Bank fees could rub off on Tech
October 24, 2011
Amid the ongoing coverage of the expansion of the Occupy movement from Wall Street to other areas of the country and world, we have forgotten about a recent news item that puts it all in perspective.
Content by Ray Plaza
October 17, 2011
Throughout the semester, I have continually encountered the phrase “social capital.”
Tech should provide clubs with more exposure
September 7, 2011
If you found yourself in Squires after 5 p.m. this past week, you came across a building filled with different student meetings.
Pre-gaming causes issues for students
August 10, 2011
As we approach the end of this second summer session, things are already moving swiftly for the start of the fall semester in less than two weeks.
Recognizing the unsung heroes in our community
August 3, 2011
As I travel through Europe with students this summer, we have come across many unsung heroes who have made a difference in our journey.
July 27, 2011
Recently at an art exhibit in Madrid, I came across the following quote by Joseph Beuys, “Todo ser humano es un artista”, or in its English version, “Every man is an artist”.
Enhancing the Homecoming experience
July 20, 2011
This past week, I had the opportunity to experience Bastille Day in Paris from the military parade down the Champs-Élysées to the Fireman Balls’ in the different arrondissemonts, to seeing the crowds gather around the Eiffel Tower for music and fireworks.
Virginia Tech serves as Hogwarts for its students
July 13, 2011
A week ago, Trafalgar Square in London was the site of the world premiere for the last Harry Potter movie.
Tribute to Tech’s university leaders
July 6, 2011
As the country was celebrating the Fourth of July, a statue of President Reagan was unveiled in Grosvenor Square in London to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth. This was part of a series of tributes taking place throughout Europe due to his role and influence. As I think about this, every former President of the United States is recognized in some fashion. Clearly some are more beloved and more well known than others, but in the end, each has been honored in some fashion from presidential libraries, to schools or highways. This raises the question of how we, as an institution, have recognized our past presidents. As you review the history, it is clear that the early years of the Virginia Agriculture and Mechanical College (early name for Virginia Tech) were a challenging time, and it really wasn’t until the start of the McBryde administration in 1891 that things started to settle down. However, between 1872 and 1891 a number of positive things did take place to set the foundation for the ongoing development and growth of the institution. I raise this question because no president prior to John McBryde has been recognized on the campus for their role. They may be listed in displays talking about the history of the institution, but there is no formal or visible recognition such as their name on a building. Why is it that as we approach the milestone of the 150th anniversary in 2022 that we have yet to come to terms with the individuals that served as the early presidents of what would become Virginia Tech? I suspect that many within the community are unaware of the leadership of the institution at the time. We all know about Addison Caldwell and his role as the first student, but what about those first presidents? How much do we know about Charles Minor, the first President, who served from 1872 – 1879? Or what about John Lee Buchanan (1880-1882), Thomas Nelson Conrad (1882-1886), or Lunsford Lindsay Lomax (1886-1891)? While some information can be found under the president’s homepage profiling the life of past university presidents and under some of the special archive pages for University Relations and the university libraries, I am not sure that this would constitute sufficient recognition. I wonder what we as an institution could do to recognize the leadership that these individuals played? One of the most traditional is to name a building after a past President. However, the process for naming any building on campus can be quite a complicated and rigorous process. Another form of recognition would be the development of an award named in honor of an individual. We have the example of the William H. Ruffner medal developed by the Board of Visitors in 1976, to honor the individuals that played a critical role in the early days of the institution. Another form of recognition could be the naming of a professorship in honor of said individual; the naming of a conference room, or it could be the naming of green space or a public area on campus. As we think about these four individuals, what could be done as a fitting tribute to their roles as University presidents? I realize that I am not the first one to bring up this issue, but it is an interesting fact that these first four presidents have continued to remain unrecognized within the Tech community. Imagine if this lack of recognition had been done with the first presidents of the United States? We would not have any recognition of George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson or James Monroe. All of this raises the question of why they remain unrecognized? Is it because we disagree with how they handled things over a hundred years ago? Are we as an institution ashamed of acknowledging the challenges that were faced in the earliest years? It seems to me that regardless of the personal feelings we may have about these individuals, it does not diminish the fact that they did serve as President’s of Tech and deserve some type of formal and honorable recognition. As we will soon approach the 150th anniversary, this could be an excellent opportunity to finally correct the mistake of not properly recognizing these individuals within the Tech family. I understand that some will argue that such recognition is not necessary, but this could be a great opportunity to better understand and to educate about the history of the institution. What harm will be caused if we finally honor and properly recognize the roles that these first four Presidents played?
Working together as a NRV community
June 29, 2011
As Virginia Tech continues to prepare for the upcoming year, it has started to welcome new students and their parents through the first set of the orientation sessions held for transfer students soon followed by new student orientation in July.