Virginia Tech Board of Visitors Records Records of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors, 1873-1879, 1888-ca. 1990s, 2002, 2009, undated RG.01

Records of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors, 1873-1879, 1888-ca. 1990s, 2002, 2009, undated RG.01


[logo]

Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech

Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
Business Number: 540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu
URL: http://spec.lib.vt.edu

LeeAnn Jones, Student Worker, and LM Rozema, Archivist

Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Identification
RG.01
Title
Records of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors 1873-1879, 1888-ca. 1990s, 2002, 2009, undated
Quantity
8.4 Cubic Feet, 12 boxes
Creator
Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute. Board of Visitors
Creator
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Board of Visitors
Creator
Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Board of Visitors
Creator
Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College. Board of Trustees
Language
The materials in the collection are in English.
Abstract
The Records of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors includes unofficial minutes, correspondence, reports, Executive Committee minutes and reports, material from and about individual members of the Board, and reports to the Board of Visitors.

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives ( specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Existence and Location of Copies

Contact Special Collections and University Archives for a digital copy of the Board of Visitors Official Minutes, 1910, and for the reports from Radford College to the Board of Visitors, 1960-1962.

Copies of official minutes held by Records Management are also available from Special Collections and University Archives.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Records of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors, RG 1, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Records of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors were transferred to Special Collections and University Archives prior to 1980. The Thomas S. Bocock Papers and General G. C. Wharton Paperswere received in 1955. Additional items were transferred in multiple accruals between 2003 and 2019.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Records of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors was completed in 2017. The processing, arrangement, and description of additions was completed in November 2019.


Administrative History

The legislation that created Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) provided for the establishment of a board of visitors as a governing body. Consisting of both appointed and ex-officio members, the board was empowered to select the president and faculty, determine salaries, handle all matters of discipline and student life, and be responsible for all property of the College.

Governor Gilbert C. Walker appointed the first board on March 19, 1872, the day he signed the bill creating the college, and the first meeting was held March 25 and 26 in Richmond. Board appointments are still made by the governor and subject to confirmation by the Virginia Senate. Since its inception, the board has been chaired by a Rector.

Various changes have occurred throughout the years concerning the composition of the board, primarily relating to number and qualifications of appointees and offices to be represented ex-officio. The first board was composed of nine appointed members, with the president of the State Agricultural Society and members of the State Board of Education serving ex-officio. The next year, the makeup was changed so only the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the president of the Agricultural Society served ex-officio. Later, the president of the Agricultural Society was eliminated as an ex-officio member, but the State Superintendent of Public Instruction remained until 1966. The president of the Board of Agriculture and Immigration (now Consumer Services) became an ex-officio member after 1902, now being the only ex-officio member serving with thirteen appointed members. Four non-voting members have been added to represent the faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

Scope and Content

The Records of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors includes unofficial minutes, correspondence, reports, Executive Committee minutes and reports, material from and about individual members of the Board, and reports to the Board of Visitors.

Arrangement

This collection is divided by material type and RG subgroup number. Each subgroup is divided by RG subgroup number and chronologically.

Record Group Subgroups RG 1 - Student and Personnel Records RG 1/1 - Official Minutes RG 1/2 - Unofficial Minutes, Correspondence, and Supporting Materials RG 1/3 - Committees of the Board - Executive Committee RG 1/4 - Individual Members of the Board RG 1/5 - Administration and Governance Structure RG 1/7 - Annual Reports

Related Material

The majority of material from this body, including the official minutes, are housed in the Records Management office. Permission for access should be obtained through the Virginia Tech Office of the President or the Secretary to the Board of Visitors.

Digital copies of some of the official records are available on the Board of Visitors website .

An index to Board of Visitors' official minutes from 1898 through 1959 that are held by Records Management is available in the Special Collections and University Archives reference collection. (This index does not include the 1910 official minutes in this collection.)

See also the Records of Radford College, the Women's Division of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, RG 24 .

Subjects and Indexing Terms


Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Records of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your- work/public-domain/cc0/ ).

Container List

RG 1
RG 1 - Student and Personnel Records
1891-1908, 1910-1917, 1974
RG 1/1
RG 1/1 - Official Minutes
1910, 1979
RG 1/2
RG 1/2 - Unofficial Minutes, Correspondence, and Supporting Materials
1888-1911, 1945, 1970-1978
RG 1/3
RG 1/3 - Committees of the Board - Executive Committee
1877-1879, 1896-1933, 1960-1961, 1968English.
Administrative History

The Executive Committee also served as Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station Board of Control.

Scope and Content

The two volumes of Executive Committee minutes contain mostly handwritten minutes from 1896-1933 and documents pertaining to the Experiment Station. Volume 1 covers 19 February 1896 to 18 January 1907. Volume 1 contains some loose items, including: notes of meeting of April 2, 1906; papers relating to cattle quarantine regulations; a request of J.G. Ferneybough, State Veterinarian, to appear before the Executive Committee, and a typed page of College Estimates for 1906/07.

Volume 2 encompasses 17 April 1907 to 5 October 1933. Volume 2 has some typed items.

RG 1/4
RG 1/4 - Individual Board Members
1873-1877, 1920, 1949-ca. 1990s, 2002, 2009, undated
RG 1/5
RG 1/5 - Administration and Governance Structure
1934, 1967
RG 1/7
RG 1/7 - Annual Reports
1898-1955, 1959-1962, 1974-1975, 1978-1979