A message from Vice President for Human Resources Bryan Garey
To faculty and staff,
As we come back together to celebrate a new academic year, welcoming the return of our students and beautiful fall weather, now is also a good time to remind ourselves of what it means to be part of Hokie Nation.
At Virginia Tech, we are fortunate to have a history that spans more than 150 years of service to each other and our communities. We routinely engage through civil discourse that leads to innovative learning and research. In times of controversy, it is even more important that we make room for everyone to be able to share their perspectives and ideas and to feel safe doing so. This is the Hokie way and essential to who we are.
These hallmarks of our university are memorialized in our motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), and through our Principles of Community. Specifically, our principles state:
“We affirm the right of each person to express thoughts and opinions freely. We encourage open expression within a climate of civility, sensitivity, and mutual respect.”
Our principles provide a framework for how we – as Hokies – treat each other and care about each other.
Freedom of speech is a foundation of our democracy, which was recently reinforced by Virginia Tech in our Statement on Freedom of Expression and Inquiry. It is essential that this freedom is exercised at our university; however, it is equally important that we do so in a way that embodies our principles, resisting the urge to create fear and uncertainty.
Further, in a world where online expression dominates so much of our day, it is easily forgotten the great power that words can have on others.
As part of Hokie Nation, our words and actions serve as an example – to our students, our community, and beyond – of what it means to respect each other and provide a welcoming environment where everyone belongs, and every voice can be heard.
As a reminder, conduct standards and related policies for all faculty, including teaching, research, administrative and professional faculty, are outlined in the Faculty Handbook. Similarly, policies for all staff, both classified and university, can be found through the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management.
While these principles provide guidelines for our community, it is our actions as individuals that contribute to the shared experience of every member of Hokie Nation. Thank you for your continued commitment to making Virginia Tech a great place to live, learn, and work.
Bryan Garey,
Vice President for Human Resources
