IN THIS BULLETIN:
Did You Know?
Did you know that Virginia Tech now has a COVID-19 information hotline that is staffed seven days a week? The number is 540-231-7600.
Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. Spring 2021 Commencement Updates
2. Graduate Program Directors Meeting
2. Uncovering Your Values Seminar
3. Jigsaw Connect: Financial Wellness for Graduate Students, Faculty, and Staff
Deadlines & Dates to Remember
Policy Update
Administrative Announcements
1. 2020-21 Grad School Handbook and Planners Available for Prospective Students
2. Updates from the Board of Visitors Meeting
3. Recent Updates to Funding Guide Websites
Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. Spring 2021 Commencement Updates
Virginia Tech will hold its official university commencement on May 14th in a virtual format. This commencement will include student speakers, visuals and other activities including the official conferring of the degrees (undergraduate, graduate, certificates). The university portion will be followed by each college and the Graduate School virtual commencement where the name of every student (undergraduate for the College, graduate student for the Graduate School) officially graduating will be read and the name displayed virtually.
Prior to the virtual University commencement, each college and Graduate School will hold small in-person events in Lane Stadium. College ceremonies are primarily for undergraduate students and the Graduate School commencement is for graduate students. These ceremonies will include introductory remarks, the reading of the names as the graduate crosses the stage, official photographs taken and the distribution of diploma covers (only for graduate students). Graduate students should select one of the two available Graduate Commencements and plan to attend as is desired. Attendance is not mandatory but these are made available for those graduate students wanting to attend in person. Information about signing up is detailed here: https://campuslife.universitytickets.com/w/?cid=183. These will not be traditional ceremonies and this year will not include official hooding of the doctoral candidates.
A graduation ceremony will also be available in northern VA following the virtual university commencement. All graduates regardless of campus are welcome to attend the virtual and in-person event in Blacksburg.
In addition to these events, the Graduate School will set up individual photo opportunities and hooding (according to health and safety guidelines) in front of the Graduate Life Center. This opportunity will be made available to masters and doctoral graduates, their faculty members as available, and guests. More details will be forthcoming.
2. Graduate Program Directors Meeting
Friday, April 16 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm
The next Graduate Program Directors Meeting will be Friday, April 16 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm. Please register here: https://gs.vt.edu/gpd
3. Uncovering Your Values Seminar
Thursday, April 8th at 4:00 pm
Join the Graduate School for a seminar to learn tips about uncovering your core values. Registration form: https://bit.ly/Uncovering_Your_Values
Contact the Graduate School Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion with questions: ordi@vt.edu
4. Jigsaw Connect: Financial Wellness for Graduate Students, Faculty, and Staff
Tuesday, April 20th from 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Our next session will feature Kevin Sutton, Assistant Director of Financial Wellness for Hokie Wellness, who will be sharing some resources students, faculty and staff can use on such topic areas as budgeting, credit, and debt management. Register at http://bit.ly/VTGSJigsawConnect9. For more information, email jgrimes18@vt.edu.
Deadlines & Dates to Remember
Policy Updates
Administrative Announcements
1. 2020-21 Grad School Handbook and Planners Available for Prospective Students
The handbook and planner includes 20+ pages of custom information tailored for VT graduate students regarding programs, services and other topics of interest that may help prospective students get an idea about the graduate community at VT. If you would like a supply of planners, let us know by emailing to grads@vt.edu with “planner request” in the subject line.
2. Updates from the Board of Visitors Meeting
At its March meeting, the BOV selected Phil Miskovic as the 2021-2022 graduate student representative to the BOV, approved doctoral candidacy status for implementation Fall’22, and approved the compensation package for graduate students including 5% increase in stipend, coverage of 88% of the health insurance premium, and maintained the academic fee coverage at $458. Graduate tuition was increased by 2.9% and approved the continuation of the tuition remission program. The BOV also approved a refund of the transportation fee of $96 for spring 2021 with the assistance of the town of Blacksburg.
3. Recent Updates to Funding Guide Websites
The primary source of Graduate School funding information and assistantship/tuition remission guidance is our Graduate Student Assistantship Management and Funding Guide. You can access the online guide with your VT Google credentials. Redundant or outdated webpages on assistantship and tuition remission management have been removed. You can find all current links at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/funding-information-for-departments.html — please update your bookmarks accordingly.