Welcome back to Extra Credit, a weekly roundup of education-related news from across Southwest and Southside Virginia.
This column took last week off in honor of Memorial Day, but it is back and jam-packed with news from schools and universities across our region.
Have a story idea, tip or think there’s something I missed? Email me at meghan@cardinalnews.org.
Thanks for reading!
Randolph College to add women’s flag football
Female athletes will soon have access to more varsity-level sports at Randolph College.
Last month, the Lynchburg school announced the start of a women’s flag football team beginning with the 2027-28 academic year, in time for the new team to compete in the 2028 spring season.
It will be the 23rd varsity sport the college, which has a total enrollment of about 900 students, offers.
“Randolph College has always been focused on access,” Director of Athletics Tom Galbraith said in a statement. “The addition of flag football adds another avenue by which young women can choose an outstanding institution for their educational pursuits while simultaneously playing a new sport and competing among the best in the nation at this level. This addition continues our focus on growth of not just the athletics department, but the College as a whole.”
Flag football is also one of the fastest-growing female sports in the country. More than 100 NCAA Division III institutions are either currently fielding teams or have announced intentions to expand them in the near future, according to the college.
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference, of which Randolph College is a member, currently has two teams competing in their inaugural seasons, Hollins University and Virginia Wesleyan University, with four more schools, including Randolph, preparing to field women’s flag football by the 2028 competition season in the spring.
At its January 2026 annual meetings, the NCAA Division III membership voted to add women’s flag football as an emerging sport, and the sport will be included in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
A search for an inaugural head coach has already begun, according to the release. Randolph College is also searching for head coaches for both its women’s and men’s track and field/cross country programs.
Virginia joins 24 other states in lawsuit over student loan limits
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones joined attorneys general in more than 20 other states and Washington, D.C., recently in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education over new limits set to go into effect for some student loan borrowers.
The lawsuit, filed May 19, argues that the new limits could discourage students from pursuing degrees in the medical field and strain the future healthcare workforce.
Starting on July 1, graduate students can borrow up to $20,500 in federal loans annually and $100,000 total under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Professional students will be able to borrow up to $50,000 annually and $200,000 in aggregate. Previously, there were no limits on some types of loans available for graduate students, which are no longer being issued.
Under the new rules, certain professional degree programs are subject to the higher loan limits, including pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, optometry and theology — but not nursing.
The lawsuit challenges this finalized rule, arguing that it narrows the federal definition of “professional degree” and imposes restrictions Congress did not authorize.
The coalition argues that the rule unlawfully excludes some degree programs, like nursing, physical therapy and public health, that qualify under the standards established by federal law, according to a news release.
“Cutting off access to federal student loans cuts off access to career opportunities for Virginians. This unlawful rule will worsen the workforce crisis and further strain the healthcare field,” Jones said in the release. “The Trump administration is once again skirting the system of checks and balances, and my office is committed to standing up for student borrowers in the Commonwealth.”
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Maryland.
Ferrum College names new provost
Richard Grant has been named Ferrum College’s new provost. President Mirta Martin announced Grant’s appointment on May 22.
He had been serving in the role since January. Prior to joining Ferrum, Grant served as associate vice president for student success and interim vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college at Roanoke College.
Jones’ appointment also includes a position as professor of physics.
“I am honored and deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve as Provost of Ferrum College,” Grant said in a statement. “Ferrum’s commitment to student-centered learning, meaningful mentorship, and preparing graduates to lead lives of purpose strongly resonates with my own values.”
Grant will serve as the college’s chief academic officer and oversee programs of study, faculty and academic services for students.
