ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, May 5, 1996 TAG: 9605060066
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
Radford University not only graduated a record 1,684 students Saturday but also bade farewell to 51 of its some 600 faculty members.
Some of the departing faculty had reached retirement age, and others took advantage of a state buyout aimed at reducing the number of state employees. Some of those who left will have to be replaced, but Radford will have a smaller faculty next year.
"Many of us who are completing our academic careers at Radford this year have witnessed the transformation of our university as it moved from being the Women's Division of Virginia Tech, to the all-female school called Radford College, through the transition to a coeducational institution, and finally to become Radford University," said Charles D. Taylor, a professor of philosophy and religious studies who is retiring after a 41-year career in education, including 28 years at Radford.
"I am still surprised by the radical changes which have occurred, most of them extremely good," he said.
Vice President for Academic Affairs Charles Owens, who introduced Taylor as the commencement speaker, said the retirees have served Radford for a total of 1,193 years, an average of almost 28 years.
"In a real sense, they are reaching a milestone in their careers not unlike that being experienced today by our graduating seniors and graduate degree recipients," Owens said. "Although they have participated in many commencement exercises over the years, this one will be special because it will be their last."
He said Taylor, in addition to his work in education, has held interim ministries over the past 25 years at 13 churches in Radford, Dublin, Pulaski, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Wytheville, Galax, Bland and Princeton, W.Va. It is tempting, Owens said, to think that people who do not know Taylor have not been to church lately.
Taylor urged the graduates to be courageous "in doing what must be done to reach out to fulfill our missions, our hopes and our visions. ... But courage alone is not enough."
He said it also is necessary for them to retain their humanity by not allowing themselves to be controlled or manipulating others by deceit or force.
"One of the prime evils which permeates our society is that it is perfectly OK to manipulate others in order to gain our ends," he said. "If society is to function at all, it requires that there be basic trust, and manipulatory attitudes ultimately destroy trust."
He also left the graduates with a sentence he has kept on his office door for the past several years: "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."
"Well, guys, we made it," declared Jennifer Donikowski of Salem, senior class president.
Donikowski said the graduates, diverse in background, age and interests, had one thing in common: their choice of Radford to pursue higher education.
"If I had the chance to do it all over, I would still attend Radford, and I would recommend this university to whomever would like a quality education and a fun time," she said. She recalled her father's advice to her when she entered the university: "These will be the best years of your life. So work hard but have fun doing it."
An estimated 15,000 people attended the graduation.
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