HISTORY
The history of the Virginia Tech Principles of Community can be traced to the events that transpired following the decisions of the Board of Visitors in March 2003. These unfortunate actions were the catalysts that have helped to shape and drive the recent diversity efforts on the Virginia Tech campus. While the actions of the Board were ultimately negated, conditions were created which called for exploration of the issues surrounding diversity and campus climate.
As the university attempted to recover from the fallout of the initial Board actions, informal conversations had already begun for the need for an overarching university statement. During the summer of 2004, new leadership of the Board of Visitors asked the university to articulate its commitment to diversity. During the following semester, a number of individuals discovered that other higher education institutions had developed university statements that reflect the desire for an inclusive community.
At the November 8, 2004 meeting, the Rector and Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee requested a statement for the Board of Visitors to approve during their March meeting.
At the December 6th CEOD meeting, the Associate Provost stated that work was underway on such a statement, and requested that any statement be reviewed at the Diversity Summit.
At the December 13th CEOD meeting, three drafts were shared for feedback. There was general consensus about the need for such a statement and that it needed to be short and concise. With the assistance of a number of individuals and feedback from the Commission, a draft statement was developed over the winter break.
Historical note: The idea of a statement was not something new. During the 1999-2000, a university committee appointed by the Provost worked to develop a Hokie Creed, similar to the Carolinian Creed at the University of South Carolina. This effort, which involved the Town of Blacksburg working with the university, gained a great deal of support over two years among constituent groups. Unfortunately, support started to wane and the project was tabled. More recently, the Vice President for Research provided valuable information about his experience with a similar document at another institution.
During January 2005, the statement was sent to the various constituent groups (Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, CEOD, Student Government, Graduate Student Assembly and Alumni Association) for their feedback, response and endorsement. The draft was also shared at the 8th annual Diversity Summit that was held on January 21st. The summit was attended by almost 300 individuals from all facets of the university community.
Following the Summit, the CEOD formally adopted a final version of the statement, and the constituent groups approved the statement and agreed to sign. During this process, a resolution was prepared for the March 2005 Board meeting. The Board of Visitors adopted the resolution, which endorsed the Principles of Community.