Pre-Ceremony Moment

Friends and family of the victims visit the intermediate memorial prior to its dedication. The color guard stands at attention behind the memorial while another member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets stands watch nearby. Photo taken August 19, 2007.

Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.

Brent Jesiek

2007-08-19

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

eng

Dedication Gathering

The crowd on the drillfield begins to gather and grow prior to the dedication ceremony for the intermediate memorial. Photo taken August 19, 2007.

Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.

Brent Jesiek

2007-08-19

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

eng

Provost Update August 17, 2007

Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2007 11:25:23 -0400
From: Provost@vt.edu
To: Multiple recipients <LISTSERV@LISTSERV.VT.EDU>
Subject: Provost Update August 17, 2007

August 17, 2007
Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues:

You are probably noticing that the students are moving back to Blacksburg this week. (It is a good time to stay away from Washington Street.) The start of the fall semester is always an exciting time and we will be welcoming over 5,000 freshmen in the great new class of 2011. We will also be welcoming approximately 100 new faculty colleagues across all eight colleges. The first day of class will be a memorable adventure.

Many departments and colleges have been busy this week with pre-semester retreats, planning sessions, and orientations. I realize that you are receiving multiple forms of communication about ongoing and new activities. I am going to highlight a few key issues and events recognizing that you have heard or will hear more about each of these items in different ways.

1. The three internal reviews requested by President Steger will be presented soon. James Hyatt chaired the group looking at infrastructure and security; Erv Blythe chaired the group looking at networking; and Jerry Niles chaired the group looking at the relationships among the academic, judicial, counseling, and legal systems. Each group will provide an overview of existing structures and programs and will make recommendations for enhancements. Some of the relevant items have been or are being implemented already (such as VT Alerts), and a comprehensive summary and outline of additional security enhancements was prepared by Executive Vice President James Hyatt. A note of immediate relevance to faculty instructors: the general assignment classrooms are being fitted with hardware that will allow rooms to be locked from the inside with automatic unlocking features when exiting.

2. The dedication ceremony of the memorial on the Drillfield will be held at noon on Sunday. All members of the university and extended community are invited. Faculty and student representatives will provide brief comments.

3. Human Resources and the Cook Counseling Center are coordinating efforts to provide counseling support to faculty, staff, and students next week. There will be two primary sites staffed by trained professionals: a tent on the Drillfield and Squires Student Center. Counselors will be able to travel to other locations as needed. In addition, counselors will be specifically assigned to a few key locations (including Norris Hall). In April, faculty members implemented a plan to invite a faculty colleague to attend class on the first day. The colleague was available to provide collegial support and to be available, if needed, to help with any issues that came up.

The college deans&#39; offices are helping to promote and encourage a similar system next week. Last spring we relied on the good judgment of faculty members to decide how best to address and respond to the events of April 16. We will do so again. I anticipate that most students and faculty in the classroom will be eager to focus on what we do best: teaching and learning. CEUT held some sessions for faculty this week and will have follow-up sessions over the next few weeks. Your feedback about your experiences and the experiences of the students will be helpful.

4. You have received advice about media attention early in the week. You are free to talk with the media, but you are under no obligation to do so. Also, you can decide what issues you want to discuss. You have control over who is admitted to your classrooms.

5. The "Concert for Virginia Tech" on Thursday, September 6 is going to have an impact on classes that evening. As of now, we are planning to cancel classes beginning at 5 p.m. so that all faculty, staff, and students may attend the concert if they wish. Unlike the situation with football games, the parking lots are open to regular use and no one will be expected to vacate spaces in specific lots. As provost, I am never thrilled when the regular academic schedule is affected by non-academic events. We are going through an important phase of the healing process and I hope you will embrace the positive features of this unique contribution to the Virginia Tech community.

6. One of the highlights of the academic year will be a special program that brings emphasis to our commitment to the unique responsibilities and opportunities that come from being Virginia&#39;s senior land-grant university, as well as highlights the Student Engagement component of our Strategic Plan. The program, which we are calling VT-ENGAGE, is a university-wide initiative that reaffirms our motto, Ut Prosim, by facilitating and leading opportunities for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members to participate in community service, service learning, and volunteerism. During its inaugural year 2007-2008, VT-ENGAGE will honor the victims of the tragedy of April 16 and the commitment to service they demonstrated within their communities worldwide.

A Steering Committee, which includes broad representation of faculty, staff, students, administrators, and community leaders, is working diligently on the planning for VT-ENGAGE. The committee has established a goal of at least 300,000 hours of service/service learning. Each member of the university community will be challenged to commit at least 10 hours during the academic year. We hope that each of you will choose to participate and that you will find creative ways to include the spirit of VT-ENGAGE in your teaching, research, and outreach.

A major event will be held on the Drillfield the evening of October 16 to kick-off VT-ENGAGE. Community organizations are being invited to have displays and to sign-up volunteers. The event will be festive and feature stories of how Virginia Tech students, faculty, staff, students, and alumni make a difference in communities around the world. Much more to come.

We believe VT-ENGAGE will send another positive message that Virginia Tech is a very special community with a spirit that does indeed prevail.

Best wishes for a successful start to the new academic year.

Mark McNamee
University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Mark McNamee

2007-08-17

Brent Jesiek

eng

Mementos at the Intermediate Memorial

Mementos on display at the newly completed center of the intermediate memorial in front of Burruss Hall. At the time of this photo, staff members and volunteers had just finished cleaning up the site, moving some items to storage and leaving others for display. Other parts of the intermediate memorial were still under construction. Photo taken July 6, 2007.

Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.

Brent Jesiek

2007-08-15

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

eng

Burruss and Memorial

View of Burruss Hall from the new walkway of the intermediate memorial. Some of the 33 hokie stones are visible in the foreground. At the time of this photo, staff members and volunteers were cleaning up and reorganizing the site. Other parts of the intermediate memorial were still under construction. Photo taken July 6, 2007.

Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.

Brent Jesiek

2007-08-15

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

eng

Intermediate Daisies

A Virginia Tech faculty member and student volunteer at work in the newly completed center of the intermediate memorial, carefully organizing plastic daisies into the shape of the VT logo. For months, these same VT daisies were a fixture on the drillfield grass. Photo taken July 6, 2007.

Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.

Brent Jesiek

2007-08-14

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

eng

Daniel&#39;s Sign

A weather-worn sign, dedicated to the memory of Daniel Perez, sits on the walkway of the new intermediate memorial. It reads "Good luck Daniel, God is with you." At the time of this photo, staff members and volunteers were cleaning up the site, moving some items to storage and others to the newly completed center of the memorial. Photo taken July 6, 2007.

Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.

Brent Jesiek

2007-08-14

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

eng

Intermediate Memorial In Transition

View of the newly finished center of the intermediate memorial, on the drillfield in front of Burruss Hall. Hokie stones - one for each victim - are arranged in an arc. At the time of this photo, volunteers and staff members were cleaning up the area, moving some mementos to storage and other items to this area. Photo taken July 6, 2007.

Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.

Brent Jesiek

2007-08-13

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

eng

Memorial Mementos

A pile of mementos in front of construction fencing at the intermediate memorial site. At the time of this photo, staff members and volunteers were cleaning up the site, moving some items to storage and others to the newly completed center of the memorial. Photo taken July 6, 2007.

Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.

Brent Jesiek

2007-08-13

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

eng

Transitional Memorial

View of the intermediate memorial in front of Burruss Hall. At the time of this photo, volunteers were cleaning up the site, moving some mementos to storage and others to the newly completed center of the memorial. Other parts of the memorial space were still under construction. Photo taken July 6, 2007.

Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>.

Brent Jesiek

2007-08-12

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

eng