June 15, 2021

State Board for Community Colleges

300 Arboretum Place, Suite 200
Richmond, VA 23236

Dear Board Members,

The Patrick Henry Community College Foundation has serious concerns of your mandate to
change the school’s name from the geographic designation of the two counties it serves.
It is obvious your Board has no understanding of the history of the school’s name, nor does it
care to. The PHCC board voted to not change the name as did the diversity and equity
committee of the college staff. To date, your only accomplishment has been to bring the great
majority of residents of the service region together in disagreement with your mandate.
Certainly, there is local support for a name change, but the number of those are minuscule
compared to citizens totally opposed to the mandate. Expectations are the enrollment will
suffer, which will negatively impact the true purpose of a community college, educating the
community. Again, that doesn’t appear to be of importance to your board. The pure cost of a
name change may very well exceed $1,000,000. This does not include reputation cost. In order
to eliminate the exorbitant cost which, the state has said it will not cover, the Foundation is
prepared to fund a diversity and equity program with the resources that would, otherwise, have
to go to renaming costs. The Foundation is currently working with the diversity and equity
committee on several initiatives. That committee, through the college administration, can
administer the proposed program.

We strongly believe a positive response by you will pay dividends for the college and your
board. It allows dollars to be used for education instead of an unnecessary and unwanted
name change. Most importantly, it will accomplish your goal of creating more equity and
diversity rather than the opposite by changing the name. The temperatures are running high in
the region. In an attempt to calm emotions, this letter will be made available to area media
outlets. We await your response.

Ronald D. Haley
PHCC Foundation Board Chair

cc: Dr. Glenn DuBois, Chancellor

Chairman: Ron Haley (276) 656-0250

Vice Chairman: Scott Prillaman FAX (276) 656-0324
Treasurer: Carolyn Shough tunderwood@patrickhenry.edu
Secretary: Margie Eason www.patrickhenry.edu
Executive Director: Tiffani Underwood 645 Patriot Avenue, Martinsville, VA 24112