I am writing to express my strong support for Delegate Rodney Willett’s House Bill 522, which would establish the Virginia Private College Preservation and Maintenance Fund. Virginia’s 28 private, nonprofit colleges and universities educate more than 97,000 undergraduates and nearly 68,000 graduate and professional students, many in communities without a nearby public campus. These institutions anchor local economies with about 28,000 jobs and $4.6 billion in annual economic output. They also serve a broad public mission: roughly 46% of undergraduates are Pell-eligible, and the institutions collectively provide about $1 billion annually in institutional financial aid. Unlike public institutions, however, private nonprofits must finance most capital needs through philanthropy, private debt, or tuition revenue. Many campuses—often historic and complex—carry substantial deferred maintenance, including roofs, HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems, life safety upgrades, accessibility improvements, and technology infrastructure. These needs are particularly acute at Virginia’s private HBCUs, where longstanding funding disparities have contributed to significant backlogs that directly affect student learning, safety, and success. HB 522 responds directly to the General Assembly’s 2024 directive to identify ways to assist private nonprofits with capital needs. The bill would create a competitive, matching grant program administered by SCHEV, in consultation with the Department of Historic Resources, to support preservation and maintenance projects that extend building life, reduce risk, and modernize learning environments. A required 1:1 institutional match and a clear scoring rubric—focused on safety, code compliance, instructional impact, and cost avoidance—will help ensure accountability and the efficient use of state funds. Virginia would join other states—including Maryland, New York, and Illinois—that have successfully implemented similar programs, leveraging public dollars to spur private investment and protect critical higher education infrastructure. HB 522 builds logically on Virginia’s longstanding partnerships with private, nonprofit colleges, including VTAG and other statutory collaborations. For these reasons, I respectfully ask you to support and vote in favor of House Bill 522. Sincerely, Bill Roach

To The Honorable Luke Torian, On behalf of Virginia Union University (VUU) and our president Dr. Hakim Lucas, I write to express our strong support for House Bill 522, patroned by Delegate Willett, which establishes a Virginia Private College Preservation and Maintenance Fund. This legislation represents a vital investment in the infrastructure that supports Virginia’s higher education talent pipeline and regional economies. Founded in 1865, VUU is one of the nation’s oldest Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and the only HBCU in Richmond, Virginia. Our campus includes several historic and architecturally significant prewar buildings that symbolize educational access and resilience. While these structures enrich Virginia’s cultural landscape, their preservation and modernization are costly. Unlike public institutions, VUU and other private nonprofit colleges rely almost entirely on private fundraising, tuition revenue, and private financing for capital improvements, receiving no direct state support for facility upgrades—despite serving thousands of students and acting as economic anchors in our communities. House Bill 522 addresses this long-standing gap through a competitive, accountable grant program to support preservation, maintenance, and modernization. Deferred maintenance—such as aging HVAC systems, failing roofs, and outdated technology—poses growing risks to student learning, campus safety, and financial sustainability. As an HBCU, VUU has also faced historic funding disparities that have contributed to significant infrastructure backlogs. Federal research underscores both the disproportionate maintenance needs at HBCUs and the direct link between modern facilities and student success outcomes. Modeled after successful programs in states such as Maryland, New York, and Illinois, this Fund would leverage state investment through matching requirements while prioritizing safety, instructional impact, and long-term cost savings. Virginia has long partnered with private nonprofit institutions through initiatives such as VTAG. House Bill 522 builds on that commitment by protecting the physical environments that support learning and economic growth, while ensuring equitable access for HBCUs like VUU. We commend Delegate Willett for sponsoring this important legislation and appreciate the Appropriations Committee’s leadership in advancing solutions that strengthen higher education across the Commonwealth. Thank you for your consideration of House Bill 522 and for your continued service to Virginia. Sincerely, Felicia D. Cosby Virginia Union University AVP, External Affairs Director, Center For African American History and Culture Email - fdcosby@vuu.edu : phone - (804) 901-1252 (m)

I am writing to express my strong support for House Bill 522, patroned by Delegate Rodney Willett, and the companion Senate budget amendment filed by Senator Jennifer Boysko (Item #131, 11s). This amendment advances a targeted maintenance-and-modernization strategy that supports students as Virginia’s talent pipeline, reduces costly emergency repairs, and strengthens regional economies—drawing on proven models already operating successfully in other states. Establishing a Virginia Private College Preservation and Maintenance Program would provide a competitive, market-based solution to a persistent capital access challenge. By requiring a dollar-for-dollar institutional match, the program would leverage state resources to spur private investment, enhance student experiences, and preserve and maintain Virginia’s historic campus assets. Importantly, the program’s modest design aligns Virginia’s preservation expertise with higher education oversight through the involvement of SCHEV, the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia, and the Director of the Department of Historic Resources. Similar targeted grant programs already operate in six states, where they have strengthened campus safety, improved student accessibility, and ensured long-term stewardship of private nonprofit campus facilities. Thank you for your consideration and for your continued leadership on behalf of the Commonwealth’s students and communities. Respectfully, Sue Ott Rowlands President