December 29, 2006The year in reviewIt's been a busy year in higher education in Southwest Virginia. Below are links to some stories covering the big events and issues of 2006, in chronological order. Next week I'll take a look at some important dates and themes to keep in mind for 2007. Jesse Jackson comes to Blacksburg and speaks at Virginia Tech on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. House Bill 1572, limiting gun control measures on campus at public universities in Virginia is proposed. It dies in subcommittee. Virginia Tech unveils a new tagline and spruced up logo. Alas, it's not the only school to proclaim it's inventing the future. Racist graffiti is discovered again at Tech, and reported through a new online Safewatch program. A record number of students apply to Virginia Tech, though many refuse to reveal their race or ethnic identity. Quadfest ends at Radford University. The unofficial Quadfest is still celebrated, though it is much tamer than past years. Christian Keesee creates a stir with his "Christ on Campus" cartoons on a student-run Radford University web site. Despite calls by some for censorship, the administration allows the cartoon to continue, citing freedom of speech issues. Tuition rates continue to climb at Radford University and Virginia Tech, though both schools remain less expensive than the average four-year publics in the state and nationally. The denial of tenure to a black political science professor at Virginia Tech sets off campus protests and a promise from the provost to create a "Taskforce on Race and the Institution." The taskforce will reveal an interim report in January and a final report in April. Radford University names its first provost. Virginia Tech holds steady in the National Science Foundation rankings at No. 55, though federally-sponsored research drops significantly. Tech moves from its well-known "Top 30" goal toward a goal of reaching $550 million in annual research by 2012. Virginia Tech and the University of Richmond announce a joint program for students to pursue an undergraduate science degree and a law degree in intellectual property. Former Virginia Tech athletic director Dave Braine is brought in as a consultant at Radford University to help analyze the school's athletic department. The annual U.S. News and World Report rankings show little movement for local schools. The rankings have become increasingly popular over the last 10 years despite criticism from within higher education. Fugitive William Morva gives students at Virginia Tech a memorable first day of classes. The University of Virginia ends early decision. UVa officials say the move is an attempt to make the school more economically diverse. Virginia Tech employee Tony Sutphin first admits to, then denies, that he's going on an all-expenses paid trip to the Caribbean paid for by Loan to Learn, a popular private lender for higher education. Sutphin works in Tech's office of financial aid. The conference is eventually cancelled in the wake of media criticism. |
About this blog
Rhode Island native and Virginia Tech reporter Greg Esposito posts on everyday college life, trends and issues affecting the 35,000-plus students in the New River Valley and beyond.
Tim Thornton, who is old enough to have children attending college, is still taking classes and is still fascinated by colleges, the students who populate them and the bureaucrats who operate them. His reporting beat is Radford University.
West Virginia native Anna Mallory blogs on student life topics at Virginia Tech, Radford University, New River Valley Community College -- and beyond.
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