The Graduate School requires signatures from students, committee members, department heads and/or graduate program faculty, and graduate program coordinators on forms submitted to us.
Our preference is to have an original signature. However, we understand that there may be times when faculty are not available (out of town, without technological access, sick, etc.) to provide an original signature. In those cases, we can always accept a fax (540/231-2039) or scanned version of the form with the corresponding signature. Signatures can come in on individual form pages, multiple form pages (which we will combine to make one packet of forms) or all on one form. Please follow-up these submissions with the original signature version, if possible.
When a person is completely out of reach or unable to provide a signature through these alternate means, then the faculty member can give permission for another person (the committee chair, the graduate program faculty, the department head, or the graduate program coordinator) to sign on their behalf via email. Please provide a copy of the email with the signed documents submitted to the Graduate School.
The ONLY case where we can NOT accept a substitute signature with permission is on the ETD Approval Form. This form must have the signature(s) from the corresponding committee members to be valid. Again, these signatures can be sent to us on an individual basis, on multiple form pages, or all on one form with a follow-up submission of the original at a later time.
Knowing and understanding the processes and expectations we have for signatures should enable your students and faculty to obtain the necessary signatures quicker and with less stress.
Please share this information with those in your department who serve on committees or who may be asked to sign a form.
Updates on Graduate Education at VT