk losing federal funding.
(02/13/25 8:16pm)
Bordering the southern end of Longwood’s campus are over a dozen houses representing a once-vibrant community that lived where parking lots, academic buildings, and residence halls stand today. As evidenced by historical records, media reports, and eventually recognized by university administration, then-Longwood College frequently used eminent domain to roll over a predominantly black community in the name of campus expansion.
(02/20/25 6:57pm)
The Longwood Lancers men’s basketball team lost a tension-packed game against in-state rivals Radford on Saturday, February 8. A shot with just two seconds remaining gave the visiting Highlanders the victory stunning the sold out crowd.
(02/10/25 3:57pm)
To address the ongoing debate concerning Artificial Intelligence (AI) usage in academics at Longwood, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Larissa Smith assembled an AI Task Force in August 2024. The Task Force has been directed to provide recommendations to Academic Affairs and the university community regarding best practices for AI usage.
(02/07/25 1:31pm)
Longwood University has faced a growing trend among institutions of Higher Education, which have faced issues of declining enrollment – partially due to the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also due to the rapidly-approaching ‘enrollment cliff.’ The enrollment cliff is a term used often by researchers to describe a phenomenon in higher education created by lower birth rates during the Great Recession of 2007 until 2009.An October 7, 2024 report released by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) revealed low viability risks to Longwood University, but potentially troubling signs for the enrollment of the institution
(02/06/25 5:12am)
In 2003, “Wicked” struck the Broadway stage. After its Broadway debut, “Wicked” quickly became one of the most successful Broadway shows of all time, being seen by more than 65 million people across the globe, according to the official Broadway site.After being a hit on Broadway, fans were long awaiting a movie adaptation, which was announced in 2012. Finally, after 12 years of anticipation, and delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, the movie version of “Wicked” was released on November 22, 2024.The musical is based on the life of the Wicked Witch of the West from “The Wizard of Oz,” named Elphaba Thropp. The movie begins just after her demise in the original 1939 film, as the Good Witch of the North – Galinda Upland – sheds light on Elphaba’s origin story. While the musical isn’t technically canon, it offers a unique background on the story behind the classic film.The movie itself is a perfect mix of music, action, fantasy, romance, and drama.Not only is it incredibly entertaining, it consists of a talented and well-known cast. Some familiar names are Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Peter Dinklage, and Jeff Goldblum. Everyone in this film gave stellar performances. However, I have mixed opinions on the casting when it comes to vocal ability. While the main cast sounded amazing, I was slightly disappointed in the actors they chose for the Wizard and Madame Morrible. Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Yeoh are very talented actors, but I do not think their voices were strong enough to keep up with the rest of the cast. Besides that, the songs in this movie are very well-written and sound stunning. Highlights include Eviro’s slightly-revised version of “Defying Gravity,” Grande and the cast’s gorgeous rendition of “No One Mourns the Wicked,” and Grande’s iconic performance of “Popular.”I was especially impressed with the performances from Grande and Ervio, who played Glinda and Elphaba. While everyone knows that these women are very strong vocal artists, it was impressive to see them sing such difficult songs while acting. This movie overall was really well cast. Another aspect from the film that I enjoyed was seeing the connections to the Wizard of Oz. Many prequels or sequels separate themselves too heavily from the original, but that is not the case with Wicked. The musical included pieces of “The Wizard of Oz,” like the flying monkeys, the yellow brick road and an extremely-brief cameo from the original four, all of which bring back memories of the original Oz. Learning about and seeing a different side of the Wicked Witch of the West was one of the best parts of the film for me. The plot helps remind viewers that someone perceived as the villain in another story may have been misjudged or had a reason for their anger. It also shows how much power specific people have, and how those people can misuse their power.Overall, I loved the film. It was honestly one of the best musicals I have ever seen and I would certainly watch it again. I look forward to the release of the second act, “Wicked: For Good,” in late 2025 – and I know it will not disappoint. All in all, “Wicked” was my favorite movie of 2024 by far, and I would absolutely recommend going to see it. I rate “Wicked” a 5/5.
(01/31/25 10:43pm)
With half of conference play in the books, Longwood women’s basketball has roared out of the gate to their best start since joining the Big South in 2012. With a 7-1 record entering February, the Lancers have already secured victories over last year’s regular season champions, High Point, and the reigning tournament champions, Presbyterian.
(01/29/25 2:25pm)
The ever-profitable genre of musician biopics struck again with James Mangold’s “A Complete Unknown,” a surprisingly-solid biopic about the early years of Bob Dylan. Between an eclectic mix of songs, excellent casting, and a stellar final sequence, this movie succeeded in creating a balanced portrayal of an icon where similar biopics have failed, resulting in a film closer to “The Social Network” than “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
(01/28/25 4:30pm)
On January 20, 2025, students, faculty, staff, and community members representing all parts of Longwood, Hampden-Sydney, and Farmville came together for the student-led Unity March and forum held at the Robert Russa Moton Museum. The date was both Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Inauguration Day. Two hours before the march, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. In an interview, Longwood junior and march organizer Logan Macklin said, “I feel like, on this day, we have two major figures in American history, but on such opposite sides of the spectrum.”
(01/24/25 4:38pm)
Lancers Vote is a non-partisan civil engagement organization at Longwood University with the main goal being to inform Longwood students on voting and to get them to vote. They set up booths and hold events where they teach students about who’s on the ballot, how to register to vote, what they should do before they vote, and where they can cast their vote.
