News

ACTA President Dr. Michael Poliakoff Appointed to Longwood Board of Visitors

By Tyler Bagent | November 3

Over the summer, on June 20, 2025, Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed Dr. Michael Poliakoff to the Longwood University Board of Visitors. Poliakoff is one of four new appointees as part of the final round of selections before Youngkin leaves office in January 2026. Poliakoff enters the board at an unsteady ...

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News

Construction of New Music Building Begins, Bristow Hall Demolished

By Chase Gionis | October 22

In late September, construction began on the Wygal Hall replacement building, a nearly $100 million project set for completion in 2028. The appearance of construction barriers and machinery around the build site, along with the demolition of Bristow Hall, marked the beginning of a new era of music at Longwood University.

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Gas-Like Odor Forces Evacuation of NE Landings on Night of Oktoberfest

By Jensen Auman | October 17

On October 4 at 6:05 p.m., Longwood students received an email from Lancer Alert addressing a gas-like smell inside the NE Longwood Landings. The email stated, “The building has been cleared and is closed while fire crews investigate.” In a follow-up email sent at 10:35 p.m., students were informed ...

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News

Buy Now, Pay Later: A Trap or a Saving Grace?

By Kylie Quigley | October 17

The popularity of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services like Klarna and Afterpay has surged in the past year, according to Harvard Business Review. These platforms, which allow consumers to split purchases into manageable installments, are being increasingly used for everyday expenses like groceries and ...

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Board of Visitors Holds September Meeting, First with Fully Youngkin-Appointed Board

By Tyler Bagent | September 17

On September 12, 2025, the Longwood University Board of Visitors held their September meeting at the Baliles Center in Westmoreland County, Virginia. The Board, which typically meets on campus, discussed the university’s enrollment and retention, financial health, athletics and other matters. This ...

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Kilmar Abrego Garcia Held At Farmville Detention Center, Vigil Planned for Sunday

By Tyler Bagent | August 30

On Tuesday, August 26, ABC 8 News first reported Kilmar Abrego Garcia — whose wrongful deportation to El Salvador led to a national debate over the Trump Administration’s immigration policy — is being held at the Farmville Detention Center. In response, local activists have planned a vigil for ...

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News

BookBundle: Longwood’s New Textbook Program

By Alyssa Robertson | May 5

Officials at Longwood University have announced the launch of BookBundle, a program which changes the process of buying textbooks for Longwood undergraduate students. Vice President for Student Affairs Cam Patterson introduced the program in an email on March 31 and emphasized its goal to “make accessing ...

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Chief Comer Addresses Student Concerns as ICE Activity Increases Nationally

By Jordan McPherson | April 4

On Feb. 13, Longwood Chief of Police and Assistant Vice President for Public Safety Angela Comer held a “Let’s Talk About It: Know Your Rights” session in response to student concerns about possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity on college campuses.  According to Comer, ...

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Board of Visitors Approves DEI Resolution, Reveley Affirms Longwood “In Good Stead”

By Tyler Bagent | April 2

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 ...

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Longwood Officials Evaluate Next Steps as Virginia Universities Abolish DEI Programs

By Tyler Bagent | March 19

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 ...

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New FOIA Documents Show $601,865 in Local Funds Restored to Academic Departments

By Tyler Bagent | March 7

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.

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News

Trump Administration’s Anti-DEI Letter Causes Confusion, Anxiety

By Jordan McPherson and Tyler Bagent | February 19

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. At Longwood, officials are not sure at ...

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“Lasting Offense and Pain:” Longwood College’s Growth at a Community’s Expense

By Nick Hamlett and Tyler Bagent | February 13

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, ...

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Provost’s Task Force Collecting Feedback on AI Usage and Policies

By Jordan McPherson and Tyler Bagent | February 10

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 ...

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Reveley, Ferguson Address Enrollment Concerns

By Tyler Bagent | February 7

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 ...

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Faculty Senate Considers Changes to Student Evaluation Policy

By Tyler Bagent | January 22

At the November 21 meeting of the Faculty Senate, members discussed recommended policy changes to the role of student course evaluations, following recommended policies released by the Student Assessment of Instruction Ad Hoc Committee earlier this academic year.

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Moss Hall Evacuated After Reported Bomb Threat

By Tyler Bagent | October 25

On October 24, Moss Hall was evacuated at 5:18 p.m. by the Longwood University Police Department (LUPD) due to a “report of a bomb threat,” according to a Longwood Alert. Soon after, at 5:35 p.m., students received another alert announcing the situation had been resolved and the building was cleared ...

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