Who Are We?

The Black Faculty & Staff Caucus serves as a vital resource for the Black community, advocating for our students, faculty, and staff. We focus on recruitment and retention, professional development, and enhancing our experiences at the university. Our initiatives bridge the gap between the university and the Black community, improving the quality of our work environment.

---

Mission Statement:

The purpose of the Black Faculty/Staff caucus shall be to promote the well being of Black faculty, staff and students at Virginia Tech; to assertively push for the recruitment of Black faculty, staff and students; to assist in the recruitment and retention of Black undergraduate and graduate students at Virginia Tech; to encourage equitable utilization of Black faculty, staff and students throughout the university community; to be a liaison between the Black faculty, staff and students and the university administration; and to organize and maintain a support network for Black faculty, staff and students at Virginia Tech.

---

Work Groups:

Here are our work groups:
(1) Teaching and Research Faculty
(2) Administrative and Professional Faculty and Staff
(3) Student Engagement
(4) Community Outreach

---

Membership:

Membership of the Black Caucus is open to all VT faculty and staff who support our goals. Honorary membership is available to graduate students and to community members beyond VT.  We receive no operating funds from the university. 

---

History:

The Black Caucus of Virginia Tech was formally established in 1981 to provide support to Black faculty and staff members, students, and the university community.  Our first president was Dr. Overton Johnson. Despite racism and institutional setbacks, the Caucus persisted in its mission. We are grateful for our members’ courage, strength, and perseverance.

The Black Caucus does not fall under any university department, unit, or division. Officers for the organization are elected by the membership and form the Executive Committee consisting of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Past-President. 

Since its founding, the Caucus has been an integral part of the Virginia Tech and NRV communities, serving as an instrument for engagement and partnership. Members have served as sources of expertise across a variety of subject matters on campus and have been a resource in the NRV.  For more than 40 years, our leadership has directly improved the quality of life for our faculty, staff, and students. Much of the effort to improve the racial climate and fight against systemic barriers to full participation has fallen to the Caucus. We proudly serve our community and contribute substantially to the university’s mission. 

Black Caucus, 1988
Standing left to right: Muriel Flynn, Jennifer Lottier, Barbara Board,
Della Marshall, James Riddle
Seated left to right: Calvin Jamison, Charlie Yates, Kim Streeter