Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. HOLISTIC ADMISSIONS WORKSHOP
2. ANNUAL ORDI RECRUITMENT AND DIVERSITY SUMMIT
3. CREATING AFFIRMING AND INCLUSIVE GRADUATE EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT
Administrative Announcements:
4. BANNER 9 – UPCOMING TRANSITION AND DEMONSTRATION SESSIONS
6. NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
6. NEW PROCEDURES FOR NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IMMIGRATION CHECK-IN
7. HEALTH AND SAFETY WORKSHOPS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
8. DIVERSITYEDU ONLINE COURSE NOTIFICATION
9. TOURS AVAILABLE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS VISITING BLACKSBURG CAMPUS
10. RAISING AWARENESS OF THE OMBUDSPERSON
11. VIRGINIA TECH GRADUATE STUDENT ASSEMBLY DEPARTMENTAL PRESENTATIONS
12. FALL ASSISTANTSHIP APPOINTMENT PROCESSING TO BE COMPLETED ASAP
Deadlines/Dates to Remember:
AUG 4: Web Drop/Add for Fall 2018 opens
AUG 10: Tuition payments due – Departments should enter tuition awards no later than this date.
AUG 14: GTA Training Workshop
AUG 17: New graduate student orientation at GLC
Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. HOLISTIC ADMISSIONS WORKSHOP
Thursday, Aug 16, 1:30-3:15pm, Inn at Virginia Tech (room TBD)
This workshop will provide an overview of the Graduate School’s recommended holistic admissions process, explore recent application and admission data, and identify areas academic units can consider for focused recruitment. Presented by Dr. Janice Austin and Kacy Lawrence. 1:30-3:15pm on Thursday, August 16th, Inn at Virginia Tech (room TBD)
2. ANNUAL ORDI RECRUITMENT AND DIVERSITY SUMMIT
Thursday, Aug 16, 3:30-5:00pm, Inn at Virginia Tech, Room TBD. Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators are invited to attend the annual Graduate School ORDI Recruitment and Diversity Summit (in conjunction with the university-wide Diversity Summit taking place at the Inn on 8/15 and 8/16). We will review recruitment and retention trends, discuss 2018-2019 recruitment efforts, and provide updates about diversity and inclusion initiatives coming up in the year ahead.
3. CREATING AFFIRMING AND INCLUSIVE GRADUATE EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT
Friday, Aug 24, 8:30am, Torgersen Hall 1100
Led by Dean DePauw, this half-day session offers strategies and practices for faculty to create inclusive, affirming and globally diverse learning environments for graduate students. These strategies and practices range from the classroom to program considerations and include those for mentoring and individual interactions. This general overview will include identification of and response to implicit bias and micro-aggressions as well as the development of inclusive pedagogy.
Administrative Announcements:
4. BANNER 9 – UPCOMING TRANSITION AND DEMONSTRATION SESSIONS
Beginning August 6, 2018, the URL for Banner “login.banner.vt.edu” will direct to Banner 9 as our current version, Banner 8, is phased out. All departments are now encouraged to begin working in Banner 9 (https://apps.es.vt.edu/applicationNavigator/seamless). As you begin using Banner 9, if you run into issues with any Banner student screen (those that start with “S”), please contact Janice for assistance: jema@vt.edu, 540-231-8316. Janice will provide a Banner 9 demonstration session on common Banner student screens used for graduate education; registration is not required.
* In-person Banner 9 demonstration session: Monday, August 6th at 3:00pm in 238 GLC
* Zoom Banner 9 demonstration session: Tuesday, August 7th at 11:00am via Zoom https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/131128162
5. NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
The Graduate School offers an online student guide for new students (see https://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions/getting-started-as-a-student.html), as well as a variety of events and activities to welcome students and aid their transition to graduate school. The list of programs and events is available at: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/student-life/events.html. Welcome week from August 13-17 provides a daily information fair in the GLC lobby and ends with new student orientation on Friday, August 17 9:00-11:00am. Please encourage your students to stop by and gather information about campus and area resources and participate in informational and social events. An email was sent to new students on July 14 about the student guide and orientation.
6. NEW PROCEDURES FOR NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IMMIGRATION CHECK-IN
New international students no longer have to check in with our immigration advisors in person. Instead they are required to check in online with our International Graduate Student Services (IGSS) for immigration purposes after they arrive in the U.S. and secure permanent housing in Blacksburg. Read about the process at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/student-life/immigration-services/new-student-guide/mandatory-check-in.html. Students will be able to meet our immigration advisors in person during a social event on Friday, August 17, 2:00-3:00pm in the GLC Multipurpose Room. Students may register for classes, get their Hokie Passport, and take care of other items on the new student checklist (https://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions/getting-started-as-a-student/new-student-checklist.html) before they complete the online check-in.
7. HEALTH AND SAFETY WORKSHOPS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
Environmental Health and Safety is hosting two trainings for graduate students that relate to lab safety and safety obligations under university policy. Specifically, if you have students that will be in labs with chemical, biological or physical hazards, as well as animal use labs, this training should be very beneficial. Your help in spreading the word about these trainings is appreciated. They will offer more workshops in the GLC if these two sessions fill up. Students can sign-up for the “How to Use the EHS Safety Management System” at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3aZZK5McUsc7X37 and the “Safety and Health Compliance Obligations Under University Policy” at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3DaohfeOF6nrcPj
8. DIVERSITYEDU ONLINE COURSE NOTIFICATION
The DiversityEdu online course notification will be sent to new undergraduate and graduate students on Friday, Aug 3. Please communicate the timeline below to appropriate college/departmental contacts who can monitor student progress and communicate with students about this expectation:
* August 3 – email announcement sent for all online pre-enrollment courses. Students will be directed to Canvas to find the DiversityEdu course.
* August 20 – announced deadline for completing the course.
* September 3 – backup deadline for those who have not yet completed.
* September 28 – holds placed on student accounts for those students who have not completed. The Registrar will place these holds.
Advising, college, and/or departmental contacts will be added to the DiversityEdu pages this year so that a designee will be able to monitor students’ progress. Please send those persons’ names and PIDs, along with the student department and/or majors they oversee to mhs@vt.edu. This information will be input into Canvas to that they can directly check student completions.
9. TOURS AVAILABLE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS VISITING BLACKSBURG CAMPUS
Provided by the Graduate School’s Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion. At least 1-week advance notice is required. Generally, tours are available Monday-Friday, 10am-3pm starting time and are approximately 45-60 minutes. Tours are not offered during evenings, weekends, or during times when the university officially closes for holidays and other observances. Requests for tours on days/times outside of the usual offering will be considered on a case by case basis. Guests are welcome but space is usually limited to two guests per prospective student. When requesting tours, please include information regarding disabilities/accessibility and we will do all possible to provide an accessible tour experience. We will confirm scheduled tour with the email provided on the request for tour link below. Request a tour at: https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5tlAZpr9jVMzucJ.
10. RAISING AWARENESS OF THE OMBUDSPERSON
Connecting face-to-face with students and the faculty they work with is one of the best ways for individuals to learn about the services the Ombuds office can provide. One way to do this is to allow 10 minutes for a short presentation during your orientation programs for first year students. These conversations will cover an intro to the role, the types of support available, and certain initiatives that the office is working on. Longer sessions built around specific skill-building topics in first year seminar courses can also be done. Speaking during a faculty meeting would be another way to increase awareness of the role with those that work directly with students on a daily basis. If you would like to schedule a session or discuss other opportunities to connect with your students and faculty, please contact Bryan Hanson at bryanh76@vt.edu.
11. VIRGINIA TECH GRADUATE STUDENT ASSEMBLY DEPARTMENTAL PRESENTATIONS
The Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) at Virginia Tech is getting ready for another academic year. They would like to send a representative to speak to new and returning graduate students during departmental orientation (Aug 13 – 17) to tell them about monthly meetings, small grants, events, and advocacy work. Presentations can be anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes long. Email gsa@vt.edu or contact President Samantha Fried directly at sjfried@vt.edu to schedule a representative.
12. FALL ASSISTANTSHIP APPOINTMENT PROCESSING TO BE COMPLETED ASAP
Please enter your 2018-19 assistantship and fellowship PAFs as soon as possible. The early entry of appointments and corresponding tuition awards will ensure that the student can:
* Sign up for payroll deduction prior to the August 10th payment due date;
* Have the out-of-state differential waiver applied to the bill prior to the August 10th payment due date;
* Open subsidy link for those who purchase the student medical insurance