
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 16, 1993                   TAG: 9306160334
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

TECH ATHLETES ALSO EXCEL IN CLASS

REGARDING the May 23 Sports column about Virginia Tech athletics that attempts to perpetuate erroneous attitudes about Tech's athletes ("Frustration for Braine at Tech"):

We trust your newspaper and readers are interested in knowing the up-to-date story.

When considering graduation rates for entering classes at Virginia Tech after 1987, athletes graduate at a higher rate, 70 percent, than the entire student body, 64 percent. This is a higher graduation rate than other state universities for the past six years.

Virginia Tech is committed to attracting young men and women who are competitive on the field and in the classroom. Please give credit where credit is due. We have excellent student athletes in eight different colleges, as well as an outstanding intercollegiate athletic program. We would appreciate more positive reporting on the situation in the future. DANIEL W. BIRD JR. President, Virginia Tech Alumni Association WYTHEVILLE

by CNB