About Virginia Private Colleges

The Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV) was founded in 1971 and currently operates as Virginia Private Colleges, a nonprofit, 501(c)(6) organization representing twenty-eight accredited nonprofit independent colleges and universities in Virginia. We work collaboratively in the areas of public policy, cost containment and professional development as well as providing support to our member institutions and their students in the following areas:

Government relations. We serve as the voice of Virginia’s independent higher education community before state agencies and legislators and coordinate government relations activities for our members. We were instrumental in starting Virginia's Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG) program. We manage the advocacy of Virginia's independent colleges for increased funding for VTAG and other programs assisting students at independent colleges.
Collaboration. We work with members and business partners to leverage collaborative opportunities that help campuses control operating costs and improve efficiency. Projects range from consortium purchasing agreements among member colleges to facilitating the state-wide Virginia Private College Week in July and the Virginia Private College Guidance Counselor Tour the fall. We recently launched a Health Benefits Consortium designed to provide quality and affordable health care for employees of our colleges.
Research. Our staff works with member institutions, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), and national organizations to provide data analysis and higher education research services to advance and promote the role independent higher education plays in Virginia.
Public Relations. We work closely with its members and the media to provide information and materials that highlight the contributions of the private colleges to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Our organization is governed by a Board of Directors, currently chaired by President Pamela Fox of Mary Baldwin College. The Board is comprised of the college presidents of member institutions. Robert Lambeth, our president, is responsible for leading our organization on a day- to-day basis.