Board approves one-year housing agreement for VSU students at Richard Bland College; discusses DroneUp and athletics oversight

The Board of Visitors considered several Richard Bland College (RBC) items during the July 28 session in Washington, D.C., approving a resolution to authorize a one-year transfer agreement with Virginia State University (VSU) and discussing athletics oversight and a potential DroneUp contract.

RBC President Debbie L. Sydow updated the Board on enrollment trends and presented materials on RBC Athletics Title IX compliance. Members discussed conducting another audit to assess athletics compliance.

The nut graf: The Board approved Resolution 1, authorizing RBC to enter a transfer agreement with VSU for residence-hall space for the 2022–23 academic year, with housing rates set equal to RBC students and a modified board (meal) rate; the resolution delegates authority to the College president to negotiate and execute the agreement, subject to Department of General Services review and final approval by the Secretary of Administration.

John P. Rathbone moved the resolution and Mari Carmen Aponte seconded; the Board approved the measure by voice vote. RBC and university counsel (Ramona Taylor and Carrie S. Nee) explained that the proposed agreement was deemed beneficial to the College and that transfer fees and board rates were presented to the Board. The resolution text also directs review by the Department of General Services and the Secretary of Administration prior to final execution.

Separately, the Board went into closed session to discuss evaluation of schools and departments, legal consultation on contract and regulatory matters, and terms of a potential public contract with DroneUp under the cited Virginia Code sections; the motion for closed session was approved by roll call vote 17-0. The Board later certified, by roll call vote 17-0, that only exempted matters were discussed in closed session.

Board counsel offered a working-lunch refresher on FOIA, the attorney-client relationship and recently changed meeting authorities, and referenced HB29 (2022 Special Session I Budget Bill) materials related to deficit authorization and treasury loans.