Controversial lawyer John Rocovich reappointed to Virginia Tech board
The Roanoke Times
July 4, 2010
A Roanoke lawyer and former controversial Virginia Tech Board of Visitors rector has been reappointed to the university's governing board.
Gov. Bob McDonnell's office announced Thursday that John Rocovich will return to the board, which sets official policies, exercises final approval of employment decisions, oversees the university's $1 billion budget and appoints the university president.
In June, McDonnell appointed Rocovich to serve on the Virginia Commission on Higher Education Board Appointments, which recommends people to serve on the boards of Virginia's universities. It is not yet clear whether Rocovich can hold positions on both boards.
Rocovich served from 1997 to 2005 and was rector from 2002 to 2004. In 2003, he led an ultimately unsuccessful campaign to reverse affirmative action programs at Tech under advice from then-state Attorney General Jerry Kilgore.
Under Rocovich's tenure, the board also denied a so-called spousal hire for English professor Shelli Fowler, the lesbian partner of Vice President and Dean for Graduate Education Karen DePauw, whom university officials had recruited for that job. Fowler was eventually hired as a tenured professor.
Rocovich said Thursday he had not been officially informed of his appointment to the board, but that he was excited to return to his alma mater.
"Look, it's my favorite institution," he said. "I enjoyed serving Virginia Tech, and I look forward to being a board member again."
Other appointees to Tech's board are:
Holtzman Oil Corp. President William Holtzman, for whom the university's Holtzman Alumni Center is named.
Suzanne Obenshain, a Tech alumna and wife of state Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg.
Alpha Natural Resources Chairman and CEO Michael Quillen.
