Progress toward university priorities highlights quarterly board meeting

The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors held its latest quarterly full-board meeting Monday through Wednesday at the Pete Dye River Course in Radford and on the university’s Blacksburg campus.

On Wednesday, the board approved a $4.3 million planning authorization for design of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine’s renovation and expansion of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The hospital is a site of hands-on learning for students and delivers primary, specialty, and emergency patient care to small and large animal clients as well as referral service to practitioners throughout the region.

Plans for the expansion are subject to additional board approval before construction could begin. The current hospital was completed in 1987. Its much-needed expansion accounts for growth in the hospital’s caseload, the number of specialty services the hospital offers, and the size of the veterinary college’s enrollment. Over 13,000 dogs and cats, 800 horses, 200 cows, 150 sheep and goats, and 60 pigs receive clinical care in the hospital each year.

The size and scope of the project will depend, in part, on philanthropy. Veterinary college leaders hope to add up to 42,000 square feet to the facility and are engaged in a roughly $9 million fundraising campaign for the project.

During the three-day meeting, board members toured the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the newly renovated War Memorial Hall, which received extensive updates in support of Virginia Tech’s commitment to student well-being.

On Monday, the board began with an orientation session, followed by discussions on higher education issues and Virginia Tech’s strategic priorities.

One session focused on Virginia Tech’s opportunities for advancing global distinction through health sciences research. Speakers included Michael Friedlander, the university’s vice president for health sciences and technology and executive director of Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, and Sally Allain, formerly the head of Johnson & Johnson Innovation JLABS @ Washington, D.C., who has joined Virginia Tech as the chief of health sciences growth and innovation officer with the institute.

Friedlander outlined how Virginia Tech’s health sciences footprint spans across its location in Blacksburg, Roanoke, Alexandria, and Washington, D.C., with four key research areas: cardiovascular disease, cancer, brain disorders, and obesity.

At Tuesday’s Academic, Research and Student Affairs Committee, Executive Vice President and Provost Cyril Clarke’s provided an update on strategic growth in the greater Washington, D.C., area as the university prepares to open the first building of the Innovation Campus in Alexandria early next year. He also noted this year’s first-year class is the strongest in the university’s history, as measured by grades and test scores. Clarke also added the search for a new dean of the Honors College, a result of Dean Paul Knox’s decision to retire next year.

Vice President for Student Affairs Frances Keene and three members of the Corps of Cadets briefed members of the Academic, Research and Student Affairs Committee on the holistic, well-being approach integrated into the experience for new cadets as well as the integrated peer leadership program that’s central to the corps mission. The Corps of Cadets is Virginia Tech’s oldest living-learning community, Keene said.

The committee also heard how the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) supports Virginia’s Tech’s Global Distinction priority. Luiz DaSilva, CCI executive director, presented an update on how CCI, now in its fifth year of operations, is achieving its mission in making the Commonwealth of Virginia a global leader in cybersecurity and a top destination for federal and industry cybersecurity research.

During Wednesday’s Finance and Resource Management Committee meeting, Senior Vice President for Advancement Charlie Phlegar provided highlights of the university’s fundraising and engagement efforts during the past fiscal year. Accomplishments included new gifts and commitments totaling nearly $226.1 million, the second highest total in Virginia Tech history and a fourth straight year of giving over $200 million.

Donations play a crucial role funding scholarships, projects, and strategic initiatives throughout the university, including the Virginia Tech Advantage and Global Distinction priorities.

As of June 30, nearly $49.5 million in giving has counted toward Virginia Tech Advantage, which has a 10-year fundraising goal of $500 million. Nearly $85.6 million in giving has counted toward Global Distinction.

During his remarks to the board on Wednesday, President Tim Sands offered five resolutions of appreciation to honor each of the board members who concluded service to the board June 30. The resolutions honored Carrie Chenery, Greta Harris, Brad Hobbs, Chris Petersen, and Jeff Veatch for their dedication to the board and the university.

The board’s committee chairs for the year are Nancy Dye, Academic, Research, and Student Affairs Committee; Tish Long, Buildings and Grounds Committee; Anna James, Compliance, Audit, and Risk Committee; David Calhoun, Finance and Resource Management Committee; Sandy Davis, Governance and Administration Committee. Those committee chairs also serve on the board’s executive committee, a group led by Rector Ed Baine for the second consecutive year. Calhoun will serve as vice rector for the second consecutive year.

The board also approved resolutions honoring 10 emerita or emeritus faculty members and appointed five faculty members to an endowed fellowship, professorship, or chair. Stories on each person will be published in Virginia Tech News in the coming weeks.

The next full Virginia Tech Board of Visitors meeting will be held Nov. 18-19 in Blacksburg. More information on the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors may be found online.