Posted on by gibsonm

June 1, 2024

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

  1. Faculty/PI Workshop: How NSF’s New Mentoring Requirements Can Improve Your Research Agenda

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

Policy Updates 

Administrative Announcements  

  1. Graduate Catalog Moving to Courseleaf Platform for 2024-25
  2. Inclusion and Diversity Requirement
  3. Changes to Immunization Requirement Compliance at all Campuses
  4. Graduate School Walk-In Summer Hours
  5. CIRTL Network Summer Programming Schedule
  6. Slate Annual Supplemental Review
  7. Updated Policy on Prior College Accreditation for Admission
  8. Updated Language Regarding Transcripts for Admission Consideration
  9. Non-Thesis, Coursework Only Committee Composition Policy Change

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

 

  1. Faculty/PI Workshop: How NSF’s New Mentoring Requirements Can Improve Your Research Agenda

 

June 18, 2024

2:00-3:30 p.m. ET

Register here: https://cgsnet.org/webinar/nsf-mentoring-requirements-can-improve-your-research-agenda

 

In this 90-minute virtual workshop, participants will learn about NSF’s new graduate student mentoring requirements for grants submitted on or after May 22, 2024. NSF leaders will begin the event with information about the new requirements, which apply to any grant that provides support to graduate students. Next, disciplinary society leaders and faculty with distinguished records as researchers and mentors will provide strategies and examples for improving both mentoring and research outcomes.

 

The workshop is the second in a series designed to prepare institutions and researchers for the new requirement. Participants are invited to view the recording of the first webinar, https://cgsnet.org/webinar/workshop-nsfs-new-mentoring-requirements-for-graduate-students,  held in April, where NSF leadership and graduate deans and senior research administrators discussed the new requirements as well as university communications to faculty researchers about the change. The June webinar, tailored specifically to faculty and other researchers on NSF grants, will provide more detailed information about the requirement and resources for mentoring graduate students. Participants will also receive an FAQ document that provides answers to questions raised in the first workshop and a curated list of resources on mentoring. The workshop is free of charge.

 

Speakers include:

  • Jacqueline Huntoon, Division Director, Division of Graduate Education, National Science Foundation
  • Daniel Denecke, Lead Program Director, Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) Program, National Science Foundation
  • Corrie Kuniyoshi, Senior Portfolio Manager, Student Experiences Office, American Chemical Society and PI of NSF IGE grant, Impact Indicators and Instruments for Individual Development Plans (IDPs)
  • Adam Matzgar, Charles G. Overberger Collegiate Professor of Chemistry and Macromolecular Science & Engineering, University of Michigan
  • Ricardo Cortez, Pendergraft William Larkin Duren Professor, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University
  • Ruth Varner, Professor, Earth Science, University of New Hampshire

 

 

 

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

Policy Updates

Administrative Announcements

  1. Graduate Catalog Moving to Courseleaf Platform for 2024-25

The Graduate School, in collaboration with the Registrar’s Office, is in the process of implementing the Graduate Catalog in CourseLeaf, the new program and curriculum database already in use for the Undergraduate Catalog and curriculum inventory management. As a result, the graduate catalog revision process will be different this year. We will distribute a questionnaire to all academic programs during the week of May 13 with a deadline to submit program details by June 28. Based on these submissions, the Graduate School will enter content in CourseLeaf. If you have any questions or concerns about this process, please contact Dr. Bill Huckle, wrhuckle@vt.edu.

  1. Inclusion and Diversity Requirement

Please remember that all graduate students who began their programs from Spring 2022 to present need to complete the Inclusion and Diversity Requirement before they graduate. There are multiple ways they may do so, please visit this website to learn more: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/academics/programs/inclusion-diversity-req.html

  1. Changes to Immunization Requirement Compliance at all Campuses

Immunization requirements for incoming students at all campuses have been updated as follows:

  • The due date for the immunization history form submission has been changed from July 31 to June 30 for Fall start; for international students and those applying with the August 1st deadline, the due date for submission of forms is September 1.
  • For Spring start, the due date remains the same for the majority of students; for international students and those applying with the January 1 deadline, the due date for submission of forms is February 1.
  • Any forms not submitted by the due date will be subject to a $100 late fee (Note: If the forms are submitted by the due date, but the student is missing something, they will not be charged the fee; it is only if nothing has been submitted) (Also note: students must have submitted their forms AND ALSO BE COMPLIANT)-this is a change as our system can only distinguish compliance and noncompliance.
  • Holds will be placed on September 9 for noncompliance instead of October and notices will be sent out in advance.

*Students who are 100% virtual remain exempt.

*Local health departments and Passport Health – Passport Health | Immunizations | Travel Clinics (passporthealthusa.com) can assist with providing the necessary immunizations. Students in Blacksburg can visit Schiffert for immunizations.  

  1. Graduate School Walk-In Summer Hours

The Graduate School student services area (120 GLC) will operate on summer hours from June 3-July 31. During this time, 120 will only be open on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Staff will be working behind closed doors on the remaining weekdays. Please encourage your students to visit the Graduate School on Mondays and Thursdays if they need to meet with someone in person. We will of course be answering phone calls and emails throughout the week. On August 1 we will resume normal 120 operating hours of M-F, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

  1. CIRTL Network Summer Programming Schedule

Virginia Tech is a member of the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) Network, which offers a variety of programming opportunities, including online workshops, available to graduate students and postdoctoral associates at institutions in the CIRTL Network at no cost. This summer, the CIRTL Network schedule includes programming focused on evidence-based teaching fundamentals and academic professional development. You can find the full CIRTL Network summer programming schedule, including descriptions and registration information, at https://cirtl.net/events/. To learn more about CIRTL, visit the network’s website at https://www.cirtl.net/. For more information about CIRTL at Virginia Tech, visit https://cirtl.vt.edu/ or email cirtl@vt.edu.

  1. Slate Annual Supplemental Review

An annual review of our online application supplemental forms for changes, updates, and improvements is important to help ensure that your program’s preferences are being accurately reflected in the online version of the Virginia Tech Graduate School application. To review your departmental program information page and supplemental page (questions specific to your program), please first log into Slate using your VT credentials for the login. Once in Slate, navigate to the 2024 Application Review folder. From this location you can use the “Search Forms…” option located on the upper right-hand side of the page to find forms specific to your program(s). To view a form, first click on the line item to open a landing page and then select “Edit Form” on the upper right-hand side to access the form contents. For the purposes of this audit, do not comment on the deadlines as they exist on your Program Information page. Deadlines are managed through the Program Maintenance Form and are not the focus of this review. Carefully review the language and links and provide feedback following the instructions below.

Application materials required by the Graduate School are transcript(s) [each transcript submitted must show the institution name, the applicant’s name, a listing of courses completed, and the grade received in each course; unofficial copies (student web portal printout, student issued hard copy scanned, etc) are acceptable for review by the department and Graduate School for admission consideration.], TOEFL/IELTS score for international applicants, and the applicant’s resume. Application materials a department may require (or allow as an option material) include: a statement of purpose, writing sample or portfolio of prior work, contact information for references and/or letters of recommendation, additional test scores (GRE, GMAT, PRAXIS, etc), leadership and volunteer experiences, and interview/2 minute video. It is best practice in graduate admissions to only require items used in your holistic admission review. Academic programs are encouraged to fully consider each application material to determine suitability for being a required or optional material in the application.

Any changes to your department supplemental form or materials should be submitted to Kathy Chaney at ckathy19@vt.edu. You may choose to free text comment in the form, pdf print the supplemental pages, and make notes via “sticky note” (Ctrl + 6) and “Highlight” or “Cross-out” text (Tools > Comment & Markup > Highlight Text / Cross-Out Text) features using Adobe, or you may print off the pages and with clear/neat handwriting print your changes, then scan to pdf and upload in the form. The review and confirmation of the application supplemental needs to be completed no later than Friday, July 14, 2024. Questions should be directed to Janice Austin at jema@vt.edu.

  1. Updated Policy on Prior College Accreditation for Admission

At the March 20, 2024 meeting, the Commission on Graduate and Professional Studies and Policies (CGPSP) approved revised wording on Graduate School policy relating to the accreditation of an applicant’s prior institution(s) for admission to VT. The approved policy now states: “Admission to the Graduate School is contingent upon receipt of a four year baccalaureate degree (or three year degree recognized by the Bologna process) from an accredited institution of higher education recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and listed in the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs or an international equivalent.”

  1. Updated Language Regarding Transcripts for Admission Consideration

At the March 20, 2024 meeting, the Commission on Graduate and Professional Studies and Policies (CGPSP) approved revised language regarding transcripts for admission consideration. Beginning July 1, 2024, the following language will be used: “Applicants should submit a copy of their transcript(s) with the online admission application. Each transcript submitted must show the institution name, the applicant’s name, a listing of courses completed, and the grade received in each course. Unofficial copies (student web portal printout, student issued hard copy scanned, etc.) are acceptable for review by the department and Graduate School for admission consideration. Upon admission to and enrollment at Virginia Tech, the admitted student’s prior institution’s Registrar’s Office issued transcripts showing degree conferral must be submitted to the Graduate School through sealed envelope postal mailing or an eTranscript submission service. Failure to submit the final official transcript(s) during the first term of enrollment will result in a hold placed on the student’s academic record prohibiting enrollment in subsequent terms until the transcript(s) is received.”

  1. Non-Thesis, Coursework Only Committee Composition Policy Change

At the March 20, 2024 meeting, the Commission on Graduate and Professional Studies and Policies (CGPSP) approved a policy change to allow one faculty member committee for non-thesis, coursework only plans of study. This change will become effective with the 2024-25 graduate catalog.

Thesis: A student pursuing a thesis-based master’s degree must have an advisory committee composed of at least three qualified members.

Non-Thesis with Project & Report credits: A student pursuing a non-thesis based degree that involves project and report credits, must have an advisory committee composed of at least three qualified members.

Non-Thesis Coursework Only: A student pursuing a non-thesis, coursework only master’s degree must have at least one qualified advisor who will serve as their committee (e.g., their Graduate Program Director or their graduate program faculty designee).

Final Examination (Thesis and Project & Report): An oral and/or written final examination with the student’s advisory committee is required for all master’s thesis and project & report students. Final examinations are scheduled through the Electronic Scheduling System by the student. For more information about master’s final examination scheduling, consult with the academic program personnel.

Final Evaluation (Non-thesis, coursework only): It is the responsibility of the advisor(s) to conduct a final evaluation of the student record to confirm degree completion requirements have been met (i.e., overall grade point average, plan of study grade point average, and all courses toward the degree requirements have been completed for a grade of C- or higher and there are no outstanding Incomplete grades). All master’s non-thesis final evaluations are scheduled through the Electronic Scheduling System by the program personnel or student. For more information about master’s final evaluations scheduling, consult with the academic program personnel.