Enrollment forecasts, future academic programming, new initiatives highlight March Board of Visitors meetings
by Patrick Reed
March 26, 2025
Positive enrollment projections, post-graduation success data points and future academic programming were among the agenda items discussed during quarterly meetings of the Radford University Board of Visitors, held March 20-21.
According to projections shared during the Enrollment Management and Brand Equity Committee meetings, Radford University deposits are ahead of pace compared to 2024. Overall new freshmen deposits are up 24% for fall 2025, up 21% among first-generation students and up 45% from international students. Applications to Radford University’s Honors College are up 52%. Graduate applications are up 23% overall, with notable growth among students applying to Criminal Justice, Social Work and Physician’s Assistant degree programs.
The board voted to create a new degree program, Master of Science in Clinical Psychology. Once approved by SCHEV, the program will address critical shortages in the workforce of mental health professionals in Southwest Virginia. It will be the first degree program of its kind in Virginia.
Two Academic Affairs and Student Success committee data points highlighted Radford University’s strength in preparing students for their careers. According to Academic Affairs data, 81% of graduating undergraduate students at Radford completed at least one high-impact experiential learning activity, such as undergraduate research, capstones or internships. Among 2024 graduates, 93% are employed full-time or continuing their education six months post-graduation. Those outcomes are ahead of national averages, according to 2023 first destination data from NACE.
When combined with the recent news that undergraduate retention and graduation rates are at 94% for the spring semester, including at 91% for First Time in College students (FTIC), President Bret Danilowicz credited the collaborative work done by employees across Radford University to support students.
“We are making significant leaps forward across all aspects of university operations,” he said during his report to the board. “It is through the work of a great leadership team, all the way down through every employee across this remarkable institution, who have made these accomplishments possible.”
Radford University anticipates funding for its key priorities in the 2025 Virginia General Assembly session, pending the governor’s signature. Two of the priorities pertain to healthcare education – pre-planning funds for a new Roanoke health sciences facility and support for additional faculty hires for the College of Nursing. Additionally, the university was authorized to spend existing funds for renovations to Dalton Hall.
A new Center for Rural Health was proposed for the Roanoke facility. The center presents an opportunity for Radford to collaborate with other institutions to support critical needs for rural communities.
“The center will recruit students from rural Virginia and have its internships and placements within rural Virginia, with the goal then of recruiting and keeping these talented graduates as providers within these locations,” Danilowicz said.
A key business item during the meetings was the board’s unanimous approval of tuition and fee rates for 2025-26. Full details can be found in a university news release.
Progress on the 2026-31 Strategic Plan was shared by co-chairs Angela Joyner and Sharon Roger Hepburn, who provided a recap of recent town hall meetings that allowed students and employees to evaluate drafts of mission, vision and core values statements. The committee chairs indicated that a draft of the strategic plan will be available at the September 2025 quarterly meetings, on track for December 2025 approval and implementation in January of 2026.
Radford University’s NCAA Division I athletics program will opt-in to the proposed terms of the House settlement, a class action lawsuit pertaining to past restrictions on student-athlete Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). The settlement also creates a framework for student-athletes to receive benefits directly from their institutions. By opting in, Radford University will have the flexibility to share revenue with Highlander student-athletes, which can be awarded in addition to athletic scholarships, beginning in the 2025-26 season.
The board voted to recommend tenure for 14 faculty members across five colleges and promotions for 35 total faculty. A full list can be found on pages 47-51 of the Academic Affairs and Student Success Committee meeting agenda.
Dominika Butler, a class of 2026 member from Ashburn, Virginia, was selected by the board to serve as the non-voting Student Representative during the 2025-26 academic year.
In his report to the board, Danilowicz also addressed recent federal guidance and state inquiries regarding inclusion directed at colleges and universities.
“It is our deeply held value, across the institution, that we support all students in being successful, without discrimination against anyone or any group,” he said. “In fact, our mission states that we are ‘Dedicated to the creation and dissemination of knowledge… empowering students from diverse backgrounds by providing transformative educational experiences… within and beyond the classroom.’ That is a constructive mission and not discriminatory in focus.
“In recent decades, Radford University has not used race, color or country of origin in admissions or other administrative processes. All of our organizations, programs and events have always been intended to be open to all students, and we will make sure to promote that they are, in fact, open to all students.”
The board approved a resolution ensuring that “university programs, policies, procedures, and actions that are in compliance with the (Jan. 21, 2025) Executive Order and federal and state laws will be sustained.”