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Virginia Tech governing board member John Rocovich has after Gov. Abigail Spanberger removed him last week after 16 years.
Rocovich stated in a four-page letter addressed to the Secretary of the Commonwealth that he will not resign before his term ends on June 30, 2027. There was no sign of him at the board鈥檚 committee meetings on Monday in Blacksburg.
Spanberger鈥檚 decision is the latest effort by her administration to shake up governing boards at Virginia鈥檚 colleges and universities, amid concerns within the higher education community about the politicization of public university governing bodies. She recently appointed four new members to Tech鈥檚 governing board.
Spanberger removed Rocovich, citing 鈥渕isconduct鈥� in a letter sent last Wednesday, but the letter did not specify the details of Rocovich鈥檚 alleged violations, only stating that the findings provided 鈥渟ufficient cause鈥� for his removal. Rocovich pushed back on that claim.
鈥淚 was appointed to serve a term, I have served that term faithfully, and I intend to fulfill my obligations to the students, faculty, and people of Virginia who depend upon the proper governance of this great university,鈥� Rocovich wrote. 鈥淕overnor Spanberger鈥檚 letter failed to state my specific cause, as the law requires. I am confident she will find no such grounds.鈥�
Board member Will Holtzman, who was appointed by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin and will complete his term next year, said he was 鈥渄isappointed鈥� with the governor鈥檚 decision.
鈥淚 think all of us were disappointed because I think it鈥檚 a unanimous feeling of our group that he has done a phenomenal job, and I didn鈥檛 understand at all why she removed him, and I don鈥檛 think there was any cause for it,鈥� Holzman said.
Lawmakers have also urged the governor to explicitly state her reasons for the termination.
Senate Republican Caucus Chair Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, said Rocovich deserves 鈥渇airness,鈥� and emphasized that transparency is 鈥渘ot optional鈥� concerning the governor鈥檚 decision to boot Rocovich from the board.
鈥淲hat makes this decision especially disappointing is that Governor Spanberger campaigned on a promise to depoliticize higher education governance and to reduce executive involvement in the affairs of Virginia鈥檚 universities,鈥� Obenshain said in a statement on Friday. 鈥淩emoving the sitting rector of Virginia Tech without publicly stating a lawful basis appears inconsistent with those commitments.鈥�
Edward Baine, executive vice president of utility operations and president of Dominion Energy Virginia, who was appointed to replace Rocovich, attended the first committee meeting on Monday.
He did not comment on his appointment on Monday morning, but asked Provost Julie Ross about the university鈥檚 efforts to address enrollment, which the board expressed interest in growing.
Rocovich鈥檚 dismissal followed the board鈥檚 vote to grant an exception allowing him to serve a third one-year term as rector during the search for Virginia Tech鈥檚 next president, following Tim Sands鈥檚 departure in April, Cardinal News reported last month.
The board minutes noted that Rocovich was elected rector because no other nominees were available and he was willing to serve.
A native of Roanoke and a Virginia Tech graduate, Rocovich founded a law firm and specializes in taxation as well as trusts and estates law. He served on the board of visitors from 1997 to 2005, was appointed for a term from 2010 to 2014, and was rector from 2002 to 2004.
According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Rocovich has donated to several Republican campaigns and candidates, including formerRepublican gubernatorial nominee and Spanberger rival Winsome Earle-Sears.
In his letter, Rocovich criticized the termination and the governor, expressing his 鈥渄isappointment鈥� with her use of a 鈥渟ubordinate鈥� to deliver the message, which he said was the opposite of the respect he showed Spanberger by calling her directly to discuss the board.
鈥淰irginia Tech deserves better than to be made a political football,鈥� Rocovich wrote. 鈥淚 have given too much of my life to this institution to stand by silently while its independence is threatened鈥攔egardless of which party holds the governor鈥檚 office.鈥�
The governor and attorney general鈥檚 offices did not immediately respond for comment on whether they will enforce the termination.
The board鈥檚 committee meetings continued on Monday. The board will have a full meeting on Tuesday. The body will vote on a new rector and vice rector to replace Rocovich and Sandy Davis, who died on March 17.
