UVa-Wise chancellor, student exchange roles for charity event

UVa-Wise student Cragin Harris and Chancellor David J. Prior exchanged roles during the “Chancellor for a Day” charity event on Friday, Feb. 15. For each food item donated, students had the opportunity to put their names in a drawing in hopes of being selected as the College’s chief executive. Harris was the lucky student.

A white slip of paper adorned the windshield of Chancellor David J. Prior’s car when he left work at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise on Feb. 15. It’s not often the head honcho gets a parking ticket on his own campus, but when he became “student Prior” for a day, all bets were off.

The second annual “Chancellor for a Day” event at UVa-Wise saw Prior and student Cragin Harris of Norton trading places for the day as the result of a weeklong food drive and contest sponsored by the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH).

“Chancellor” Harris said it all started with a “what if.” His fraternity brothers wanted to know what would happen “if” Harris became chancellor for a day. So they donated as many cans of food as they could and entered Harris’ name into the contest every time.

What Harris didn’t know about was “all the work” that the UVa-Wise chancellor does on a daily basis.

“My day started at 8 a.m. today. Mr. Prior’s day probably starts at more like 6 a.m. and lasts longer,” Harris said. “I definitely have a better understanding of what his job is about.”

As part of that job, Harris had a full slate of meetings to discuss a number of College issues. Chancellor Emeritus Joseph C. Smiddy stopped by to talk about the College’s relationship with the University of Virginia. Harris met with Campus Police about the parking situation on campus and received updates from vice chancellors and other staff members.

“It was very stressful at first, but everyone was polite and helpful,” Harris said.

While Chancellor Harris was taking phone calls from Senators William Wampler and Phillip Puckett and having lunch with UVa-Wise Board member Marcia Adams Gilliam, student Prior was just “hanging out.”

After “skipping” a Spanish exam to play pool and ping pong, student Prior decided to get down to the business of being a student and headed off to the residence hall to play the “Rock Band” video game with some friends.

Of course, student Prior did attend Harris’ two chemistry classes, as well.

“I was impressed with the classes and the instruction,” Prior said. “They had a small number of students, and the professors did a good job of drawing out the students.”

Even with the title of student for the day, Prior said he fielded quite a few questions about current campus construction projects.

“The students are very expectant about construction,” Prior said. “We need to talk about it as much as we can.”

At the end of the day when Prior assumed the role of chancellor again and Harris returned to his role as a student, each had a better picture of what it takes to survive in the other’s world.

“Chancellor Prior has a stressful job,” Harris said. “He deserves a day off.”

Toni Davis, president of NRHH, said the event was a success.

“We were very excited to send 450 non-perishable food items to the Pound Food Bank,” Davis said. “I know all those involved – from those that donated, the NRHH members, Chancellor Prior and ‘Chancellor’ Harris – had a lot of fun with the program.”

The only branch campus of the University of Virginia, UVa-Wise is ranked among the nation’s top ten public liberal arts colleges by U.S. News and World Report. UVa-Wise offers Virginia's only undergraduate degree in software engineering, among 28 other degrees and professional programs in the liberal arts tradition of Thomas Jefferson.

Posted February 19, 2008