Irma Becerra, president of Marymount University, and Christopher K. Peace, president of Virginia Private Colleges, write:  Virginia's educational landscape is hampered by not having private universities classified as R1 or R2, designations indicating high levels of research activity. This situation places the responsibility for advanced research and the production of doctorates solely on its public universities, creating the need for a balanced approach that includes private research universities.Private colleges and universities in Virginia, each with unique educational attributes, play vital roles in the state's workforce development and talent creation.