Longwood Board backs new data‑science and information‑technology degrees as applications and endowment rise

The Longwood University Board of Visitors approved, via the consent agenda, the addition of a bachelor of science in data science and a master of science in information technology to the University’s program roster. Lara Smith, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, told the Board the programs cleared internal approvals and that the University expects enrollment growth in both programs within five years of launch.

President W. Taylor Reveley IV framed the new programs in the context of broader enrollment and fundraising gains. “Longwood had 1,715 applications as of December 1 in 2019 prior to covid, compared with 3,937 applications in 2025,” Reveley said, and he noted the endowment has grown from $69 million in 2019 to $117 million today. Administrators said those increases are contributing to capacity to launch new offerings.

On staffing, Smith said the University will repurpose an open faculty line in the mathematics department to support the B.S. in data science; revenue generated by the master’s program would cover an additional faculty line. She said the University explores consortium arrangements with peer institutions but intends to serve the regional workforce with these programs.

The Board approved the consent agenda that included the program actions by voice vote. No implementation timeline beyond the five‑year enrollment expectation was specified in the minutes, and administrators said room for additional faculty lines would depend on program enrollment revenue.

Smith also briefed the Board on non‑program academic items tied to the new offerings, including a GEAR UP partnership and an academic policy change: all faculty will be required to include a statement on the use of A.I. on their syllabi. Board member Chuck Fagan urged attention to risks from agentic A.I. during that discussion.

Next steps noted by administrators include internal program implementation tasks and monitoring enrollment to fund further faculty hires; no additional Board action was recorded in the minutes.