Virginia Law

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Career and technical education" means the training or retraining under public supervision and control that is (i) given in school classes, including field or laboratory work incidental to such training or retraining, exclusive of those career and technical education programs provided and administered by or through the public school system and (ii) conducted as part of a program designed to fit individuals for gainful employment as semiskilled or skilled workers or technicians in recognized occupations.

"Chancellor" means the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System.

1966, c. 679, § 23-214; 1977, c. 413; 1998, cc. 111, 396; 2001, c. 483; 2016, c. 588.

The State Board for Community Colleges is a corporation under the style of "the State Board for Community Colleges" that shall establish, control, and administer a statewide system of publicly supported comprehensive community colleges, which shall be known as the Virginia Community College System.

1966, c. 679, § 23-215; 1977, c. 413; 1998, cc. 111, 396; 2001, c. 483; 2002, cc. 586, 625; 2004, c. 146; 2016, c. 588.

A. The State Board shall consist of 15 nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation by the General Assembly.

B. Each member shall be a resident of the Commonwealth. No officer, employee, or member of the governing board of any public institution of higher education or of any school subject to the control of the State Board and no member of the Board of Education is eligible for appointment to the State Board. All members of the State Board are members at large charged with the responsibility of serving the best interests of the whole Commonwealth, and no member shall act as the representative of any particular region or institution of higher education.

1966, c. 679, § 23-216; 1972, c. 136; 1983, c. 148; 2016, c. 588.

A. The State Board shall elect a chairman from its membership and may provide for the election of one of its members as vice-chairman.

B. The State Board shall meet at least four times annually and on the call of the chairman when in his opinion additional meetings are expedient or necessary.

C. Eight members of the State Board shall constitute a quorum for all purposes.

D. The main office of the State Board shall be in the Commonwealth.

E. The State Board may adopt necessary regulations for carrying out the purposes of this chapter.

1966, c. 679, § 23-217; 1980, c. 728; 2014, c. 652; 2016, c. 588; 2017, c. 314.

In addition to the duties of governing boards of public institutions of higher education set forth in Chapter 13 (§ 23.1-1300 et seq.), the State Board shall:

1. Be the state agency with primary responsibility for coordinating workforce training at the postsecondary through the associate degree level, exclusive of the career and technical education programs provided through and administered by the public school system. This responsibility shall not preclude other agencies from also providing such services as appropriate, but these activities shall be coordinated with the comprehensive community colleges;

2. Report on actions that comprehensive community colleges have taken to meet the requirements of § 23.1-2906 in its annual report to the General Assembly on workforce development activities required by the general appropriation act;

3. Prepare and administer a plan providing standards and policies for the establishment, development, and administration of comprehensive community colleges under its authority. It shall determine the need for comprehensive community colleges and develop a statewide plan for their location and a time schedule for their establishment. In the development of such plan, a principal objective is to provide and maintain a system of comprehensive community colleges, as that term is defined in § 23.1-100 to make appropriate educational opportunities and programs available throughout the Commonwealth. In providing these offerings, the State Board shall recognize the need for excellence in all curricula and shall establish and maintain standards appropriate to the various purposes the respective programs are designed to serve;

4. Establish policies providing for the creation of a local community college board for each comprehensive community college established under this chapter and the procedures and regulations under which such local boards shall operate. These boards shall assist in ascertaining educational needs and enlisting community involvement and support and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the State Board;

5. Adhere to the policies of the Council for the coordination of higher education as required by law;

6. Develop a mental health referral policy directing comprehensive community colleges to designate at least one individual at each college to serve as a point of contact with an emergency services system clinician at a local community services board, or another qualified mental health services provider, for the purposes of facilitating screening and referral of students who may have emergency or urgent mental health needs and of assisting the college in carrying out the duties specified by §§ 23.1-802 and 23.1-805. Each comprehensive community college may establish relationships with community services boards or other mental health providers for referral and treatment of persons with less serious mental health needs;

7. Develop and implement, in coordination with the Council, the Department of Education, and the Virginia Association of School Superintendents, (i) a plan to achieve and maintain the same standards regarding quality, consistency, and level of evaluation and review for dual enrollment courses offered by local school divisions pursuant to § 23.1-907 as are required for all courses taught in the System and (ii) a process and criteria for determining whether any dual enrollment course offered in the Commonwealth that meets or exceeds such standards is transferable to a public institution of higher education as (a) a uniform certificate of general studies program or passport program course credit, (b) a general elective course credit, or (c) a course credit meeting other academic requirements of a public institution of higher education;

8. Prepare and administer a plan to standardize across all comprehensive community colleges the courses offered and the quality and content of such courses, as well as to standardize the application and registration process at all comprehensive community colleges. Such plan shall allow for a comprehensive community college to provide additional courses, beyond the standard class content offered across the System, that meet specific regional interests and needs. Regional courses shall be subject to the standards of quality applied to all courses offered in the System;

9. Develop and implement a plan to standardize across all comprehensive community colleges the courses offered for health care-related degree, credential, or licensure programs, excluding any registered nursing programs. Such plan shall include procedures and criteria for (i) standardizing such courses by name, curriculum, coursework, quality, academic rigor, and standard of evaluation; (ii) awarding credit toward the completion of any such health care-related program for any student enrolled in a comprehensive community college; and (iii) standardizing the manner in which academic and clinical hour credits are awarded for such courses to ensure that they are stackable and transferrable across the System; and

10. Develop and implement accountability measures to periodically, but in no case less than every three years, review the performance of each comprehensive community college to ensure that all standards established by the Board are being met, with a goal of ensuring a consistent quality of education and opportunity across the System. If it is found that such standards are not being met at a particular institution, the Board shall develop a plan for corrective action specific to the issues presented at that institution.

1966, c. 679, §§ 23-215, 23-218, 23-220, 23-221; 1977, c. 413; 1996, cc. 134, 486; 1998, cc. 111, 396; 2001, c. 483; 2002, cc. 586, 625; 2004, c. 146; 2006, c. 337; 2013, cc. 49, 606, § 23-219.1; 2015, cc. 63, 86; 2016, c. 588; 2018, cc. 787, 832, 845; 2023, c. 542.

In addition to the powers of governing boards of public institutions of higher education set forth in Chapter 13 (§ 23.1-1300 et seq.), the State Board may:

1. With the approval of the Governor, accept from any government or governmental department or agency or any public or private body or from any other source grants or contributions of money or property that the State Board may use for or in aid of any of its purposes;

2. Control and expend funds appropriated by law;

3. Fix tuition, mandatory fees, and other necessary charges;

4. Establish policies and guidelines providing for reduced tuition rates at comprehensive community colleges for employees of the System; and

5. Confer diplomas, certificates, and associate degrees.

1966, c. 679, §§ 23-218, 23-219; 1996, cc. 134, 486; 2006, c. 337; 2015, cc. 63, 86; 2016, c. 588.

Each comprehensive community college shall:

1. Maximize noncredit course offerings made available to business and industry at a time and place that meet current and projected workforce needs and minimize the cost of noncredit offerings to business and industry to the extent feasible;

2. Deal directly with employers in designing and offering courses to meet real, current, and projected workforce training needs; and

3. Maximize the availability and use of distance learning courses addressing workforce training needs.

1966, c. 679, § 23-215; 1977, c. 413; 1998, cc. 111, 396; 2001, c. 483; 2002, cc. 586, 625; 2004, c. 146; 2016, c. 588.

Each comprehensive community college shall enter into agreements with the local school divisions it serves to facilitate dual enrollment of eligible students into a Career Pathways program preparing students to pass a high school equivalency examination offered by the local school division and a postsecondary credential, certification, or license attainment program offered by the comprehensive community college.

2016, c. 645.

A. Each of the seven comprehensive community colleges with the highest number of enrolled students who are veterans shall employ at least one full-time veterans advisor to provide comprehensive and intensive enrollment and advising services to current and prospective students who are veterans.

B. Each of the seven comprehensive community colleges with the highest number of enrolled students who are veterans shall establish a veterans resource center on campus to:

1. Provide access to federal and state veterans resources;

2. Serve as a quiet place for veterans to study;

3. Enable veterans to connect to other veterans, helping them renew the bonds of military service; and

4. Be the central hub for all activities on campus related to veterans.

2016, c. 503.

A. The State Board shall adopt a policy for the award of academic credit to any student enrolled in a comprehensive community college who has successfully completed a military training course or program as part of his military service that is applicable to the student's certificate of degree requirements and is:

1. Recommended for academic credit by a national higher education association that provides academic credit recommendations for military training courses or programs;

2. Noted on the student's military transcript issued by any of the Armed Forces of the United States; or

3. Otherwise documented in writing by any of the Armed Forces of the United States.

B. The State Board shall:

1. Develop a procedure for each comprehensive community college to receive the documentation necessary to identify and verify the military training course or program for which the student has applied for academic credit; and

2. Develop, maintain, and disseminate to each comprehensive community college a list of military training courses and programs that it has deemed qualified for the award of academic credit.

C. Each comprehensive community college shall provide a copy of the State Board's policy for the award of academic credit for military training courses or programs to each student applicant.

2015, cc. 384, 581, § 23-220.5; 2016, c. 588.

The State Board shall require each comprehensive community college to develop policies and procedures for the award of academic credit to any student enrolled in a comprehensive community college who has successfully completed a state-approved registered apprenticeship credential in a field that is aligned with a credit-bearing program of study at the comprehensive community college in which the student is enrolled. Such policies shall ensure that academic credit is awarded only to students who have achieved the same outcomes and with the same academic rigor as in the equivalent courses offered by the institution.

2017, cc. 21, 130.

The System, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Industry, shall develop and deliver uniform, related instruction for registered apprenticeships in high-demand programs, as determined by the Virginia Board of Workforce Development and the Virginia Employment Commission, and for which coursework is not otherwise available. Such instruction shall be available statewide and shall be delivered in a face-to-face, online, or blended format.

2019, c. 580.

A. The State Board shall appoint a Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System to be the chief executive officer of the System and secretary to the State Board, fix his salary, and prescribe his duties in addition to those duties set forth in subsection B.

B. The Chancellor shall:

1. Formulate such policies and regulations and provide for such assistance in his office as are necessary for the proper performance of the duties prescribed by the provisions of this chapter;

2. Designate an employee of the State Board to serve as its liaison to the Board of Education;

3. Appoint agents and employees and fix their functions, powers, duties, titles, and salaries, subject to the approval of the State Board and the provisions of the Virginia Personnel Act (§ 2.2-2900 et seq.);

4. Submit an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly on or before November 1 of each year. Such report shall be submitted as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website. Such report shall contain, at a minimum, the annual financial statements for the year ending the preceding June 30 and the accounts and status of any ongoing capital projects;

5. Prescribe the forms of applications, reports, affidavits, and such other forms as may be required in the administration of this chapter;

6. Cooperate with agencies of the United States in relation to matters set forth in this chapter and in any reasonable manner that may be necessary for the Commonwealth to qualify for and to receive grants or aid from such federal agencies, subject to the direction of the State Board; and

7. Enforce the standards established by the State Board for personnel employed in the administration of this chapter and remove or cause to be removed each employee who does not meet such standards.

C. The Chancellor may receive, for and on behalf of the Commonwealth and its subdivisions, from the United States and agencies of the United States and any other source grants-in-aid and gifts made for the purpose of providing or assisting in providing any career and technical or other education or educational programs authorized by this chapter, including expenses of administration. All such funds shall be paid into the state treasury. However, nothing in this chapter shall preclude any other agency, board, or officer of the Commonwealth from being designated as the directing or allocating agency, board, or officer for the distribution of federal grants-in-aid or the performance of other duties to the extent necessary to qualify for and to receive grants-in-aid for programs and institutions under the administration of the State Board.

1966, c. 679, §§ 23-223, 23-224, 23-225, 23-227, 23-228, 23-229, 23-230, 23-231; 1970, c. 728; 1977, c. 413; 1984, c. 734; 1985, c. 146; 2001, c. 483; 2004, c. 650; 2015, c. 140; 2016, c. 588.

Repealed by Acts 2020, c. 490, cl. 2.

Proper bonds shall be required of all agents and employees who handle any funds that may come into the custody of the System. The premiums on the bonds shall be paid from funds appropriated by the Commonwealth for the administration of the provisions of this chapter.

1966, c. 679, § 23-226; 1977, c. 413; 2016, c. 588.

In any area served by a comprehensive community college, no public institution of higher education that conducts extension programs shall offer courses of study similar to those offered by a comprehensive community college, except as authorized by the Council. Whenever practicable, the State Board shall provide facilities to such public institutions of higher education for conducting extension programs not in conflict with the provisions of this chapter.

1966, c. 679, § 23-221; 2016, c. 588.

The fourth week in January of every year is declared "Community College Week" and the State Board may approve such activities in observance of this week as it deems appropriate.

1985, c. 161, § 23-231.1; 2016, c. 588.

A. Northern Virginia Community College, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall contract with a partner organization to develop, market, and implement high-quality and effective computer science training and professional development activities for public school teachers throughout the Commonwealth for the purpose of improving the computer science literacy of all public school students in the Commonwealth.

B. Northern Virginia Community College shall also establish an advisory committee for the purpose of advising the college and its partner organization on the development, marketing, and implementation of training and professional development activities pursuant to subsection A. The Secretary of Commerce and Trade, the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Administration shall each submit to the college a list of names of qualified individuals, and the college shall appoint members to such advisory committee from such lists.

2017, cc. 779, 823; 2020, c. 738.

A. As used in this section, "high-demand field" means a discipline or field, as defined by the list established by the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement based on analysis and evaluation provided by the Virginia Office of Education Economics, in which there is a shortage of skilled workers to fill current and anticipated additional job vacancies.

B. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Fund, referred to in this section as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of providing financial assistance pursuant to subsection C. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Chancellor.

C. The System shall establish the Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back Program (G3 Program) for the purpose of providing financial assistance from the Fund to low-income and middle-income Virginia students who are enrolled in an educational program at an associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education that leads to an occupation in a high-demand field.

D. The Virginia Board of Workforce Development, in consultation with the System, the Council, and the staffs of the House Committee on Appropriations and Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, shall make recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly, no later than December 1 of each year, for additions or other changes to the high-demand fields that qualify for financial assistance under the G3 Program.

E. In order to be eligible for financial assistance under the G3 Program, an applicant shall (i) report a total household income that is not more than 400 percent of the federal poverty guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; (ii) be enrolled or accepted for enrollment, (a) as a full-time student or a part-time student, for a minimum of six credit hours per semester, in a credit-bearing educational program or (b) in a noncredit educational program, at an associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education that leads to an occupation in a high-demand field; and (iii) have completed and submitted applications for any other federal or state student financial aid program for which the applicant may be eligible.

F. In order to remain eligible for financial assistance under the G3 Program, a participating student shall (i) meet standards for satisfactory academic progress and maintain the required grade point average established in Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended; (ii) demonstrate reasonable progress to complete his specific program of study to earn an associate degree in no more than three years; and (iii) not exceed 150 percent of the required credits for the relevant certificate or degree.

G. Each financial assistance award under the G3 Program shall consist of (i) a grant up to the amount necessary to pay for the last-dollar cost of the institution's tuition and mandatory fees and a textbook stipend after all other federal and state financial aid to which the student is entitled is taken into account and (ii) for any student who is enrolled full time and receives a full Federal Pell Grant, a student-support incentive grant as provided in the general appropriation act. Each student-support incentive grant shall be disbursed in two equal payments, the first of which shall occur after the census date for the enrollment period is reached and the second of which shall occur at the end of the academic term for which the student receives the grant, provided, however, that no student who withdraws from or otherwise stops attending the institution during such term shall receive additional payments and that each such student shall be subject to repayment of the funds already received in accordance with state financial aid policies.

H. Each eligible institution that participates in the G3 Program shall provide academic and career advising to all students enrolled in the G3 Program.

I. No later than September 1 of each year, each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education shall submit to the Council and the System a report with data from the previous fiscal year on student participation in and completion of the G3 Program, including (i) data on student enrollment, student retention rates between academic terms and years, and student wages, including median wages prior to enrollment and one year after completion of a credential or degree and wage rates of students who have not enrolled in over a year and did not complete a credential, and (ii) a comparison of job demand and completion rates. Such data shall be disaggregated by program of study and student income level at the start of participation in the G3 program. The Council and System shall work collaboratively to compile the data provided by each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education and annually report such data, in the aggregate and by program of study, institution, and student income level at the start of participation in the G3 program, to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, and the Senate Committee on Education and Health.

J. No later than September 1 of each year, each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education that participates in the G3 Program shall adopt and amend, as necessary, policies and procedures to ensure that student participation in the G3 Program does not cause financial assistance awards to exceed funds available for such purpose.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 397, 398; 2024, c. 507.

A. For purposes of this section:

"Applied sciences program" means a three-year program of educational instruction at the college that incorporates instruction in industrial applied sciences and leads to the conferral of an Associate in Applied Science degree on any person who successfully completes such program.

"Apprenticeship program" means a three-year program at the college combining educational instruction and on-the-job training that is established for the purpose of enhancing the education and skills of shipyard workers.

"College" means Tidewater Community College.

"Industrial applied sciences" may include applied sciences such as welding, burning, blasting, and other applied sciences.

"Shipyard worker" means any employee employed full time on a salaried or wage basis, whose tenure is not restricted as to temporary or provisional appointment, at a ship manufacturing or ship repair company located in the Commonwealth.

B. The Virginia Vocational Incentive Scholarship Program for Shipyard Workers is established.

C. From such funds as are appropriated for this purpose and from such gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds as may be received on its behalf, there is created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Vocational Incentive Scholarship Program for Shipyard Workers Fund, referred to in this section as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of (i) awarding scholarships to shipyard workers enrolled at the college in the applied sciences program or the apprenticeship program or (ii) the administration and implementation of the applied sciences program or the apprenticeship program or both. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the president of the college.

D. Subject to the Council's authority to approve or disapprove all new academic programs as provided in subdivision 5 of § 23.1-203, the college may offer an applied sciences program and coordinate such program with an apprenticeship program offered to shipyard workers by their employers.

E. Beginning in the calendar year that the Council approves an applied sciences program and for calendar years thereafter, shipyard workers who are Virginia students enrolled full-time or part-time in the applied sciences program are eligible for scholarships for such program. Renewal of the scholarships of such shipyard workers is contingent upon maintaining (i) enrollment in the applied sciences program, (ii) a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 or its equivalent at the completion of each academic year, and (iii) full-time employment as a shipyard worker.

F. The college shall award scholarships to eligible students in the applied sciences program or the apprenticeship program for no more than three academic years. Scholarship amounts shall not exceed full tuition and required fees relating to such academic program or the apprenticeship program.

G. Before any scholarship is awarded in accordance with the provisions of this section, the scholarship recipient shall sign a promissory note under which he agrees (i) to continue full-time employment as a shipyard worker until his graduation and (ii) upon graduation, to work continuously as a shipyard worker for the same number of years that he was the beneficiary of the scholarship. The college shall recover the total amount of funds awarded as a scholarship, or the appropriate portion thereof, including any accrued interest, if the scholarship recipient fails to honor such requirements.

H. The Council shall adopt regulations for the implementation of the provisions of this section.

2001, c. 656, § 23-220.01; 2013, c. 566, § 23-231.1:1; 2014, c. 484; 2016, c. 588.

A. As used in this section, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Machinery and equipment" means engines, machines, motors, mechanical devices, laboratory trainers, computers, printers, tools, parts, and similar machinery and equipment as set forth in guidelines developed by the System. "Machinery and equipment" includes specialized software required for the operation of machinery and equipment qualified for a grant pursuant to this section.

"Vocational school" means any entity that offers career or technical education administered by the Department of Education pursuant to § 22.1-227. "Vocational school" does not include instructional programs that are intended solely for recreation, enjoyment, or personal interest, or as a hobby, or courses or programs of instruction that prepare individuals to teach such pursuits.

B. From such funds as may be appropriated by the General Assembly and any gifts, grants, or donations from public or private sources, there is created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Machinery and Equipment Donation Grant Fund, hereafter referred to as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of awarding grants through the Machinery and Equipment Donation Grant Program for qualified donations of machinery and equipment to comprehensive community colleges and vocational schools. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Chancellor.

C. 1. A business that donates new machinery and equipment in good working condition, purchased within the 12 months prior to the donation, to a comprehensive community college or vocational school is eligible to apply to the System for a grant from the Fund. Such grant shall be in an amount equal to 20 percent of the purchase price of the machinery or equipment, not to exceed an aggregate grant of $5,000 for all such donations during a calendar year.

2. In order to be eligible for a grant, the application shall include a written certification made by the donee comprehensive community college or vocational school that identifies the donee comprehensive community college or vocational school, the business donating the machinery or equipment, the date of the donation, and the number of units of each item of machinery and equipment donated. The certification shall also include a statement by the donee comprehensive community college or vocational school that the machinery and equipment was needed and can be utilized by the comprehensive community college or vocational school for teaching or training students, and that such machinery and equipment will be principally used in the Commonwealth in teaching or training students.

3. Grants shall be issued in the order that each completed application is received. In the event that the amount of eligible grants requested in a fiscal year exceeds the funds available in the Fund, such grants shall be paid in the next fiscal year in which funds are available.

4. In consultation with the Department of Education and the Council, the System shall maintain and update as necessary on its website a list of vocational schools to which donations of machinery and equipment may qualify for a grant under this section. The System, in consultation with the Council, shall also develop guidelines setting forth the general requirements for qualifying for and applying for a grant under this section, including a description of the types of machinery and tools eligible for a grant pursuant to this section. Such guidelines are exempt from the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).

2016, c. 588.