Rodney Irvin named interim director of employee relations

28 Jan 2013

Rodney Irvin has been selected to serve as the interim director of employee relations in the Department of Human Resources’ Office of Equity and Access.

Irvin succeeds Pat Burton who retired earlier this month.

In this role, Irvin is responsible for managing and coordinating all activities related to employee relations, staff grievances, coaching, counseling, and progressive discipline. His work supports the Principles of Community by fostering strong partnerships between management and employees based in mutual respect and understanding.

“Over the past several months, Rodney has taken on increasing responsibilities. His experience here working in tandem with Pat, along with the wealth of expertise he brought to Virginia Tech, has equipped Rodney to step in and provide seamless leadership in employee relations,” said Laura Rugless, executive director of equity and access.

A former officer in the United States Navy, Irvin began his career at Virginia Tech in 2011 as an employee relations consultant. He has held several other related positions with the Florida Department of Health and the Denver Health and Hospital Authority.

Irvin has bachelor’s degrees in communications and English from Florida State University and earned his Professional in Human Resources certification in 2010. This semester, he is also teaching a labor-management and employee relations course in the Department of Management in the Pamplin College of Business.

The Office of Equity and Access, which is part of the Department of Human Resources, houses University ADA Services, Employee Relations, Compliance and Conflict Resolution, and Equity Initiatives. The role of the Office of Equity and Access in Human Resources is to support and advance the university's commitment to diversity and ensure a campus community free from discrimination and harassment.

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.