Category: News

By Megan Reese, politics and government reporter

On April 9, Virginia Tech’s President Tim Sands addressed Hokies everywhere in a letter that he would be stepping down from his position. He acknowledged what the community has accomplished in the 12 years since he began his presidency, and confirmed he and his wife plan to stay in Blacksburg. 

“It is now time, while Virginia Tech has momentum on so many fronts, for me to start the process of stepping aside so that the next president can take the baton in full stride,” Sands said in his letter to Hokie Nation. 

Virginia Tech has gained significant momentum in Sands’ 12-year tenure. According to Virginia Tech News, the university experienced a 30% increase in undergraduate enrollment, 200% increase in applications, 70% increase in extramural research expenditures and 185% increase in the university’s endowment. 

Although the numbers show impact, you can see it on the Blacksburg campus as well. 

“Ten years ago, [North Academic District] was nothing but a big old parking lot,” said Mark Owczarski, university spokesperson. “Now we have state-of-the-art labs, attracting world-class faculty that are working on huge massive things, everything from curing cancer to engineering improvements.”

The North Academic District is nearly 500,000 square feet that directly impacts students with new academic buildings, a new dining hall and the Undergraduate Science Laboratory. This expansion has not only impacted students currently on campus, but attracts potential students and faculty to join the Virginia Tech community. 

Beyond the Blacksburg campus, there have been advancements in Roanoke, Va. with the Virginia Tech’s Health Sciences and Technology Campus. The campus is home to Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, the Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program, the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine’s Animal Cancer Care and Research Center, and more. Virginia Tech News reported the campus doubled the university’s economic impact in Roanoke. 

There were also significant strides made in the Washington D.C. area. In the spring of 2025, Virginia Tech opened its Innovation Campus in Alexandria, Va. The building is known as Academic Building One and is home to the new Institute for Advanced Computing. The institute supports industry and government partnerships, and with its close proximity to the nation’s capital, benefits graduate students immensely with learning how to address global issues. 

The building also houses graduate programs for the Pamplin College of Business and College of Engineering.

“I would say we are a globally recognized premier research university that is going to go out and make the world a better place, and President Sands played a pivotal role in that,” Owczarski said. 

Another highlight of Sands’ legacy is the Virginia Tech Advantage, which is a university-wide initiative to provide support for in-state students to do research, study abroad or complete internships with fewer financial barriers. 

Providing students with a full experience inside and outside of the classroom helps to contribute to Virginia Tech’s strategic priorities. Virginia Tech Advantage will achieve these goals by doubling the amount of Hokies in the Presidential Scholarship Initiative to 800 students, provide more opportunities for paid internships and provide study abroad experiences and so much more. 

Another huge part of Sands’ legacy will be the support he provided to Virginia Tech Athletics. The athletics program is currently in the process of rebuilding with an approved $229 million being invested in it, a new head coach for Virginia Tech football and the search for a new Athletic Director as Whit Babcock announced his retirement. 

It is no secret that an elevated athletics program attracts national visibility and the attention of prospective students, which is greatly beneficial to the university as a whole. Although Sands is passing the baton, he will be remembered for helping begin this new chapter. 

The question remains, who will come next? Although a successor has not been named yet, Sands plans to help assist with the transition until the new president is ready to lead. 

“The university is grateful for President Sands giving our community the advanced notification that he is approaching that time [to step down] but willing to stay on board until a new person is identified,” Owczarski said. 

The university has already begun the process as the search committee met virtually on Monday, May 11 to discuss next steps. The committee includes the members of the Board of Visitors and because of that, there was a livestream. The committee did move to a closed session, but more information is to be expected as soon as they can update the community. 

The Virginia Tech community was invited to two listening sessions, one for students and one for faculty and staff. The purpose of the sessions was to allow students, faculty and staff to share their insights on the characteristics they seek in the next Virginia Tech president. 

“A university president has to balance all these competing interests, while also demonstrating they are a rational leader, who shows empathy, a belief in equity, and in institutional strengths such as academic freedom and shared governance,” said Justin Lemkul, Virginia Tech Faculty Senate President. 

Lemkul is a voice for the faculty on the search committee, and he intends on making sure that voice is heard. 

“Faculty, staff, and students are central to everything we do here,” Lemkul said. “University presidents set priorities, advocate on behalf of the university, and establish a vision for where the institution will go. Executing that vision requires collective buy-in and support from all constituents at the university.”

There is a concern for the search happening prominently over the summer, while many faculty and students are away. According to the livestream of the search committee, they can only meet one more time virtually this year, then they must be in-person for meetings, which can be difficult with members of the committee being located all over the country. 

“It is essential that the process have the trust of the university community,” Lemkul said. “Any appointment made while many individuals (faculty and students) are away from campus and thus somewhat dissociated from university business risks undermining the confidence we have in the search process and the next president, regardless of who it is.”

Lemkul also emphasized the importance of providing sufficient opportunities for finalists for the position to interact with students, faculty and staff as it builds a strong foundation for relationships made with the new president. 

Leading a large land-grant institution is no simple task, and that is why the presidential search committee will take time. As for who it will be, there are certain boxes that person must check. 

“We need a leader who has the capability of leading a large institution of higher education, and knowledgeable for the attributes that Virginia Tech has,”  Owczarski said. “A longer answer will come on [a presidential search] website as we post the position description and the attributes that the search committee believes is essential for that next leader.”

For now, a community thanks Sands as he steps down from what was a very successful 12-year tenure. His predecessors set him up for success, and he plans to do the same.

“[Sands recognizes] that he can’t do it all in a 12, 15, 20 year block,” Owczarski said. “He has got to be able to pass that baton in full stride as he says, and make sure that the future of Virginia Tech is secure.”

Twelve years is a long time with a long list of accomplishments, so how do you sum up a legacy like that? The university’s spokesperson puts it simply.

“President Sands was able to take that potential and make it reality,” Owczarski said. 

Although he is approaching retirement, Sands and his wife, Laura P. Sands, have no plans on leaving Blacksburg. In his letter to the community, he said the two will always be Hokies, and this place is home for them. The search for a new president remains, and Sands will be in Blacksburg to guide his successor in a smooth transition.

By Isabella Ubillus, crime, safety, and justice reporter

As Virginia Tech prepares for its university commencement on May 15, thousands of graduates, families and visitors will arrive in Blacksburg, but another layer of preparation is happening behind the scenes — security planning.

This year’s commencement speaker, Gov. Abigail Spanberger, brings not only public attention, but additional coordination between university officials, campus police, and state law enforcement. While most attendees may only notice the increased traffic or increased police presence, university officials say that months of planning go into ensuring the ceremony runs safely and smoothly.

But in a political climate shaped by protests, heightened national tensions, and growing concerns about campus safety, hosting a high-profile political figure can shift the atmosphere surrounding majoring campus events, changing how student’s experience those events.

For Lt. Milford Palmer of the Virginia Tech Police Department, the planning begins long before graduates and their families ever step foot into Lane Stadium.

“For commencement itself, I’ve been in meetings for probably the last six months,” Palmer said.

According to Palmer, planning involves a high level of coordination between Virginia Tech Police, emergency management, event staff, and state law enforcement. Officers will inspect the venues, monitor crowd flow, prepare evacuation procedures, and conduct explosive canine sweeps.

“We have officers at every commencement ceremony,” Palmer said. “It doesn’t matter where it’s at — Burruss, Center for the Arts, Lane Stadium, Cassell — we still take the same precautions.”

The process becomes more complex when a political figure is involved.

“When we have these high-profile political figures, they have their own security teams,” Palmer said.

For events involving elected officials such as Spanberger, Virginia Tech Police coordinates with Virginia State Police and outside security teams while continuing to manage the safety for students, graduates, and visitors across campus.

Planning shifts based on what is happening nationally or globally, but the goal remains the same — protecting the overall community.

“The world’s climate definitely heightens my security levels depending on what’s going on in the world at the time,” Palmer said.

Still, he emphasized that increased precautions are intended to protect everyone attending, not only the invited speaker.

“The world’s climate definitely heightens my security levels depending on what’s going on in the world at the time.”

According to Mark Owczarski, the university spokesperson, commencement planning is part of the university’s larger infrastructure for hosting large scale events year-round.

“The key to running big events well is planning,” he said.

Commencement involves a year-round planning committee involving multiple parties such as university administrators, emergency management, law enforcement agencies, and operations staff. Different aspects like parking, traffic patterns, accessibility, inclement weather plans, and emergency communications are all taken into account before guests even arrive on campus.

Owczarski said the planning process extends beyond coordination between security and emergency management, requiring nearly every aspect of university operations to adjust throughout graduation weekend.

The university transforms its normal operations to accommodate the influx of visitors in Blacksburg. Roads surrounding Lane Stadium experience increased traffic and security personnel are stationed across the multiple venues hosting ceremonies throughout the week. Employees are encouraged to work remotely to reduce congestion and create additional parking near Lane Stadium.

“We change the circumstances of the day and what we’re asking people to do based on how many people will be there,” Owczarski said.

The level of preparation and emergency coordination the university has in place became visible during Virginia Tech’s spring football game when a skydiver crashed into the Lane Stadium scoreboard after strong winds pushed him off course. The incident delayed the game as emergency personnel and stadium staff worked to rescue the skydiver.

While officials describe the incident as an unexpected accident, it highlights the type of emergency response planning required during large-scale public events hosted by the university.

“If that didn’t happen three weeks ago it probably would’ve sounded silly,” Owczarski said. “But you prepare for all the potential things, and you plan accordingly.”

Although much of the planning happens behind the scenes, students are often most aware of security measures when there is an increased police presence.

Earlier in the fall semester, increased security surrounding a Turning Point USA event on campus drew attention from students as protesters gathered outside Burruss Hall, where the event was taking place.

“There were police on the Drillfield surrounding every corner and so students took notice,” Emma Roshioru, president of the Undergraduate Student Senate, said.

The event took place two weeks after the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, intensifying national conversations surrounding political gatherings and campus safety.

For some students, visible security measures can create reassurance, but for others they can significantly alter the atmosphere of campus.

“Our attention naturally goes to law enforcement presence,” Roshioru said.

Moments of heightened security can quickly shift the atmosphere on campus, even for students who are not directly attending the event, according to Roshioru.

“A student could just be trying to walk to class and then they notice a ton of police officers,” she said. “That can be alarming and also stressful for anyone.”

“I think the tension will always be there, but it balances out with wanting to feel safe.”

Roshioru said that students often interpret increased police presence differently based on their own experiences and relationships with law enforcement.

“Everyone has very different experiences with law enforcement,” she said. “For other students who have not had positive experiences, that can be alarming.”

At the same time, she said that students understand why universities are becoming more cautious surrounding political events.

“It’s hard for that tension to go away,” Roshioru said. “I think the tension will always be there, but it balances out with wanting to feel safe.”

That tension — between campus safety and openness — has become increasingly common on college campuses nationwide as universities navigate political polarization, protests, and growing concerns surrounding campus violence.

Across the country, universities have become sites of political demonstrations, politically divisive speakers, and debates surrounding free expression and public safety. From pro-Palestine encampments to controversial speaker events, colleges have faced a growing pressure to balance students’ rights to protest with maintaining a safe campus environment.

This balancing act has become especially visible during events involving political figures, where heightened security measures can unintentionally change how students experience public spaces on campus.

At Virginia Tech specifically, those conversations hold additional weight due to the university’s history. After almost 20 years since the April 16 shooting, campus safety remains a core aspect in the university’s infrastructure and identity.

For many students, perceptions of safety are often shaped by the atmosphere surrounding major campus events than the policies behind the scenes.

Roshioru said that students today are politically active and more willing to participate in protests than in the previous years.

“Virginia Tech didn’t really experience that many protests that often, especially from students, and now they’ve gotten the ball rolling,” she said. “Students feel more empowered to do that, and they feel safe in doing so.”

Palmer said that Virginia Tech Police work directly with protest organizers to ensure that they remain safe while protecting students’ rights to free expression.

“It’s really not something that we’re concerned that protesters are there, it’s a common thing now, it’s just we would like to educate them to do it the proper way,” he said.

Instead, officers focus on maintaining safety while preventing conflicts between opposing groups.

“This is a freedom of speech, it’s not something that we want to say no to,” Palmer said.

Roshioru said that communications from the university remains one of the most important factors in helping students feel more informed rather than alarmed during high profile events.

“Communications is something that we could always have more of,” Roshioru said. “Having communications put out further in advance for students, their families, the greater community would be beneficial.”

As commencement approaches, Virginia Tech has published online guidance for graduates and guests outlining important information and expectations ahead of the ceremonies. The university’s commencement FAQ page outlines security expectations for visitors attending events across campus, part of a larger effort to prepare for the thousands of visitors expected to arrive in Blacksburg.

As political tensions and security concerns continue shaping campuses nationwide, communication has become part of how universities manage the atmosphere surrounding major campus events.

While much of the security planning for commencement will remain invisible for attendees, the visibility of police presence and heightened precautions surrounding political figures can shape how students experience campus during those moments.

For many attendees, commencement will feel the same — graduates walking across the stage, families filling Lane Stadium, and crowds gathered throughout campus.

Behind the scenes, however, months of coordination between university officials, law enforcement agencies, and emergency responders will continue operating quietly in the background, reflecting how universities are increasingly balancing celebration, free expression, and security in a changing political climate.

By Isabella Ubillus, crime, safety, and justice reporter

What happens after a sexual assault is reported at Virginia Tech? From the initial report to police investigations, the Title IX process, and available support services, the steps can be complex. Understanding these options can help students make informed decisions about reporting and accessing resources.

By Sarah Shrader, health & wellness reporter

During this time in the academic year, burnout among students tends to increase and is often mistaken for general fatigue. Jazmin Jurkiewicz, Inclusive Well-being associate director, elaborated on the differences between the two. She also shared symptoms, causes, and remedies to combat burnout.