6 The Hampton Roads Messenger


Volume 11 Number 3


HU President's press conference draws hundreds


December 2016 Your Opinion Matters


How the Old Dominion spurs new technology


Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™, the U.S. trade association representing more than 2,200 consumer technology companies, and author of the New York Times best-selling books, "Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses" and "The Comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream."


BY GARY SHAPIRO


American history, Virginia has a remarkable ability to embrace the future.


to the world’s first secretary of technology, one of the few national drone-testing sites and a host of data centers that carry more than half of all U.S. internet traffic.


efficient path toward future economic growth and job creation is a robust and diverse technology and innovation sector.


Dr. William R. Harvey speaks passionately about the historical significance of the land that belongs to Hampton University. Photo: Andrew Morrison


Hampton, Va. – Hampton University President Dr. William R. Harvey delivered a powerful warning to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT): "Not One More Inch of Land," and "Not One Grain of Sand" will be taken from our "Majestic Home by the Sea." Dr. Harvey, who has led the


prestigious university for 39 successful years, was interrupted several


audience of students, faculty, staff and concerned members of the community


photojournalists from a wide array of media outlets memorialized every word.


my responsibility to protect all that is Hampton University. We want all of you here, our stakeholders and the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia


commitment to this issue,” said Dr. Harvey.


place Friday, Nov. 18, on the historic grounds of


Oak, the site of the first Southern reading of the Emancipation Proclamation after Lincoln signed it in 1863. VDOT plans included the acquisition of Hampton University’s Emancipation Oak and Strawberry banks.


“I don’t know if you know this, but Strawberry Banks was a home to Native Americans for over 1,200 years,” Dr. Harvey said Friday.


put


every inch of Hampton University, from the area that encompasses the Emancipation Oak, Strawberry Banks, to every grain of sand found along the shoreline that hugs the campus on three sides, is sacred land and essential to its historic legacy and mission.”


Dr. Harvey added, “This is not


As Dr. Harvey so passionately it,


“Please understand that


The press conference The


to understand our took Emancipation “As President of Hampton, it is while reporters and times by an applauding


the first time our land has been the target of imminent domain.”


According to Dr. Harvey, on two previous occasions, campus property was taken


imminent domain rule and the land ended up not being used for the purposes stated.


In 1941, more than 10 acres of HU’s land was seized by VDOT.


Today, that land is being used by a golf course.


Nearly 20 years later, VDOT secured more than 9 acres of campus property and later sold it to a private owner.


Joseph T. Waldo. Waldo’s firm, Waldo & Lyle, was retained two weeks ago to protect campus property from current and potential future projects. When word of the university's mounting


against VDOT surfaced, Virginia's Secretary of Transportation, Aubrey Layne swiftly reached out to offer assurances and asked to do so in person at the conference.


administration is, certainly, about advancing transportation, but not when the benefits outweigh the costs and this is a significant cost that would have been paid by this community,” said Layne.


Layne solidified his statement with a written


Hampton University will remain vigilant.


the greatest caution and restraint lest it pave over and destroy irredeemable history." Dr. Harvey stated when he galvanized the press and a multitude of people in just a few days. "Turning points in our nation's history unfolded on the grounds of our campus. As a custodian of that history, I have an obligation to protect it.


EFFORTS TO INTENTIONALLY SABOTAGE THE PRINTING, DISTRIBUTION OR REPUTATION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS A VIOLATION OF THE US CONSTITUTION’S PROTECTION OF FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF ANTITRUST LAWS. IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE PARTICIPATING IN SUCH ACTIONS, PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE US JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.


"VDOT must proceed resolution, but with “The McAuliffe offensive Eminent domain attorney using the


Virginia’s tech sector is flourishing. For the past two years, Virginia


has earned the


Champion” — the highest-ranking category — from the Consumer Technology


Innovation Scorecard, recognizing how well the state


Association’s annual


quality jobs, fosters startups and encourages innovation of every kind.


lawmakers and our next president will craft, advance and enact a for- ward-looking tech policy agenda, here are three tenets Virginia follows to help enable the


innovation has to offer: Provide: Virginia’s success


shows that


encourage and develop a tech- and innovation-based economy is to provide the right environment. This means eliminating unnecessary and duplicative barriers, enacting sound fiscal policies and incentivizing startups to realize their dreams right here in our state. Virginia boasts an AAA bond rating and a low corporate tax rate of six percent. This allows businesses to thrive.


vation-friendly leadership of Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Virginia fully legalized ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft across the state. As with any disruptive innovation that upsets the status quo, this was a contentious issue that required a hard-won compromise among legislators, regulators and industry officials.


policymakers reached a consensus that arbitrarily restricting a popular new technology simply because it is unfamiliar would hurt residents and


economy. And on Oct. 6, McAuliffe announced


the growth


ridesharing service Uber to offer discounted rides around Virginia’s wineries to celebrate Virginia Wine Month.


innovation, while specific to ridesharing, also set a precedent. Legalizing


disruptive innovators that they have ridesharing showed Virginia’s support of tech a partnership with In the end, Virginia’s of the state’s In 2015, thanks to the inno- the best way to In the hope that federal best title “Innovation And The most effective and After all, Virginia is home For a state so steeped in


a home in the state. And now some legislators are working to create a statewide framework for short-term rental services such as Airbnb, FlipKey, HomeAway and VRBO, despite pressure from incumbent interests – more evidence for the tech sector that Virginia listens to its tech-savvy constituents and is a friend of innovation.


track record of fostering startups by ensuring the infrastructure


in place. This summer, innovative startup Phone2Action moved its headquarters across the Potomac River, from Washington, D.C., to Arlington, Va. — and brought with it 142 quality jobs.


creates Virginia


have an advantage in Virginia because of the state’s high-tech workforce, quality-of-life benefits and strong IT


fastest and most reliable internet networks in the country, with an average connection speed of 14,101 kbps.


groundwork for the future of automotive transportation – recent grant money will upgrade


world is headed toward mass adoption of self-driving vehicles, and Virginia is on track to lead the way.


remarkable economic potential and life-changing benefits for all of us, our new digital age also carries new challenges — and opportunities.


Attorney General Mark Herring announced the creation of a “Patent Trolls Unit” — a program to target what amounts to the legalized extortion of American businesses.


practicing These money from our entities”


trolls — “non- that


innovators by claiming


theft — produce nothing of value and choke innovation. Patent trolls cost the U.S. economy $1.5 billion every week, and more than 80 percent of their victims are small- and medium-sized businesses.


Judiciary Bob Goodlatte,


On a federal level, Committee


County, is working to pass legislation to help end the practice of patent trolling once and for all.


in election years, as it is viewed as a battleground


breeding ground for “can-do” government officials, including eight


paying attention today can’t help but see the state’s bipartisan and enthusiastic approach to becoming the innovation capital of the world.


U.S. presidents. Those


Virginia always gets attention state and


Chairman R-Roanoke


House


country’s true patent


extort Earlier this year, Virginia Protect: Along with self-driving vehicles. The And Virginia is laying the


state’s portion of I-95 to one day carry


the maintains one of the infrastructure. Startups like Phone2Action


Promote: Virginia has a strong is


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