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.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [item], [box], [folder], Records of the Office of the President, James D. McComas, RG 2/14, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Records of the Office of the President, James D. McComas were transferred to Special Collections and University Archives in April 2019.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Records of the Office of the President, James D. McComas was completed in August 2021.

Biographical Note

James D. McComas (1928-1994) was the thirteenth President of Virginia Tech, serving from 1988 to 1994. Born on December 23, 1928, in Pritchard, West Virginia, he earned his bachelor's degree from West Virginia University in 1951 and his master's and doctorate degrees from Ohio State University in 1960 and 1962, respectively. From 1966 to 1967, he served as the head of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education at New Mexico State University. He was dean of the College of Education both at Kansas State University from 1967 to 1969 and at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville from 1969 through 1976. McComas served as president of Mississippi State University (1976-1985) and of the University of Toledo (1985-1988) prior to joining Virginia Tech. He resigned on account of his health, effective January 1994, and died on February 10, 1994.

Mississippi State named their new creative arts building after McComas in 1991. Virginia Tech presented him the Ruffner Medal posthumously on Founders Day 1994. The university named McComas Hall in his memory in 1998.

Source: "Presidents", Virginia Tech History website, https://history.unirel.vt.edu/administration/presidents.html

Scope and Content

This collection contains public letters and memoranda from Virginia Tech President, James D. McComas, from 1989 to 1991 to the university community as well as records regarding McComas's 1988 inauguration. Correspondence pertains to different university committees, including the University Name Committee, and the university budget. Inauguration records include programs and invitations, notes and guests lists, reports and meeting minutes, schedules and seating arrangements for the ceremony, budgets and financial documents, and memoranda and letters from the Inaugural Steering Committee, Inauguration Special Events Committee, Adjunct Activities Committee, the Publicity and Public Relations subcommittee, Program Committee, and others. There are also example inauguration programs from other universities.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged chronologically.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Faculty and staff
• Record Group 2
• University Archives
• University History

Rights Statement for Archival Description

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