Virginia Tech President Tim Sands gave his annual state of the university address on Wednesday, with a speech that acknowledged Tech’s increasing share of Virginia college students.
As the school has become more selective in response to record-high application levels, it looks to focus on being a destination for a broad cross section of students at its multiple campuses, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia that’s slated to open in spring 2025.
Sands first highlighted the university’s affordability plan for undergraduate students, called the Virginia Tech Advantage. Launched in fall 2023, the program seeks to increase financial aid for in-state undergraduate students and provide additional resources to help those students meet their basic needs beyond tuition.
In addition, Tech plans to make it possible for every student to participate in a paid internship or research opportunity without having to extend their time at school. “Both criteria are strongly correlated with success in career achievement and in life after college,” Sands said, noting that students working a part-time job while attending college may not be able to take advantage of internships, research or study-abroad programs.
The second priority is called Virginia Tech Global Distinction, an effort to promote the university’s research efforts.
Sands noted Tech’s inclusion on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, where it ranked in the No. 250-300 group out of more than 1,900 schools, and said the school will strive to be named in the top 100 globally. (It currently sits at 104 on the U.S. list.) A committee led by Provost Cyril Clark will seek to bring more attention to faculty awards and fellowships, doctoral education and post-doctoral training, and investments in research tools and facilities.
The two priorities have a shared principle, Sands said. “Our strength is in our community, and our people — faculty, staff and students — are the university’s most important assets,” he said.
But Virginia Tech isn’t planning to grow its student body of nearly 40,000 students — at least, not yet.
Sands said affordable housing is a major factor “limiting our enrollment,” citing several on-campus residential projects underway but admitting that “inventory both on campus and off-campus will constrain Virginia Tech’s growth in the near term.” Sands said the school will announce in the next few weeks a joint effort with the Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Montgomery County and other communities surrounding the Tech campus.
Those comments seemed to be a response to Blacksburg Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith’s own annual report, released in late January. In that report, which was covered by The Roanoke Times, Hager-Smith said Tech relies on Blacksburg to add housing to the area, instead of taking on the task itself. “If Virginia Tech wants to build success in retention and recruitment, it must build the infrastructure to sustain its own ambitions,” the report said.