Graduate and Professional Student Senate's Statement on the Search for the 17th President of the University

May 4, 2026

The Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) extends sincere gratitude to President Sands for his dedicated service to Virginia Tech. His consistent engagement with the GPSS and the broader student community reflected a deep understanding of the important role graduate and professional students play in furthering the university’s mission. The Senate is saddened to see President Sands step aside and hopes to see him continue his engagement with the Virginia Tech community.

The GPSS agrees with the Faculty Senate that leadership transitions can bring opportunities for growth and improvement but must be managed carefully to maintain institutional stability and continuity. The GPSS fully endorses the principles and requirements articulated by the Faculty Senate in their statement regarding the presidential search. 

Specifically, the GPSS requests to ensure representation from all university constituencies, including graduate and professional students, on the search committee for the reasons outlined here. The graduate and professional student community at Virginia Tech is diverse, spanning multiple campus locations, with approximately 40 percent  international students and nearly one-third with family responsibilities. Such diversity and their significant role in the university’s mission as students, educators, and researchers underscore the necessity of substantive graduate and professional student input in the presidential search process. 

Additionally, the GPSS requests multiple in-person and virtual opportunities for representatives of the GPSS and the graduate and professional student body to provide feedback to the search committee. The end of the semester marks an incredibly busy period, and the GPSS prefers to have listening sessions over the summer while remaining committed to providing support and engagement at any time.

The GPSS also notes that Virginia Tech is in the midst of a significant leadership transition, with the Provost having recently assumed her role, a new Dean of the College of Engineering, and a new President to be appointed soon. The concurrent transition of several key leaders is particularly consequential. This transition occurs amid a period of uncertainty in higher education, including changes in federal research funding, volatile employment markets, and evolving immigration policies. This situation stresses the need for a thoughtful and deliberate leadership selection process, as well as the importance of appointing a leader with deep academic experience and a strong track record of navigating complex academic challenges to support institutional resilience and sustain the university’s stability and growth.

The GPSS requests that the Board of Visitors conduct a transparent, inclusive search process that allows adequate time for information gathering, identification of the best candidates, and deliberation. The GPSS trusts the Board of Visitors to prioritize the interests of Virginia Tech, its students, faculty, staff, and the Commonwealth.

Sincerely,

Pooja Bhagawat (President, Graduate and Professional Student Senate)

Approved by a vote of the Senators of the Graduate and Professional Student Senate.