Martha Glass named interim dean of students

Martha Glass, assistant vice president for administration for Student Affairs at Virginia Tech, has been named interim dean of students. Glass will officially assume her new role on July 1 while continuing in her current position.

Glass’s appointment as interim dean of students follows the announcement that Byron Hughes, current dean of students, has accepted the position as assistant vice chancellor for student life and dean of students at the University of Tennessee.

“Dean Hughes is among the most student-centered professional I know, and I can’t thank him enough for his uncompromising care for students and his uplifting approach toward the mission within Student Affairs,” said Frank Shushok Jr., the outgoing vice president of student affairs. “Every student to Byron is important, and there is no barrier he won’t try to remove for a student’s success. The University of Tennessee is getting a gem of a human being and educator.”

Glass, a member of the Virginia Tech community since 2010, currently oversees several key administrative functions in Student Affairs including communications, human resources, information technology, and assessment and professional development. She also is an affiliate assistant professor of educational leadership and policy studies, higher education, at Virginia Tech.

“Dr. Glass is an exceptional educator with an unwavering commitment to student success,” said Frances Keene, who was recently named interim vice president for Student Affairs. “She is a tireless advocate for students, and she will provide continued strong leadership to the Dean of Students Office, New Student and Family Programs, and Services for Students with Disabilities.”

Highly regarded in the student affairs profession, Glass was named as a Diamond Honoree by the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) in 2022. She is professionally active in ACPA-College Student Educators International and serves as chair of the Directorate Board of the Commission on Assessment and Evaluation. She also has been instrumental in the ACPA Student Affairs Assessment Institute and the ACPA/NASPA Professional Competences Rubric Task Force. She also was the 2020 recipient of the Wise Woman Award from the Coalition for Women’s Identities, presented by ACPA.

As interim dean of students, Glass will continue as Virginia Tech’s foremost student advocate, leading a team of passionate, student-centered educators who support more than 34,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. With a strong focus on facilitating learning and community with and for students, she and the Dean of Students Office team will work closely with Virginia Tech’s seven colleges and administrative offices, embracing a focused pursuit of holistic student support and inclusion. Glass will oversee the New Student and Family Programs Office and Services for Students with Disabilities Office.

“I am honored to serve in this interim role and work alongside amazing leaders across the university to support the success and well-being of each and every student,” said Glass.

Glass will work closely with Hughes to accomplish a smooth transition in leadership before his departure at the end of June. A national search for Virginia Tech’s next dean of students will launch this summer.