IN THIS BULLETIN:
Did You Know?
Did you know the Graduate School has published its Academic Plan for fall 2020?
Did you know the Graduate Academy for Teaching Excellence has developed recommendations to support GTAs? You can find them here: http://vtgrate.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Guidelines-for-supporting-Graduate-Teaching-Assistants_Final.pdf
Did you know we have virtual tours on our Visit Us page? Share the link with prospective students. https://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions/visit-us.html
Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. Diversity: Inclusion for the Modern Workplace Student Requirement
Deadlines & Dates to Remember
Policy Updates
1. Admissions Applications Move to Slate
2. New Version of the Plan of Study Change Form
3. International Student Advisor Assignments
4. Inclusion and Diversity Requirement for Graduate Students: Reminder to Develop Plans
Administrative Announcements
1. College of Engineering – 100% of Inclusion and Diversity Requirement Plans Submitted and Approved
2. Graduate Honor System Recruiting Faculty Panelists
3. Controller’s Office Guidance Regarding Teleworking from Outside of Virginia
4. Graduate School Visit Us Page is Live!
5. Immigration Check-In Online for New International Students
Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. Diversity: Inclusion for the Modern Workplace Student Requirement
Diversity and Inclusion in the Modern Workplace module is required for all new graduate and professional students (it replaced DiversityEdu). More info is found at https://students.vt.edu/onlineprograms.html. Students will receive the link directly and should complete the 45-min module by October to avoid a hold on their account. The focus of the course is identifying how to create a more respectful and inclusive workplace. Topics include identity definitions, identity conflicts, being an ally, invisible disabilities, power and inequality, political correctness, language diversity, intersectionality, stereotypes, and more. If you are interested in additional questions or activities to engage students in deeper conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice, please contact Alicia Cohen at acohen@vt.edu.
Deadlines & Dates to Remember
Policy Updates
1. Admissions Applications Move to Slate
The Graduate School has been in the process of building our admission application system in Slate this past calendar year. We are now ready to go live with the new application.
GSAPP, our current system, will no longer accept applications after 12:00pm EST on Monday, August 31st. VT faculty and staff users will continue to have administrative access to the system at least through September 2021. The administrative login to GSAPP link will be: https://secure.graduateschool.vt.edu/gradapp
On September 1, 2020, we will undergo the DNS transfer process to move from GSAPP to Slate. During this time, there will be no application system accepting applications but you will have administrative access to GSAPP at the link above. Once the DNS transfer is completed, the current link to apply – https://applyto.graduateschool.vt.edu – will open the Slate application for applicants. You will be able to login to Slate using your PID and password at https://applyto.graduateschool.vt.edu/manage/.
As a reminder, we have a Slate Users Google Drive folder that contains documentation and instructional videos on how to use the system. We will continue monthly Slate User webinars beginning in September and you will be notified of those sessions in the coming weeks.
Please contact Janice Austin (jema@vt.edu) if you have questions about this process or use of Slate.
2. 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.
3. International Student Advisor Assignments
Cranwell International Center is now assigning 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.
4. 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. College of Engineering- 100% of Inclusion and Diversity Requirement plans submitted and approved
Thank you to the College of Engineering for successfully completing all plans for the inclusion and diversity requirement for graduate students. Thanks for your commitment to providing an inclusive learning experience for our graduate students!
2. Graduate Honor System Recruiting Faculty Panelists
The Graduate Honor System is recruiting faculty to serve as panelists who review the evidence and determine the outcome of GHS cases. To be eligible, you need to be a non-A/P faculty member working with graduate students in any capacity (teaching, research, or extension and service). The overall time commitment is 3-4 hours a semester based on the number of cases and panelist availability. If you are interested in serving as a faculty panelist, please contact the GHS Chair – Anurag Mantha (ghs@vt.edu) to set up a brief meeting to discuss the role. Once the meeting is complete, you will be added to the GHS email list and are free to volunteer to serve on any panel based on your availability.
3. Controller’s Office Guidance Regarding Teleworking from Outside of Virginia
The Controller’s Office issued guidance about restrictions on teleworking from outside of Virginia, including from outside the United States. The guidance addresses the hiring of U.S. citizen and foreign national employees as well as students, and the monetary implications for hiring departments.
4. Graduate School Visit Us Page is Live!
Thank you all for your patience as we worked to capture and organize virtual components to accommodate prospective students. If you visit https://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions/visit-us.html, you will find a virtual tour and other virtual resources to explore the GLC and Blacksburg campus, along with a link for prospective students to meet with the Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion and get individualized info- irrespective of the campus. If you have any questions, please email Shernita Lee at shernita@vt.edu
5. Immigration Check-In Online for New International Students
New international students must check-in with the Cranwell International Center for immigration purposes after they arrive in the US and secure permanent housing in Blacksburg. This process is completed online. There is no need for students to visit the Cranwell International Center in person. Due to the COVID pandemic, Cranwell International Center is not receiving walk-ins in the office except in emergency situations. All immigration advising, casework, and related services are available via various online platforms. Once students complete the online check-in, their immigration information will be reviewed and approved by an International Student Advisor. Students who have secured an on-campus position (assistantship or wage) may then apply for a Social Security number. Additional information about the check-in process is available at https://international.vt.edu/immigration_services/graduate-student-immigration-services/new-student-guide/mandatory-check-in.html. Students may register for classes, get their Hokie Passport, and take care of other items even before they complete the online check-in.