Virginia

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 28 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. Our Health Benefits Consortium was launched about nine years ago and is designed to provide quality and affordable health care for employees of our colleges.

    In 2018, a 403(b) Multiple-Employer Plan (MEP) retirement plan was launched. The MEP is a single retirement plan with multiple "adopting employers". Fifteen schools currently are slated to join the MEP which will provide numerous benefits, including: robust employee education and advising that will help employees meet their retirement goals, constant monitoring of the investment options and fees charged, reduction of each college's administrative burden, fiduciary liability and cost to manage their retirement plan, and flexibility for each college to tailor the plan to accommodate their school's needs.

  • 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, which is comprised of presidents of member institutions. 
 
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Appalachian College of Pharmacy
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Bluefield University
Bridgewater College
Eastern Mennonite University
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
Emory & Henry College
Ferrum College
George Washington University - VA
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampton University
Hollins University
Liberty University
Mary Baldwin University
Marymount University
Randolph College
Randolph-Macon College
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Shenandoah University
Southern Virginia University
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University of Richmond
Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - VA
Virginia Union University
Virginia Wesleyan University
Washington and Lee University
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