August 1, 2020

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Did You Know?
Welcome to Did You Know – a new section of the Bulletin for quick reminders of existing resources and other tiny updates

Did you know the Graduate School has published its Academic Plan for fall 2020?
Did you know Virginia Tech submitted a detailed fall semester plan to SCHEV?
Did you know Virginia Tech encourages students returning to campus in fall to get a COVID-19 test?
Did you know the Graduate School has fall 2020 guidelines for GAs, GTAs, and GRAs?

Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. Hokie Mentorship Connect: Digital Networking

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

Policy Updates
1. New Version of the Plan of Study Change Form
2. International Student Advisor Assignments
3. Inclusion and Diversity Requirement for Graduate Students: Reminder to Develop Plans 

Administrative Announcements
1. Invitation to Submit Department Recruitment Fair Information
2. Department Consultations Are Available!

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Hokie Mentorship Connect: Digital Networking
The Graduate School invites you to join: Jigsaw Connect! Join us on Thursday, August 20th at 11am ET featuring Joy Capers, Assistant Director, Mentorship Program, Career and Professional Development. Register at https://virginiatech.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMrf-2spzoqHNC5eGwvwzVCFVI9PP9LGQIA and feel free to invite others in your unit who may find this information useful. For more information, please email shernita@vt.edu.

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

Policy Updates

1. New Version of the Plan of Study Change Form
The Graduate School has updated the Plan of Study Change form. Please use this new form for change requests.

https://graduateschool.vt.edu/content/dam/graduateschool_vt_edu/GAAPforms/plan-of-study-change-fillable-072920.pdf

2. International Student Advisor Assignments
Effective August 24, 2020, Cranwell International Center will assign international student services and immigration casework based on a portfolio model. Each International Student Advisor will provide a full range of immigration and support services for both undergraduate and graduate international students within an assigned portfolio of colleges/schools/departments, while also serving as the primary liaison to faculty, staff, and administrators in the assigned colleges/schools/departments.

You can find out who your assigned International Student Advisor is by going to https://international.vt.edu/immigration_services.html and searching for your college/school/department (NOTE: Undergraduate University Studies majors are considered “Interdisciplinary”).

For more details and context, you may also review the related memorandum at https://international.vt.edu/content/dam/international_vt_edu/memos-2020/Portfolio%20Assignments%20Memo.pdf.

3. Inclusion and Diversity Requirement for Graduate Students: Reminder to Develop Plans
The Commission on Graduate Studies and Policy approved a new requirement for students pursuing graduate degrees at Virginia Tech: an inclusion and diversity education component as part of their studies. This requirement aligns with the Graduate School’s goal of providing all students with an affirming, inclusive, and diverse education program that helps prepare them for the challenges they will meet in their post-graduation careers. Each program, department, or college may develop its own plan for meeting the requirement, and all plans must be approved by the Graduate School after submission by the unit’s Graduate Program Director or its equivalent. For more information about the requirement, including whom to contact for assistance and questions, please visit the Graduate School’s Inclusion and Diversity Requirement webpage at: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/faculty-and-staff-resources/inclusion-diversity-requirement.htmlor email  shernita@vt.edu.

Administrative Announcements

1. Invitation to Submit Department Recruitment Fair Information
The Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion (ORD), along with your departments, are preparing for recruitment. We are collecting information about departments upcoming recruitment events on behalf of Virginia Tech. We appreciate your response to our Department Recruitment Fair Submission form at https://bit.ly/VTGradDeptRecruitmentForm. The information collected will be shared through our website, https://graduateschool.vt.edu so that prospective students, faculty, and staff will know where members of the VT community will be traveling to talk more about graduate education. For more information about recruitment, please visit https://graduateschool.vt.edu/recruitment.html.

2. Department Consultations Are Available!
Are you looking to expand your recruitment and retention efforts? Request a consultation with a member of the Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion for a personalized discussion at https://bit.ly/VTGradRecruitConsultation. For more information, please email jgrimes18@vt.edu.