Regent University Provost William L. Hathaway, Ph.D., Nominated to Federal Education Accreditation Committee

March 24, 2026

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (March 24, 2026) — William L. Hathaway, Ph.D., Provost of Regent University, has been selected to represent private nonprofit institutions of higher education on the U.S. Department of Education’s Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization Committee. He will serve as an alternate negotiator in this spring’s upcoming rulemaking sessions in Washington, D.C., aimed at reforming the American accreditation system.

Hathaway was nominated for the negotiator role by the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, a Christ-centered higher education association representing more than 170 institutions worldwide, for his wealth of experience in institutional, programmatic, state-level, and federal accreditation issues.

“Serving on the rulemaking process provides the opportunity to provide input and shape recommendations on the federal regulations that govern our institutional and programmatic accreditors and that impact the higher education enterprise throughout the United States,” Hathaway said. “As a nominee of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, I will stand ready to provide input on the proposed regulation revisions from the perspective of private nonprofit institutions of higher education with a religious mission. This is a time when critical changes are impacting higher education that will reshape the whole sector. Thus, it is vital for faith-based institutions to have voice in the regulation of accreditors that directly influence and respond to these changes.”

The CCCU’s nomination reflects confidence that Hathaway will bring principled advocacy to the Department of Education’s forthcoming negotiations on behalf of private nonprofit colleges and universities, particularly those whose missions are rooted in religious conviction.

“Our nominee brings deep expertise in accreditation, institutional governance, and mission-driven higher education,” said David A. Hoag, President of the CCCU. “His experience equips him to engage the Department’s proposed issues with clarity, balance, and a commitment to a strong, effective accreditation system that serves students, institutions, and the nation.”

About Regent University

Founded in 1977, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university, with nearly 14,000 students studying on its 100-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online worldwide. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study, including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University has been ranked the #1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program in Virginia for 14 years in a row (U.S. News & World Report, 2026) and the #1 Best Christian College in America (Bible College Online, 2025).

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