John Randolph honored with emeritus status
John Randolph, professor of urban affairs and planning in the School of Public and International Affairs in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of “professor emeritus” by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors and associate professors, administrative officers, librarians, and exceptional staff members who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1979, Randolph has served the university in numerous leadership positions and simultaneously achieved international recognition for his scholarship and educational leadership in environmental planning, energy, and sustainability. He has written numerous books, articles, chapters, and reports that are used extensively in classrooms and policy making centers across the world.
From 2003 to 2008, and again in 2011, Randolph served as the director of the newly established School of Public and International Affairs in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, consisting of programs in public administration and policy, urban affairs and planning, and government and international affairs. As director, he led the school in both the National Capital Region and in Blacksburg, and oversaw the hiring of more than 15 faculty members across the three programs.
Randolph was instrumental in the creation of the doctoral degree in planning, governance, and globalization within School of Public and International Affairs. He was the acting head of the Ph.D. program in environmental design and planning in 1991 and 1992.
In addition, Randolph was chair of the Urban Affairs and Planning Program from 2008 to 2009, and head of the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning from 1995 to 2003, supporting the establishment of Urban Affairs and Planning Program in the National Capital Region. His commitment to and expertise in environmental planning and policy led to the establishment of the urban affairs and planning undergraduate degree in environmental policy and planning.
From 1988 to 1995, Randolph was the director of the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research. Since 2009, he has served as assistant to the provost for academic sustainability programs.
Randolph is regarded as a highly engaged member the university community, the Town of Blacksburg, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and beyond, He has given considerable service, leadership, and research to finding workable solutions, new insights, creative possibilities and progress in sustainable, equitable, and efficient practices and policies for communities.
He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota, and a master’s degree and doctoral degree from Stanford University.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
