History of Liberty University in Timeline
Liberty University is a private evangelical Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Founded in 1971 by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns, it was originally named Lynchburg Baptist College. Affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, Liberty has grown to become one of the world's largest Christian universities and one of the largest private non-profit universities in the United States based on student enrollment.
1923: Construction of Carter Glass Mansion
In 1923, the Carter Glass Mansion, also called Montview, was built for Carter Glass, a prominent figure in U.S. politics and journalism.
1964: Civil Rights Act of 1964
In July 2024, Liberty University was sued for allegedly violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 after firing Ellenor Zinski.
1971: Liberty University Founded
In 1971, Liberty University, originally named Lynchburg Baptist College, was founded in Lynchburg, Virginia, by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia and is now one of the largest Christian universities in the world.
1971: Lynchburg Baptist College Founded
In 1971, Lynchburg Baptist College was founded by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns, with Falwell serving as the first chancellor.
1976: Name Change to Liberty Baptist College
In 1976, Lynchburg Baptist College changed its name to Liberty Baptist College. The change aimed to distance the school from the name Lynchburg, often associated with lynching, and to capitalize on enthusiasm for the United States Bicentennial.
1979: Falwell Sr. Heads Moral Majority
From 1979 to the late 1980s, Jerry Falwell Sr. also headed the Moral Majority, a right-wing political organization.
1983: Big South Best of the Best Moments
In 1983, the Big South recognized the women's Liberty Lady Flames as one of the top 25 'Best of the Best' moments in League history.
September 1984: Accreditation by TRACS
In September 1984, Liberty was accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS).
1984: Name Change to Liberty University
In 1984, Liberty Baptist College changed its name to Liberty University.
1985: Launch of Distance-Learning Program
In 1985, Liberty University launched a distance-learning program by mailing VHS tapes to students, which was the forerunner to its current online program.
1985: Men's Hockey Team Started
In 1985, Liberty students organized a men's hockey team to play surrounding colleges and clubs.
October 21, 1989: First Home Game at Williams Stadium
On October 21, 1989, the Liberty Flames played their first home game at Williams Stadium, after using Lynchburg's City Stadium.
1989: Opening of Williams Stadium
In 1989, Williams Stadium, the home field for the Liberty Flames football team, opened with a seating capacity of 25,000.
1990: George H. W. Bush Speaks at Commencement
In 1990, 41st U.S president George H. W. Bush was the first sitting U.S. president to speak at Liberty's commencement.
1990: University Debt Totals $110 Million
In 1990, Liberty University's debt totaled $110 million.
1992: Potential Start of Crime Statistics Underreporting
The U.S. Department of Education report states that the university's culture of "substantially and systematically underreported" crime statistics might trace back as far to 1992.
1994: Donation from Women's Federation for World Peace
In 1994, Liberty University received $3.5 million through Sun Myung Moon's Women's Federation for World Peace.
1996: University Debt and Loan from News World Communications
In 1996, Liberty University owed $40 million. News World Communications loaned $400,000 to Liberty.
1996: University Debt Totals $40 Million
In 1996, Liberty University's debt totaled $40 million.
1996: Clarence Thomas Gives Commencement Address
In 1996, U.S. Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas gave the commencement address at Liberty University.
1996: Start of Liberty Lady Flames 10-Year Championship Run
In 1996, the Liberty Lady Flames began a 10-year women's basketball championship run.
1999: Affiliation with Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia
Since 1999, Liberty has had an informal relationship with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia (Southern Baptist Convention); two of its members sit on the university's board of trustees.
2004: School of Government Named for Jesse Helms
In 2004, Liberty University named its School of Government for Jesse Helms, a former U.S. senator from North Carolina.
2005: Barron's Ranking and Expansion of Online Courses
In 2005, Barron's Profiles of American Colleges ranked undergraduate admission to Liberty University as "competitive". Also around 2005, the university began offering online courses to a larger adult population due to the widespread availability of high-speed Internet connections.
2005: Varsity Debate Ranking
In varsity rankings, Liberty finished 20th in 2005.
2006: Net Assets
In 2006, Liberty University had net assets of roughly $100 million.
2006: Liberty Becomes Only Virginia School with Men's ACHA D1 Hockey Team and LaHaye Ice Center Opens
In 2006, Liberty became the only Virginia school with a men's ACHA Division I club hockey team. The 3,000-seat LaHaye Ice Center, a gift of Timothy and Beverly LaHaye, also opened.
2006: National Debate Tournament Ranking
Liberty's Inter-Collegiate policy debate program ranked first overall for their division at the National Debate Tournament in 2006.
May 15, 2007: Death of Jerry Falwell Sr.
On May 15, 2007, university founder Jerry Falwell died at his desk. He and his wife were buried on the rear lawn of the Carter Glass Mansion, which served as the university's administration headquarters.
2007: Jerry Falwell Jr. Becomes Chancellor and President
After Jerry Falwell Sr.'s death in 2007, his son Jerry Falwell Jr. became the university's second chancellor and fourth president. At the time, the university listed $259 million in assets.
2007: Assets at Start of Falwell Jr.'s Presidency
At the start of Jerry Falwell Jr.'s presidency in 2007, Liberty University listed $259 million in assets.
2007: Josh McDougal Wins NCAA Division I Championship
In 2007, Josh McDougal won an individual NCAA Division I championship.
2007: Liberty University Online Academy Formed
In 2007, Liberty University Online Academy was formed, initially serving 23 students.
2007: End of Liberty Lady Flames 10-Year Championship Run
In 2007, the Liberty Lady Flames completed their 10-year women's basketball championship run.
2007: National Debate Tournament Ranking
Liberty's Inter-Collegiate policy debate program ranked first overall for their division at the National Debate Tournament in 2007.
November 6, 2008: Resignation from TRACS
On November 6, 2008, Liberty resigned its TRACS accreditation.
2008: Big South Best of the Best Moments
In 2008, the Big South recognized the women's Liberty Lady Flames as one of the top 25 'Best of the Best' moments in League history.
2008: Varsity Debate Ranking
In varsity rankings, Liberty finished 12th in 2008.
August 2009: Completion of Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre
In August 2009, construction was completed on the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre, a synthetic ski slope featuring Snowflex, designed by England's Briton Engineering. It was the first of its kind in the United States.
2009: LU Stopped Recognizing Democratic Party Student Group
In 2009, Liberty University (LU) ceased recognition of the LU Democratic Party student group, citing that the Democratic Party platform conflicted with the school's conservative Christian principles.
2009: Withdrawal of Recognition for Young Democrats Club
In 2009, Liberty University withdrew official recognition of the student Young Democrats club due to the club's political positions conflicting with the school's. The College Republicans club remained officially recognized.
2009: Samuel Chelanga Wins NCAA Division I Championship
In 2009, Samuel Chelanga won an NCAA Division I championship.
2009: National Debate Tournament Ranking
Liberty's Inter-Collegiate policy debate program ranked first overall for their division at the National Debate Tournament in 2009.
December 2010: Sale of Facilities Bonds
In December 2010, Liberty University sold $120 million in facilities bonds to finance expansion.
2010: Largest Evangelical Christian University
As of 2010, when including online students, LU was the largest Evangelical Christian university in the world.
2010: Federal Financial Aid Received by Students
In 2010, Liberty University students received about $445 million in federal financial aid money, the highest total of any school in Virginia and one of the highest in the country.
2010: Samuel Chelanga Wins NCAA Division I Championship
In 2010, Samuel Chelanga won an NCAA Division I championship.
2010: National Debate Tournament Ranking
Liberty's Inter-Collegiate policy debate program ranked first overall for their division at the National Debate Tournament in 2010.
2010: Law School Accreditation
Since 2010, the Liberty University School of Law has been accredited by the American Bar Association.
2011: Blocking of News & Advance Website
In 2011, Liberty blocked campus internet access to the website of a local newspaper, the News & Advance, after it reported that the university received more federal financial aid than any other school in Virginia. The block was lifted one day after the financial-aid article was published.
2011: Inspiration for "The Trump Prophecy"
In 2011, a retired firefighter from Florida claimed that God revealed to him that Donald Trump would one day be president, inspiring the movie "The Trump Prophecy".
2011: Overall Acceptance Rate
In 2011, the overall acceptance rate, which includes online students, was 51 percent.
2011: Black Population Percentage
Liberty's Black population was 19.9 percent in 2011.
2011: National Debate Tournament Ranking
Liberty's Inter-Collegiate policy debate program ranked first overall for their division at the National Debate Tournament in 2011.
January 2012: Sale of Taxable Bonds
In January 2012, Liberty University sold an additional $100 million in taxable bonds to help finance $225.2 million of planned capital projects.
May 2012: University Assets Reach $1 Billion
In May 2012, Jerry Falwell Jr. announced that Liberty University's total assets had risen to $1 billion, due to proceeds from its online learning program and facility expansion.
December 7, 2012: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Hancock Welcome Center
On December 7, 2012, the Hancock Welcome Center celebrated its ribbon cutting ceremony. It is a three-level, 33,000-square-foot Jeffersonian-style building featuring an atrium, boardroom, theater, lounges, a banquet hall, several smaller counseling rooms, and a patio with a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
2012: Donald Trump Awarded Honorary Degree
In 2012, Donald Trump received an honorary doctor of business degree from Liberty University and spoke at the university Convocation.
2012: Liberty Wins Fifth Consecutive Sasser Cup
In 2012, Liberty became the first Big South school to win five consecutive Sasser Cups.
2012: School of Music Formation
In 2012, the departments of worship and music studies and of music and humanities merged into a school of music, composed of two distinct centers.
June 2013: Completion of Liberty Baseball Stadium
In June 2013, the Liberty Baseball Stadium, home to Liberty Baseball, was completed.
2013: Largest Private Non-Profit University
As of 2013, LU was the largest private non-profit university in the United States.
2013: Bond Rating Upgrade
In 2013, Liberty University's bonds received an upgraded rating of "Aa3" along with a "stable outlook" projection from Moody's Investors Services.
2013: Opening of the Observatory Center
In spring 2013, the Observatory Center opened next to the Equestrian Center, equipped with a 20-inch RC Optical Systems Truss Ritchey-Chrétien telescope and several Celestron CPC 800 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes. It serves for instruction, public nights, and research.
January 2014: Opening of Jerry Falwell Library
In January 2014, the four-story, 170,000-square-foot Jerry Falwell Library opened with more than 250,000 items, a robot-assisted storage and retrieval system, and a 24-foot media wall powered by Microsoft Kinect units.
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August 2014: Opening of Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine
In August 2014, the Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) opened, supported by a $12 million matching grant from the Virginia Tobacco Commission.
2014: Demise of the Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference
After the 2014 season, the Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference ended, causing Liberty's field hockey team to compete independently for a year.
2014: Sponsorship of William Byron Begins
In 2014, Liberty University began sponsoring NASCAR driver William Byron in a late model program run by Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports.
July 2015: Opening of Liberty Mountain Medical Group LLC
In July 2015, the college of osteopathic medicine opened Liberty Mountain Medical Group LLC, a primary care clinic serving the greater Lynchburg area.
December 5, 2015: Falwell Jr.'s Convocation Speech on Muslims and Gun Permits
On December 5, 2015, during a convocation speech, President Jerry Falwell Jr. encouraged students to obtain concealed handgun permits, suggesting that it could help "end those Muslims" before they could act, in reference to the San Bernardino attack. This statement was met with public condemnation, and Governor Terry McAuliffe called the statement "repugnant".
2015: San Bernardino attack
In 2015, Chancellor Falwell made controversial comments after the San Bernardino attack, stating students should arm themselves to "end those Muslims." League officials sought an "environment free from harassment, personal threat, or physical or mental harm."
2015: Tuition Discrimination
In 2015, Liberty University denied the discounted tuition to same-sex and trans spouses of military personnel that it offered to heterosexual military couples.
2015: Women's Hockey Team Wins ACHA D1 National Championship
In 2015, Liberty University's women's club ice hockey team won an American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) D1 national championship.
2015: Honor Code Revision
In 2015, Liberty revised the honor code to allow students to watch R-rated movies and to play video games rated "M".
2015: Field Hockey Team Competes as an Independent
In 2015, Liberty's field hockey team competed as an independent after the Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference ceased operations.
2015: Liberty Baseball Stadium Ranked No. 4
In 2015, the Liberty Baseball Stadium was ranked No. 4 among college ballpark experiences by Stadium Journey website. Several Liberty Flames baseball players were drafted during the 2015 Major League Baseball draft.
2015: School of Divinity Formation
In 2015, the Liberty University Rawlings School of Divinity was formed. It was created as a merger of the School of Religion with Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. The school offers a variety of degrees and includes multiple centers, housed in Freedom Tower.
2016: Donald Trump Speaks at Convocation
In 2016, Donald Trump spoke at Liberty University's Convocation.
2016: Virginia High School League Debate State Championships Hosted
In 2016, Liberty University hosted the Virginia High School League's annual Debate State Championships for the last time. The VHSL stopped holding debate competitions at the school after Chancellor Falwell's comments about Muslims following the 2015 San Bernardino attack.
2016: Textbook Censorship
In 2016, Liberty University ordered a version of a psychology textbook that omitted sections with LGBTQ+-focused content.
2016: Field Hockey Team Joins the Big East Conference
In 2016, Liberty's field hockey team joined the Big East Conference.
2016: Censorship of Anti-Trump Opinion Column
In 2016, a student editor at Liberty University reported that Jerry Falwell Jr. censored an opinion column critical of Donald Trump's lewd comments from the Access Hollywood tape.
March 2017: University Endowment and Financial Responsibility Score
In March 2017, Jerry Falwell Jr. stated that Liberty University's endowment stood at more than $1 billion and gross assets exceeded $2 billion. The U.S. Department of Education rated Liberty as having a "perfect" financial responsibility score.
May 2017: Trump's Commencement Speech and Honorary Degree
In May 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered the keynote speech at Liberty University's commencement and received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Falwell Jr. praised Trump for his actions in the Middle East and commended his commitment to his word.
August 2017: University Program Offerings
As of August 2017, Liberty University offered over 550 total programs, with a mix of on-campus and online options. The university is also recognized as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.
2017: University Endowment and Assets
As of 2017, Liberty University's endowment stood at more than $1 billion and gross assets exceeded $2 billion.
2017: Forbes Ranking of Liberty University
In 2017, Forbes ranked Liberty University No. 585 of 650 "Top Colleges". Forbes also gave Liberty a "Forbes Financial Grade" of B+.
2017: New Center for Law and Government
In 2017, Liberty announced its new Center for Law and Government will be led by former U.S. representative Robert Hurt. The center will house the Liberty University School of Law and the Jesse Helms School of Government.
2017: Acquisition of CAER Facility
In 2017, Liberty bought The Center for Advanced Engineering and Research (CAER) facility in Bedford, Virginia.
2017: Ray Rice Lecture
In 2017, Liberty invited Ray Rice, who had been videotaped beating his fiancée three years earlier, to give a lecture on domestic violence.
2017: Debate Team Success
In 2017, Liberty's Inter-Collegiate policy debate program finished atop the final rankings of all three national debate tournaments (American Debate Association, Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA), and National Debate Tournament (NDT)).
2017: President Donald Trump's Commencement Speech
In 2017, President Donald Trump delivered his first college commencement speech as a sitting president at Liberty University.
2017: Federal Aid Ranking
In 2017, ProPublica and The New York Times reported that Liberty University students were sixth in terms of receiving federal aid for the year.
2017: Opening of Indoor Practice Facility
In 2017, an indoor practice facility was opened at Williams Stadium at a cost of $29 million.
2017: Student Protests and Alumni Diploma Returns
In 2017, some Liberty University students protested after President Trump's remarks about the Charlottesville rally. Falwell praised Trump's statement. A number of alumni returned their diplomas, stating that Trump's remarks were incompatible with Liberty University's values.
2017: Launch of Independent Newspaper
In 2017, student journalists, frustrated by administration suppression, launched an independent newspaper, the Lynchburg Torch.
2017: Curfew Policy Change
In 2017, the curfew policy was changed to permit students age 20 and over to sign out and stay out past curfew.
2017: Acceptance Rate of Resident Program
In fall 2017, the acceptance rate for new first-time, full-time students entering Liberty's resident program was 30%.
2017: Student Demographics
Including online students, Liberty's undergraduate population in 2017 was 51% White, 26.5% race/ethnicity unknown, 15.4% Black or African American, 2.3% two or more races, 1.7% Hispanic/Latino, 1.4% non-resident alien, 0.9% Asian, 0.6% American Indian or Alaskan native, 0.2% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. All 50 states and Washington, D.C., are represented along with 86 countries.
February 2018: Completion of Freedom Tower
In February 2018, the 17-story, 245-foot Freedom Tower, the tallest building in Lynchburg, was completed. The tower holds a 25-bell carillon that includes a replica of the Liberty Bell.
March 2018: Inaugural Competitive Swimming Event
In March 2018, the inaugural competitive swimming event, the 2018 TYR Junior National Cup, was held in the Liberty Natatorium's swimming pool.
October 2018: Release of "The Trump Prophecy" film
In October 2018, Liberty's Zaki Gordon Cinematic Arts Center co-produced and released the feature film "The Trump Prophecy" in some cinemas. The film is about a retired firefighter from Florida who says God revealed to him in 2011 that Trump would one day be president.
2018: Law School Employment Rate
According to ABA-required disclosures, 82% of Liberty University School of Law's Class of 2018 obtained full-time, bar passage, or JD-required employment nine months after graduation.
2018: Report on Revenue Sources
According to a 2018 report by The New York Times, most of Liberty University's revenue comes from taxpayer-funded sources.
2018: Football Player Accusations
From 2018 to 2022, a football player was allowed to remain on the team despite accusations of rape and stalking a university employee.
2018: Opening of On-Campus Shooting Range
In 2018, Liberty University opened a $3.2 million on-campus shooting range to train students to protect themselves against shooters and terrorists.
2018: Women's Hockey Team Wins ACHA D1 National Championship
In 2018, Liberty University's women's club ice hockey team won an American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) D1 national championship.
2018: Undergraduate Enrollment
In 2018, Liberty was among the ten colleges that enrolled the most undergraduates in the fall semester and, when including online students, enrolled the most students of any U.S. university.
2018: School of Aeronautics Enrollment
In 2018, Liberty's School of Aeronautics had more than 1,200 students enrolled in-person and online. Liberty has worked with American Eagle, Piedmont Airlines, and Wayman Aviation to alleviate their pilot shortages.
2018: Report on Revenue Sources and Sales Practices
In 2018, ProPublica and The New York Times reported that most of Liberty University's revenue came from taxpayer-funded sources. They also reported on pressured sales tactics targeting military members and misleading information about tuition costs and Christian orientation.
2018: Report on Quality of Online Courses
In 2018, The New York Times reported that Liberty faculty acknowledged that courses taken via the Liberty University Online program were not as good as the university's traditional in-person classes.
2018: Jimmy Carter's Commencement Speech
In 2018, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter delivered the commencement speech at Liberty University.
2018: Students Support Trump's Supreme Court Nominee
In 2018, some Liberty University students traveled to Washington, D.C., to support President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Also that year, students gave a standing ovation to First Lady Melania Trump and several Trump cabinet officials who spoke at a convocation focused on the opioid epidemic.
2018: Student Government Resolution Rejection
In 2018, the administration rejected a resolution from the student government that would have allowed off-campus drinking, "profane language", and the use of tobacco.
2018: Initial Accreditation & First Residency Program
In 2018, the college received initial accreditation from the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (AOA-COCA). Also in 2018, the medical school launched its first residency program, which focused on neuromusculoskeletal treatment.
2018: Firing of Student Editors
In 2018, two student editors at Liberty University were reportedly fired for running articles critical of Donald Trump; one of the editors lost a $3,000-a-semester scholarship.
2018: "Most Conservative College in America"
Liberty was ranked as the "Most Conservative College in America" by niche.com in 2018.
2018: Football Team Competes in FBS as an Independent
Starting in 2018, Liberty's football team began competing in the FBS as an independent.
February 2019: Virginia Bar Exam Results
In February 2019, all of Liberty University School of Law's graduates who took the Virginia Bar Exam passed.
November 2019: Launch of Falkirk Center for Faith and Liberty
In November 2019, Liberty and Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA launched the Falkirk Center for Faith and Liberty, a think tank subsidiary.
2019: Black Population Decline
By 2019, Liberty's Black population declined to 10.4 percent, with a graduation rate of 17% among full-time Black students.
2019: Accusations of Financial Benefit
In 2019, Jerry Falwell Jr. was accused of using Liberty University for his family's financial benefit. Staff members alleged that the university funneled tuition money into real estate investments benefiting friends and family.
2019: Federal Funding
In 2019, Liberty University reportedly received about $700 million in federal funding.
2019: New School of Business Building
In 2019, Liberty's School of Business was nearing completion of a new 78,000-sq.-ft. building.
2019: Atlantic Sun Conference Basketball Tournament Win and NCAA Tournament Bid
In 2019, Liberty's men's basketball program won the Atlantic Sun Conference basketball tournament, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA basketball tournament as the No. 12 seed. They upset Mississippi State 80-76 in the first round.
2019: Allegations of Rigging Online Polls for Trump
In 2019, The Wall Street Journal and Inside Higher Education reported that Liberty University CIO John Gauger allegedly accepted cash, through his IT consulting firm unaffiliated with the school, to rig two online polls for Donald Trump before he became a candidate.
2019: Vice President Mike Pence's Commencement Address
In 2019, Vice President Mike Pence gave the commencement address at Liberty University.
2019: Will E. Young Describes Culture of Fear
In 2019, Will E. Young, a former editor-in-chief of Liberty's Champion student newspaper, described a "culture of fear" at Liberty University and argued that Liberty must address its racist past.
2019: Allegations of Censorship
In 2019, Will Young, a former editor of the Champion, recalled his experiences in a lengthy Washington Post article, where he alleged that school officials often overrode student editors' decisions and imposed censorship.
2019: FIRE Ranks Liberty University Poorly for Free Speech
In 2019, censorship and other factors led the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education to rank Liberty University among the worst universities in terms of free speech.
2019: Closure of the Lynchburg Torch
In 2019, the independent student newspaper, the Lynchburg Torch, which was created to cover stories the administration tried to suppress, ceased operations.
August 7, 2020: Falwell Jr. Placed on Indefinite Leave
On August 7, 2020, Jerry Falwell Jr. was placed on indefinite leave from his position as president of Liberty University following media reports of alleged personal and professional impropriety.
August 24, 2020: Jerry Falwell Jr.'s Resignation
On August 24, 2020, Jerry Falwell Jr. resigned from his position as president of Liberty University due to allegations of nepotism, racism, and involvement in sex scandals.
November 2020: Bob Good Elected to US House of Representatives
In November 2020, Liberty University graduate and athletics booster Bob Good won a seat in the US House of Representatives, making him the first Liberty graduate to be in the House.
2020: School of Behavioral Sciences Details
As of 2020, the School of Behavioral Sciences includes four departments: Community Care & Counseling, Counselor Education & Family Studies, Psychology, and Social Work and the dean was Kenyon C. Knapp.
2020: Falwell Jr.'s Presidency Ends, Criticism over Diversity Resistance
At the end of Jerry Falwell Jr.'s presidency in 2020, Liberty University listed over $2.5 billion in assets. Following Falwell's resignation, Times Higher Education reported that Liberty University was "facing growing criticism over perceived resistance to diversity".
2020: Falwell Jr. Leaves Liberty University
In 2020, Jerry Falwell Jr. left his position at Liberty University amidst allegations of sexual and professional impropriety and was later sued by the university.
2020: Student Enrollment
In 2020, Liberty University's enrollment included approximately 15,000 students in its residential program and 80,000 online.
2020: Football Team Ranked in AP Poll for First Time
In 2020, Liberty's football team entered the rankings in the AP Poll at 25 for the first time in program history. They finished the season ranked 17 in the AP Poll and 18 in the Coaches Poll.
2020: Diving Platform Collapse at Liberty Natatorium
In 2020, one of the diving platforms collapsed at the Liberty Natatorium for an unknown reason.
2020: Political Facebook Ads
In 2020, the Falkirk Center paid for political Facebook ads promoting Trump and other Republican candidates.
2020: Opening of the Liberty Arena
In 2020, the Liberty Arena opened as the home of the men's and women's basketball teams and women's volleyball. The 125,000-square-foot space seats 4,000 spectators.
2020: Second Cure Bowl Win
In 2020, the Liberty Flames won the Cure Bowl for the second time.
2020: Revenue from Online and Residential Tuition
In fiscal year 2020, Liberty University received $800 million from online tuition and $361 million from residential student tuition.
2020: Reform Efforts at Liberty University
In late 2020, three reform efforts took place. Save71 was organized to reform the school. Three Liberty University athletes organized a Black Lives Matter protest on campus. Student leaders also created an online petition to force Liberty to shut down the Falkirk Center.
2020: COVID-19 Pandemic Response and Trespassing Charges
In spring 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Liberty University allowed some students to return to campus over the objections of the city's mayor. When reporters investigated, the university pushed the local district attorney to charge them with trespassing.
March 2021: Renaming to Standing for Freedom Center
In March 2021, Liberty renamed the Falkirk Center for Faith and Liberty to the "Standing for Freedom Center", after choosing not to renew Kirk's contract.
June 2021: Assets, Liabilities, and Operating Revenue
In June 2021, Liberty University had $3.94 billion in assets, $474 million in liabilities, $1.15 billion in operating revenue, and $840 million in operating expenses.
July 2021: Discrimination Lawsuit Filed by LeeQuan McLaurin
Also in July 2021, Liberty University diversity retention officer LeeQuan McLaurin, a black gay man, filed a discrimination lawsuit against the school, claiming that his supervisor's view that Christianity condemns homosexuality forced him to quit.
July 2021: Lawsuit Alleging Title IX Violations
In July 2021, Liberty University was sued by twelve anonymous women alleging that the university created an environment that increased the likelihood of sexual assault and rape in violation of federal Title IX law. The lawsuit included allegations of a student honor code that makes it difficult to report sexual violence and a tacit policy that condoned sexual violence.
October 6, 2021: Scott Lamb Fired
On October 6, 2021, Scott Lamb, a former Liberty University official, was fired for reporting the failure of staff members to appropriately report sexual assaults.
October 2021: ProPublica Report on Sexual Assault Handling
In October 2021, a ProPublica report revealed that Liberty University discouraged students from reporting sexual assault, threatened students for reporting, manipulated statements, neglected to report cases to Title IX, and told students that reporting to law enforcement would compromise Title IX investigations.
November 2021: Standing for Freedom Center Hosts Event
In November 2021, the Standing for Freedom Center hosted former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, author Eric Metaxas, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.
2021: Residential Student Demographics
As of 2021, the residential student body is 74% White, 5% Latino, 4% Black, 3% two or more races, and 2% Asian or Pacific Islander, less than 1% Native American, and 7% "other". Its male-to-female ratio is 45% to 54%.
2021: LGBT Restrictions
As of the 2021 version of The Liberty Way, the student handbook, words and actions indicating "LGBT states of mind" are prohibited for students. Sexual relations are only permitted in a Biblically ordained marriage between a man and a woman.
2021: Jerry Prevo's Comments on Political Influence
In 2021, Interim President Jerry Prevo expressed his desire for Liberty University to become a more effective political player by influencing elections and prioritizing the election of conservative candidates, raising questions about the separation of education and politics at the university.
2021: Lawsuit Alleging Failure to Curb Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
In 2021, a dozen anonymous women sued Liberty, charging that it failed to curb domestic violence and sexual assault on campus. A 2021 ProPublica investigation found that "an ethos of sexual purity, as embodied by the Liberty Way, has led to school officials discouraging, dismissing and even blaming female students who have tried to come forward with claims of sexual assault."
2021: Class Action Lawsuit
In 2021, a former Liberty University student was part of a class action lawsuit filed against the U.S. Department of Education alleging that the institution should not be eligible to receive federal funding because of its discriminatory practices against LGBT students.
2021: LendingTree Bowl Win
In 2021, the Liberty Flames won the LendingTree Bowl.
2021: COVID-19 Outbreak and Campus Restrictions
In fall 2021, a COVID-19 outbreak at Liberty University forced all classes on the Lynchburg campus to go online-only for two weeks. The campus did not require COVID-19 vaccinations, masks, or social distancing.
2022: School of Education Enrollment
As of 2022, the School of Education enrolled 4,441 students.
2022: Liberty University Stands by Honorary Degrees to Trump
As of 2022, while three honorary degrees awarded to Donald Trump from other institutions have been rescinded, Liberty University has not rescinded the two it granted Trump.
2022: Washington Monthly Ranking
In 2022, Liberty University was ranked 428 out of 442 schools by the Washington Monthly.
2022: Jamey Chadwell Becomes Head Coach
Since 2022, Jamey Chadwell has been the head coach of the Liberty Flames.
March 31, 2023: Dondi Costin Named President of Liberty University
On March 31, 2023, Dondi Costin was named president of Liberty University.
July 1, 2023: Dondi E. Costin Becomes University President
On July 1, 2023, Dondi E. Costin assumed the position of university president, succeeding President Emeritus Jerry Prevo.
2023: Preliminary Department of Education Report
According to a preliminary 2023 report by the U.S. Department of Education reviewed by the Washington Post, the school sought for years to conceal campus crime and safety statistics. The report, whose findings may yet be appealed by the school, documents alleged violations of the Clery Act.
2023: "Most Conservative College in America" Ranking Change
By 2023, Liberty had been replaced by Brigham Young University as the "Most Conservative College in America" by niche.com.
2023: U.S. News & World Report Ranking
In 2023, Liberty University was listed as 394-to-435th among "National Universities" in the U.S. News & World Report.
2023: Athletics Program Joins Conference USA
In 2023, Liberty University's athletic teams, known as the Liberty Flames, officially joined Conference USA as a full member.
2023: Women's Hockey Team Wins ACHA D1 National Championship
In 2023, Liberty University's women's club ice hockey team won an American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) D1 national championship.
2023: University Endowment
In 2023, Liberty had an endowment of $1.71 billion, 43rd-largest among U.S. colleges and universities.
2023: Opening of the Jerry Falwell Sr. Center
In 2023, the Jerry Falwell Sr. Center: Inspiring Champions for Christ is set to open and will be attached to the Hancock Welcome Center.
2023: Undefeated Regular Season and CUSA Championship
In 2023, the Liberty Flames went undefeated (12-0) in the regular season, becoming the first Division-I team from Virginia to do so, and won the CUSA Championship Game.
2023: U.S. Department of Education Preliminary Report
In fall 2023, a preliminary report by the U.S. Department of Education alleged that Liberty University officials failed to report campus crime and safety statistics, destroyed evidence of assaults, and retaliated against an employee who raised concerns about Clery Act violations.
January 1, 2024: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Appearance
On January 1, 2024, the Liberty Flames played in their first New Year's 6 bowl, the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, against the Pac-12 Oregon Ducks, losing 45-6.
March 2024: Liberty University Fined $14 Million
In March 2024, Liberty University was fined $14 million for Clery Act violations after investigators documented "serious, persistent, and systemic violations" including discouraging crime reporting, inadequate responses to sexual violence, and failure to report criminal activities.
March 2024: Fine by the U.S. Department of Education
In March 2024, the U.S. Department of Education fined Liberty University $14 million for its treatment of sexual assault survivors and the misclassification or underreporting of crimes.
July 2024: Liberty University Sued for Discrimination
In July 2024, Liberty University was sued by Ellenor Zinski for allegedly violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 after she was fired, with the university explicitly citing Zinski's gender as the reason for her firing.
2024: Seminary Relaunch
In 2024, Liberty Theological Seminary, which administers graduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and certificate divinity programs within the Rawlings School, was relaunched.
2024: Liberty University Affiliation with Project 2025
In 2024, Liberty University is a member of the advisory board of Project 2025, a collection of conservative and right-wing policy proposals from the Heritage Foundation to reshape the United States federal government.
2024: Law School Ranking
In 2024, the U.S. News & World Report ranked the Liberty University School of Law at 140 out of 196 law schools.
2024: Falwell's Ban Rescinded
In fall 2024, Jerry Falwell Jr.'s ban on attending on-campus events was rescinded, and he attended that year's homecoming game.
February 2025: Motion to Dismiss Denied in Discrimination Lawsuit
In February 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia denied Liberty University's motion to dismiss Ellenor Zinski's discrimination case.
May 2025: Settlement Paid to Falwell Jr.
In May 2025, it was reported that Liberty University had paid Jerry Falwell Jr. approximately $15 million to settle all litigation between Liberty and Falwell.
2025: Liberty University Affiliation with Project 2025
In 2025, Liberty University is a member of the advisory board of Project 2025, a collection of conservative and right-wing policy proposals from the Heritage Foundation to reshape the United States federal government.
April 2026: Federal Monitoring Placed on Liberty University
In March 2024, as a consequence of Clery Act violations, Liberty University was placed on Federal monitoring until April 2026.
2026: Sponsorship Deal with Byron and Hendrick Motorsports
Liberty University has a deal with William Byron and NASCAR Cup Series team Hendrick Motorsports that runs through 2026.
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