VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A protest was organized ahead of a closed-door meeting at Virginia Wesleyan University on Friday to discuss the private university's impending name change.
Protesters are expected to gather in opposition to the name change on campus around noon.
At 1 p.m., staff and faculty will meet for a closed‑door town hall to discuss plans to rename VWU as Batten University. The name change, intended to honor Jane P. Batten and her family’s contributions, will take effect on July 1, 2026.
Watch previous coverage: Virginia Wesleyan University to be renamed 'Batten University' in 2026
Friday's town hall is intended to address concerns raised regarding the name change — however, students and alumni that aren't currently working for VWU are not permitted to attend. This included staff from The Marlin Chronicle, VWU's student newspaper. Instead, the student media group's faculty adviser will attend the meeting.
This name change has garnered notable pushback from students and alumni, with one online petition accruing over 3,800 signatures from people who want to halt the re-branding effort.
