Pursuant to Section 21.1 of the Code of Virginia, and consistent with the charge set forth by the General Assembly in the 2025 Appropriations Act, the Richard Bland College Board of Visitors submits this inaugural report documenting the Board’s due diligence in investigating options for the future of Richard Bland College (College, RBC or Bland). This report fulfills the first of three required annual submissions and reflects the Board’s commitment to independent, data-informed governance; transparency and accountability; and optimization of the Commonwealth’s investment in Bland to promote regional and statewide economic development.

Legislative and Policy Context

In 2023, the General Assembly directed the Secretary of Education to coordinate with Richard Bland College and its stakeholders to explore options for the institution’s future. That effort culminated in a report prepared by the Boston Consulting Group and issued by Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera in August 2024. One recommendation was the creation of an independent Board of Visitors charged with a dual mission:

• To oversee rapid improvement in key student success and financial performance metrics; and

• To substantively explore and evaluate alternative structural, partnership, and consolidation options to ensure long-term viability.

In 2025 the General Assembly established an independent, nine-member Board of Visitors and directed it to explore options for Bland’s future and report annually on its due diligence over a three-year horizon, with final recommendations due June 30, 2028. This report documents the Board’s Year-One efforts and establishes a rigorous foundation for subsequent phases of exploration, evaluation, and implementation of strategic priorities.

Governance Transition and Strategic Focus

The inaugural Richard Bland College Board of Visitors assumed governance responsibility in July 2025 during a period of significant transition, including impending changes in state administration leadership and in the College presidency. Despite these transitions, the inaugural Board and, subsequently, a reconstituted Board appointed in March 2026 have acted with urgency and continuity of purpose.

The Board has affirmed independent governance as an essential prerequisite for fulfilling its statutory mandate and has focused its work on:

• Establishing best-practice policies, bylaws, and executive oversight practices;

• Monitoring RBC’s longitudinal performance metrics related to enrollment, retention, graduation, post-transfer outcomes, and cost per degree;

• Hiring and onboarding an interim president and launching the search for a permanent president;

• Advancing a disciplined, phased approach to evaluating the College’s future;

• Approving an 18-24 month strategic plan that prioritizes the identification and delivery of industry-recognized credentials and micro-credentials to address exigent workforce gaps.

Within a higher education environment marked by enrollment pressure, fiscal constraints, shifting labor-market demands, and increased scrutiny of public return on investment, the Board’s overarching goal is to ensure that Richard Bland College is strategically aligned with market and workforce needs, financially sustainable, and deeply mission-centered in service to students and economic development in Virginia’s Gateway region and across the Commonwealth.

Phase One: Establishing a Baseline for Decision-Making

During Year One, the Board adopted and executed Phase One of a three-phased framework designed to ensure that all future structural and partnership decisions are grounded in evidence and aligned with General Assembly priorities.

Phase One focused on four interrelated components:

1. Establishing Baseline Performance Metrics
The Board affirmed a set of longitudinal key performance indicators—enrollment, persistence, retention, graduation, post-completion outcomes, and financial efficiency—that will be used consistently to evaluate institutional health and the relative merits of all future options.

2. Internal Inventory of Programs and Partnerships
The Board reviewed Richard Bland College’s academic portfolio and extensive K-12/ university/business partnership ecosystem. RBC’s primary identity as a two-year, residential, university-parallel institution was reaffirmed, with associate degrees intentionally designed to deliver critical “soft skills" while minimizing credit loss and cost for students transferring to four-year institutions for degrees leading to a wide array of careers. The College maintains more than forty (40) university transfer partnerships, as well as robust collaborations with K–12 systems, healthcare providers, industry, and nonprofit partners. Notably, in April 2026, Bland entered into a joint admission program with its primary transfer partner, Virginia Commonwealth University, to reduce cost and further streamline the transition.

3. External Review of Workforce Needs
Consistent with Virginia workforce priorities and the SCHEV strategic plan, the Board examined state labor market projections and high-growth occupational fields. This review confirmed increasing student demand for flexible delivery models and short-term credentials, alongside continued demand for strong transfer preparation in high-need sectors such as information technology, business, healthcare, education, and the social sciences.

4. Gap Analysis and Alignment Assessment
A crosswalk of existing programs with Virginia’s top in-demand fields demonstrates that Richard Bland College’s liberal arts transfer focus is well aligned with workforce needs, particularly as preparation for high-demand bachelor’s degrees. The analysis also identified clear opportunities for Phase Two exploration, including expansion of dual enrollment conversion, online education, and workforce-aligned short-term credentials.

Key Findings

The Board’s Year One due diligence led to several core findings:

• Richard Bland College is mission-differentiated within Virginia’s higher education ecosystem and continues to deliver strong value through high-quality, affordable transfer pathways, complementing the mission of community colleges.

• Bland’s existing academic model aligns with current and projected workforce needs, particularly when viewed as foundational preparation for high-demand four-year degrees.

• Future sustainability will depend on strategic, smart growth—especially through enrollment expansion, program delivery innovation, and carefully selected alliances and/or partnerships.

• Any consideration of consolidation or alternative structural arrangements must be evaluated against clear performance, student success, financial, and regional impact criteria.

Next Steps

With Phase One complete, the Board is prepared to move into Phase Two: Exploration and Evaluation. This will include engaging Jade Solutions to conduct a comprehensive market feasibility study, identify and prioritize strategic opportunities, and develop a multi-criteria framework and implementation roadmap for future action. Findings from Phase Two will be presented in the June 30, 2027 report. Phase Three will focus on implementation and outcomes.

Conclusion

The Board of Visitors embraces its responsibility to lead Richard Bland College through a disciplined, transparent, and student-centered evaluation of its future. This first-year report demonstrates that the Board has established a strong foundation for decision-making and is proceeding deliberately, consistent with legislative intent. The Board remains committed to ensuring that Richard Bland College continues to provide measurable value to students, supports regional and statewide workforce and economic development, and fulfills its distinctive mission as an affordable gateway to baccalaureate attainment and a provider of high-demand, industry-recognized credentials in the Commonwealth.