Washington and Lee University, a privately controlled, nonsectarian institution in Lexington, Virginia. The university includes a college of arts and sciences; a law school; and a school of commerce, economics, and politics. The institution was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy. After receiving a gift of $50,000 from George Washington, the school took the name of Washington Academy in 1798. In 1813 it was renamed Washington College. The present name was adopted in 1871 in honor of Robert E. Lee, who was the institution's president, 1865-70. Until 1985 the university's undergraduate division was for men only.