Virginia Tech President Tim Sands held a special meeting Friday April 4 to discuss how changes ordered by the Trump administration are affecting the university. Sands spoke for nearly two hours and answered questions from students and faculty on a wide range of issues.
He repeatedly stressed that Virginia Tech is still committed to creating an environment that is accessible to people from diverse backgrounds.
But last week, the university’s Board of Visitors voted to dissolve an office dedicated to promoting diversity, fearing Virginia Tech could lose federal funding if they don’t comply with new guidance from the Trump administration.
There will no longer be required training about diversity and inclusion for incoming students.
Sands also offered advice to students, faculty and staff if they are approached by someone who says they are with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He said they should call Virginia Tech police immediately before talking with anyone claiming to be an ICE official. Even students who are studying at campus locations throughout the Commonwealth should contact campus police, or local law enforcement, said Sands.
Students asked the president, would Virginia Tech protect them, or faculty, if their immigration status is challenged?
“So I’d love to say that we would you know, be able to jump in and fight for what we think is right,” Sands responded. “We don’t have any jurisdiction to tell the federal government that they cant do something that they’re legally allowed to do.”
Sands said it’s important for the campus community to continue to be politically active in this moment, including talking with friends and neighbors about why they believe higher education and diversity are vital to democracy.
“I appreciate all of your willingness to engage, whatever way you can. Because we have to be able to make that case for the public,” Sands said.
But he acknowledged many at Virginia Tech, particularly international students, might not feel safe speaking out.
“I mean, if I were an international student right now, I would probably be keeping my head down,” Sands said. “And, you know I understand it. That’s probably not, maybe the smartest thing to do, the right thing to do, but it’s just…it’s a reality. But there are others that are not under threat in that way that could carry the message.”
Sands also mentioned a presentation at last week’s Board of Visitors meeting, about the importance of tenure for professors at public universities, which provides freedom of speech protections for professors.
“One of the really important reasons for tenure is that you’ve got to have the ability for scholars not just throwing out opinions but actually based on their scholarship, challenging the authorities,” Sands said. “And they need to be able to do that with some safe harbor, and that’s what the university provides.”
Sands said the Board of Visitors spoke about the issue last week, prompted in part by discussions in other states around eliminating or weakening tenure protections.
“We haven’t seen that in Virginia yet, but it could happen. So we want to make sure that everybody understands what the role of tenure is in the university.”
Sands said there will be further discussions in the future as more information is known about how federal policy changes will affect the university.
President Sands' full discussion can be viewed at Virginia Tech's website.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
