Vice President for Student Affairs Landrum Cross retires

Landrum Lee Cross, Virginia Tech’s vice president for Student Affairs for the past 10 years, is retiring this month. On Monday, June 20, the university invites students, faculty, staff, and friends to celebrate Cross’ contributions at a retirement reception from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Owens Banquet Room.

Cross, a Blacksburg resident, was promoted twice since arriving at Virginia Tech in 1983 as the assistant vice president for Student Affairs. His contributions as vice president for Student Affairs have included implementing a comprehensive departmental review process for quality assurance and program assessment; focusing on student advocacy and multicultural issues; establishing an assessment and planning office; fostering an almost five-fold increase of the divisional Parents Fund; encouraging the development, scholarly pursuits, and professional presentations of the division staff; guiding an increase in grant funding to $500,000; representing past university President Paul E. Torgersen on the state Attorney General’s college alcohol use task force; initiating the Residential Leadership Community; expanding the division’s support of graduate assistantships; and initiating a collaborative relationship with Monterrey Tec in Monterrey, Mexico.

Those who have worked with Cross praise his leadership and look back upon their time with him with fond appreciation. Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Edward Spencer said: "Dr. Cross has been a very effective listener, sounding board, and reflective mentor to generations of students and staff. We will miss his insight, guidance, and patience."

Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs Kathy Haden has worked with Cross in various roles since 1986; she said, “Dr. Cross has been a very easy-going, fair, and caring boss to work for. He has been a true friend and mentor to me and has helped me grow professionally…I, along with the rest of the office staff, wish him much happiness.”

Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Brian Warren said, “Dr. Cross has been a strong and influential leader in improving the quality of student life. His support and direction have helped us shape world-class student services and world-class facilities. His wise and quiet approach will be missed by all who have served with him over the years.”

As the chief executive officer for the Student Affairs division, Cross supervised seven departments with more than 600 employees and an annual budget of $54 million. The vice president for Student Affairs serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet, reports to the provost on divisional and student life matters, provides executive support to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors, and represents the university on the Tech-Town Liaison group and on the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia.

When he was appointed assistant vice president for Student Affairs in 1983, Cross’ duties included developing policy; preparing budgets; acting as liaison to the campus; administering the judicial system; coordinating responses to student emergencies; supervising special projects, such as orientation and homecoming; and developing a student legal service as well as reporting and hiring guidelines. Within three years, he was called upon to serve as interim director of Student Health Services and interim director of the Cooperative Education Program at the same time, which he did for one year. In his fourth year at Virginia Tech, he served as interim vice president of Student Affairs. His outstanding performance of his regular duties and those temporarily placed upon him led to his first promotion to associate vice president for Student Affairs. In this new role, his duties expanded to include developing and communicating division goals and policies, coordinating divisional planning, reviewing and developing budget reductions, leading and supervising budget and facility planning, and serving as chief of staff for the vice president for Student Affairs. Cross held this position until 1995, when he was named the vice president for Student Affairs.

Before his appointment as Virginia Tech’s assistant vice president for Student Affairs, Cross served as director of residence life and associate director of residence life at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., from 1982 to 1983 and from 1978 to 1982, respectively. From 1976 to 1977, he was the dean of students at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C.

Cross spent the first years of his career at Virginia Tech, as well. In 1977, he earned a doctorate of education in counseling and student personnel from the university. From 1975 to 1976, he was a doctoral intern in the Office of Institutional Research; from 1973 to 1975, he was coordinator for residence management; and from 1970 to 1973, he was counselor for Student Services and Programs.

Cross’ other degrees are a master's of education in guidance and counseling from North Carolina State University in 1968; a bachelor's of arts in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in Chapel Hill, N.C., in 1961; and an associate of arts in pre-medicine from Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, N.C., in 1959.

Cross and his wife, Diane Bostow, are active members of Christ Episcopal Church. Cross’ children are Lee, Randy, Jennie, and Luke.