By President Charles W. Steger
Institutions such as universities are not readily changed. To embark on a process of transformation requires considerable persistence and determination. But most importantly, the vision for the future must be clearly articulated.
The expression of the vision takes many forms because the university has many constituencies, each frequently requiring a different form of communication or “language” if the message is to be delivered effectively. The vision is not changed as plans are updated, though strategies and tactics may well be modified. The vision that was articulated in 2000 and captured in the Strategic Plan now being updated will require a transformation of the university, one that will evolve but also alter the institution in fundamental ways.
There is a history of such transformational experience at Virginia Tech. After its founding in 1872, progress was uneven and not always in the most positive direction. Perhaps the first critical transformation occurred during the presidency of John McBryde, 1891-1907. He set upon establishing a statewide presence and reputation for the then-college that included the creation of both the substance and symbols of a proper institution of higher education.
Julian Burruss, president 1919-1945, expanded what Dr. McBryde had set in motion. The collegiate Gothic style of architecture was fully embraced, curricula were expanded, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute, as we were popularly and finally officially called then, went on to establish significant technical expertise in agriculture and engineering. Through the work of many to follow, considerable progress was made along this path.
A second stage of transformation occurred during the presidency of T. Marshall Hahn, 1962- 1974. Dr. Hahn guided a dramatic change in both scope and scale that set the institute on a new path. During this period, enrollment tripled, the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Architecture and Urban Studies were created, and Virginia Tech moved from being a polytechnic institute to a university.
The changes under way today are very different in character but no less profound. These changes are brought about by the dynamic environment in which today’s universities must operate and by opportunities to enhance the contribution to the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as society at large, that may be available to Virginia Tech.
Intellectual capital has been given wings by the advent of the Internet. Individuals, industries, and governments can access information and expertise from virtually any point on the globe. As a result, a new competitive quality standard has emerged. The successful organization will be defined by its capacity to deliver world-class quality in its core strategic functions. A presumption in our plan is that quality will ultimately be the sustaining measure of success.
Investments required to deploy competitive programs have grown exponentially because of 1) the necessity of interdisciplinary research, 2) the need for increasingly sophisticated instrumentation, and 3) the demand for high-performance computing.
It is not uncommon for the start-up equipment package for a new faculty member in a science field to range from $500,000 to $1million. The investments necessary to recruit interdisciplinary research teams, which are the current trend, can be many times these amounts. Any university that cannot assemble the critical mass of financial resources and necessary intellectual capital cannot ultimately compete on the national and international scene. This is one of the reasons why Virginia Tech must increase its resources substantially in terms of both intellectual capital and financial strength.
A structural revolution is under way in higher education. It has characteristics similar to the changes that have been occurring in business for the past decade. Just as banks and airlines have consolidated to seek economies of scale and gain market share, universities are in the early stages of a somewhat similar process. Within the hierarchy of higher education, the strong institutions are growing stronger at an accelerating rate. To illustrate, the top 40 universities in the National Science Foundation (NSF) rankings now account for 50 percent of all university-based research expenditures.
Further, there is an emerging pattern of global strategic partnerships. For example, Stanford and Cambridge universities are expanding their shared program offerings. Tokyo University may soon be a partner. Virginia Tech is in the process of establishing such a relationship with the Technische Universität Darmstadt whereby the names of both universities might appear on the diploma.
Ultimately, a small set of global strategic partnerships in areas such as bioinformatics and nanotechnology will be the dominant players and recipients of significant funding. These resources will be accompanied by the flow of the best faculty and graduate students, combining to make these entities key centers of innovation and research.
Virginia Tech has responded to these trends by choosing key areas in science and technology for strategic investments. However, this focus must be balanced with our broader mission of producing graduates who are holistically educated and who can assume leadership roles in a democratic society.
From these dual commitments comes our intent to remain a comprehensive university. Comprehensiveness and diversity of offerings have a very practical application. The path of research is not easily predicted. As new areas emerge that draw upon a wide variety of disciplines, the ability to adapt is reduced if comprehensive offerings are not present. The ecological principle of “stability through diversity” aptly applies here.
Virginia Tech in the next decade will:
Scholarship Domains
Foundation Strategies