RICHMOND, Va. β A Virginia lawmaker has filed legislation that would dissolve the Board of Visitors at the Virginia Military Institute and transfer authority to the board that oversees Virginia State University.
The bill from Del. Michael Feggans (D-Virginia Beach) filed the legislation on Tuesday.
Feggans did not speak with reporters when asked about the legislation on Wednesday but said in a statement it was about the General Assembly's responsibility to "ensure that public institutions are overseen in a manner that reflects stability, accountability, and sound judgment."
He said while the Board of Visitors would be transferred, it preserves "VMIβs mission, military structure, and academic role."
βThe bill reflects broader, longstanding concerns about whether VMI's current governance structure meets the standards the Commonwealth expects. When patterns of governance issues arise, it is appropriate for the General Assembly to review and, if necessary, adjust oversight structures," wrote Feggans. "The intent of the bill is structural, not punitive. It strengthens oversight, clarifies accountability, and ensures that VMI can focus on its core mission while operating under a governance framework that meets modern expectations for a public institution.β
A spokesperson for VMI, Lt. Col. Sherry Wallace told CBS 6 in a statement that they were not aware of the legislation until it was filed on Tuesday and added that the school did not propose it.
"We look forward to discussions with our elected officials as an opportunity to demonstrate the value of VMI. For more than 186 years, VMI has served the commonwealth, producing citizen-soldiers who now lead in all walks of life. There are currently nearly 1,500 cadets at VMI with the same goal," wrote Wallace.
Lawmakers and VSU's president Makola M. Abdullah were asked about the legislation at the launch of the HBCU Caucus on Wednesday, but declined to comment.
CBS 6 has reached out to VSU's spokesperson, but have not heard back.
Legislation has also been filed by Del. Dan Helmer (D-Fairfax) that calls for the creation of a task force to determine if VMI should "continue to be a state-sponsored institution of higher education."
As of Thursday, Jan. 22, neither bill has been assigned to a committee and do not have scheduled hearing dates.
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