What is the Board of Visitors?

The Board of Visitors is the governing authority for Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Board is composed of fourteen members, thirteen of whom are appointed by the Governor. The fourteenth member is the President of the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services, who serves ex officio. The term of office is four years. In addition to statutes in the Code of Virginia, the Board is governed by its own Bylaws.

When does the Board of Visitors meet?

The board meets four times each year. The dates for 2008-2009 are as follows:

August 24-25, 2008
November 2-3, 2008

March 22-23 , 2009
May 31-June 1, 2009

Can I attend a Board of Visitors' Meeting?

Yes. All formal and informal meetings of the board are open to the public; however, certain business matters are discussed in closed session--though they are then brought forward for approval during the open session.

Is the graduate representative position elected?

No. Any full-time graduate student who is in good academic standing can apply for the position. Applications will be made available in November 2007. Once applications are reviewed, qualified candidates will participate in several interviews, including one with the board. The board is responsible for the selecting the final candidate.

How do I communicate with the graduate representative?

The graduate representative, Linsey Barker, is available through email (lmbarker@vt.edu), by phone (540) 231-1726, and during office hours in the GLC at designated times, which will be posted on this site at the beginning of the fall 2008 semester.