Message from Provost Cyril Clarke: Welcome to 2025-26 Academic Year

As the first week of the fall semester comes to a close, I would like to welcome each of you back to campus and thank you for your continued support of our students and your contributions to the advancement of our shared goals and strategic priorities. Your partnership in and commitment to institutional excellence, student achievement, and service to our communities and constituents is critically important to Virginia Tech and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The summer months have not slowed our progress on several university programs, projects, and initiatives and our efforts to support and elevate faculty research and scholarship. Primary amongst these efforts is our commitment to the support and success of Virginia Tech Global Distinction and Virginia Tech Advantage. 

• Goals and Priorities for the Academic Enterprise - Through these cross-cutting goals and priorities, we advance Virginia Tech’s Beyond Boundaries vision, and the strategic themes outlined in The Virginia Tech Difference: Advancing Beyond Boundaries. 
• Destination Areas – Interdisciplinary and highly collaborative projects designed to leverage the university’s expertise and assets to address compelling problems of global impact and importance. 
• Bridge Experiences – Opportunities rooted in experiential learning that enable undergraduate students to integrate academic knowledge in professional context related to their intended career paths. 
• Greater Washington D.C. area – An integral part of Virginia Tech’s innovation network, Academic Building Onein Alexandria has officially opened and will serve as home for the Institute for Advanced Computing. 
• Academic Resource Alignment – Expanded process of academic program review to identify potential reinvestment opportunities as well as to support the university’s strategic plan through cost-effective use of resources. 
• Federal Research Funding – University leadership continues to carefully review government communications and actions and how they impact federally sponsored activities, including research and innovation. 
• New College and Unit Leadership – Join me in welcoming and congratulating CNRE Dean Saskia van de Gevel, Honors College Dean Becky Bott-Knutson, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs Jill Sible, and Corps of Cadets Commandant Major General William H. Seely III. 
• Academic Freedom – Virginia Tech’s commitment to academic freedom includes the freedom of students to select courses of study that engage their interests as well as the freedom of faculty to pursue scholarly lines of inquiry and creative expression. 
• Campus Resources and Faculty Support – Information, guidance, and resources related to immigration, international travel, personal and data security, etc. to assist employees in navigating changes to governmental and regulatory guidelines. 

Whether you are new to Virginia Tech or returning from the summer break, I look forward to working together and wish you all the best for the year ahead. The Provost’s Office, along with university and faculty leadership groups, is here to support and advocate for you in your teaching, research, and service activities. 

Thank you for your continued commitment to the students and success of Virginia Tech. As we progress through the year, I will continue to share information and updates through your deans and department heads as well as the Weekly Communications Update. 

Cyril