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Volume 6 Relation of U.B/EUB Virginia Conferences to Shenandoah University Dec. 26, 2013
d. Considering State Support or Growing into a University (Late 1980s and Early 1990s)
In 1988 and 1989 the Commonwealth of Virginia was considering the establishment of a new
state university in Leesburg in order to meet the growing demand of students for higher education.
Shenandoah was now serving more than a thousand students in business, nursing, music, education, and
liberal arts; and the Board of Trustees and administration knew that, if a new state university was created
nearby, it would erode the enrollment of Shenandoah in exactly the areas of curriculum that made the
college and conservatory strong—indeed, the new university would start a nucleus of programs identical
to Shenandoah’s offerings. As the campus community debated what to do about the situation, which
included the possibility of offering the institution to the state as part of a new university to be created,
the recession of the early 1990s occurred and reduced state revenues dramatically. This discussion
about the uncertain future of the campus stimulated the Board of Trustees leadership to become bold and
to seek to become the smaller private version of the state university that the Commonwealth higher
education officials had earlier envisioned for the region. In order for the growth in enrollment to occur,
Shenandoah needed a new image, name, expanded curriculum, new facilities, and a branch campus in
Leesburg. Concrete steps to becoming a university were defined and taken.
As Shenandoah College/Conservatory considered its options for the future in the early 1990s, the
work being done by the president as a member of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools was very important to the ability of the College to advance to new
levels of accreditation. Since the Commission had to approve level changes in degree offerings at
institutions, the experience gained while serving on the Commission provided the president the contacts
and knowledge to gain approval of movement from a baccalaureate-level institution to a level-VI
doctoral-granting institution. The involvement of several Shenandoah faculty members on accreditation
committees and careful attention to details of accreditation requirements allowed the College to obtain
full approval at each level change and with every new program added to the curriculum. Regional
accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was often viewed as a major
hurdle to institutional expansion; instead, accreditation successes proved to be an asset to Shenandoah.
Its successful accreditation actions helped to enhance the University’s status and reputation in the higher
education community. In every case of specialized accreditation that was required for all the new
graduate offerings, Shenandoah gained approval in every case with explicit commendations and no
major concerns for quality.
Physical Therapy Program. In 1989 the Board approved the addition of Physical Therapy, the
first new substantive master’s program to be created in more than a decade. This program was
developed in response to needs for physical therapists to staff a new rehabilitation center for Winchester
Medical Center, which had built a $100-million new facility. With the former hospital building at Cork
Street left vacant and available for a new rehabilitation center and new academic programs, the leaders
of the College and the Medical Center reached a quick accord for new uses of the building. In a
cooperative venture, the medical center assisted the college in offering the new physical therapy
program with salary support and free rent for several years until program revenues would support the
program. Dr. Walt Personius, one of the leading practitioners of physical therapy at Virginia
Commonwealth University, agreed to move to Winchester to head the program and work in private
practice for Winchester Medical Center. The program was a major boost to the College’s reputation,
and enrollment demand for the Physical Therapy Program was immediate from students at leading
universities around the region. The program enjoyed newly renovated facilities in the Cork Street
facility and had the latest equipment available for research and teaching Physical Therapy. The Physical
Davis on History of S.C., 1982-2008 66
d. Considering State Support or Growing into a University (Late 1980s and Early 1990s)
In 1988 and 1989 the Commonwealth of Virginia was considering the establishment of a new
state university in Leesburg in order to meet the growing demand of students for higher education.
Shenandoah was now serving more than a thousand students in business, nursing, music, education, and
liberal arts; and the Board of Trustees and administration knew that, if a new state university was created
nearby, it would erode the enrollment of Shenandoah in exactly the areas of curriculum that made the
college and conservatory strong—indeed, the new university would start a nucleus of programs identical
to Shenandoah’s offerings. As the campus community debated what to do about the situation, which
included the possibility of offering the institution to the state as part of a new university to be created,
the recession of the early 1990s occurred and reduced state revenues dramatically. This discussion
about the uncertain future of the campus stimulated the Board of Trustees leadership to become bold and
to seek to become the smaller private version of the state university that the Commonwealth higher
education officials had earlier envisioned for the region. In order for the growth in enrollment to occur,
Shenandoah needed a new image, name, expanded curriculum, new facilities, and a branch campus in
Leesburg. Concrete steps to becoming a university were defined and taken.
As Shenandoah College/Conservatory considered its options for the future in the early 1990s, the
work being done by the president as a member of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools was very important to the ability of the College to advance to new
levels of accreditation. Since the Commission had to approve level changes in degree offerings at
institutions, the experience gained while serving on the Commission provided the president the contacts
and knowledge to gain approval of movement from a baccalaureate-level institution to a level-VI
doctoral-granting institution. The involvement of several Shenandoah faculty members on accreditation
committees and careful attention to details of accreditation requirements allowed the College to obtain
full approval at each level change and with every new program added to the curriculum. Regional
accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was often viewed as a major
hurdle to institutional expansion; instead, accreditation successes proved to be an asset to Shenandoah.
Its successful accreditation actions helped to enhance the University’s status and reputation in the higher
education community. In every case of specialized accreditation that was required for all the new
graduate offerings, Shenandoah gained approval in every case with explicit commendations and no
major concerns for quality.
Physical Therapy Program. In 1989 the Board approved the addition of Physical Therapy, the
first new substantive master’s program to be created in more than a decade. This program was
developed in response to needs for physical therapists to staff a new rehabilitation center for Winchester
Medical Center, which had built a $100-million new facility. With the former hospital building at Cork
Street left vacant and available for a new rehabilitation center and new academic programs, the leaders
of the College and the Medical Center reached a quick accord for new uses of the building. In a
cooperative venture, the medical center assisted the college in offering the new physical therapy
program with salary support and free rent for several years until program revenues would support the
program. Dr. Walt Personius, one of the leading practitioners of physical therapy at Virginia
Commonwealth University, agreed to move to Winchester to head the program and work in private
practice for Winchester Medical Center. The program was a major boost to the College’s reputation,
and enrollment demand for the Physical Therapy Program was immediate from students at leading
universities around the region. The program enjoyed newly renovated facilities in the Cork Street
facility and had the latest equipment available for research and teaching Physical Therapy. The Physical
Davis on History of S.C., 1982-2008 66
