IN THIS BULLETIN:
Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. GRADUATE COORDINATORS MEETING – please register
2. DIVERSITY SCHOLARS SHOWCASE
Administrative Announcements:
3. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ONLINE APPLICATION SUPPLEMENTAL FORMS
4. ATTENTION! GRADUATE CATALOG EDITORS
5. NEW REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS PURSUING GRAD DEGREES AT VT
Deadlines/Dates to Remember:
MAY 1: Last day to notify the Graduate School of intent to participate in commencement
MAY 9: PhD/EdD all graduation requirements must be met to participate in commencement
MAY 15: Masters/Doctoral last day to defend to be a spring 2019 graduate
MAY 16: Commencement – 2:30pm Cassell Coliseum
Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. GRADUATE COORDINATORS MEETING – Please register today!!
Thursday, May 2, 10:00-11:00am, GLC Room F
Topics include:
* use of IntlHokie portal for I-20 form requests and other authorizations
* admission deadlines for intl students and handling exceptions
* I-20 extension requests and documentation requirements from departments
* GSA travel fund program and departmental role in distribution of funds
* implementation of Slate for recruitment and admissions
Janice Austin, Monika Gibson and IGSS representative(s) will share updates about these topics and answer questions you may have. Please register at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_41OfrfAw5tAu1o1 if you are planning to attend. This meeting will also be available on Zoom. You will receive Zoom information upon registration.
2. DIVERSITY SCHOLARS SHOWCASE
Thursday, May 2, 12:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
Ten graduate students will share their projects related to diversity, inclusion, and equity to benefit the graduate community and community at large. Lunch will be provided. Sign-up at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3knTbblsMSicMct
Administrative Announcements:
3. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ONLINE APPLICATION SUPPLEMENTAL FORMS
An annual review of our online application supplemental forms for changes, updates, and improvements is important to help ensure that your program’s information is being accurately reflected in the online version of the Virginia Tech Graduate School application. To review your department supplemental page (questions specific to your program) please login to GSAPP with your VT PID/Password. Once logged in, select “Admin” then “Supplemental” in the top right of the screen. If you work with only one program, your program supplemental will be displayed. If you work with more than one program, you will first need to select which program you would like to review in the program drop-down menu before the supplemental will display. Please review your portion of the supplemental page that is between the two green “program specific section” bars. Any changes to your department supplemental should be sent to Janice Austin (jema@vt.edu) in pdf format. You may choose to pdf print the individual pages and make notes via “sticky note” (Ctrl+6) and “Highlight” or “Cross-out text” (Tools, Comment & Markup, Highlight Text or 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 send to Janice electronically. The review and confirmation of the application supplemental needs to be completed no later than Friday, May 31, 2019.
4. ATTENTION! GRADUATE CATALOG EDITORS
The cycle to edit for catalog year 2019-2020 has begun. Those receiving notification from the system are responsible for content. You must review and submit content, even if the content will not be updated. The deadline to submit is Friday, May 31. If you have any questions, please contact Jeremy Sippel at jsippel@vt.edu.
5. NEW REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS PURSUING GRAD DEGREES AT VT
The Commission on Graduate Studies and Policy recently 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. Four topics must be included in the plans: the University’s Principles of Community; the impact of personal actions and words; avenues of redress and shared responsibility as active bystanders to recognize and disrupt bullying; and a process of individual introspection and reflection leading to awareness of one’s own words and language. Other topics also may be included. 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.html.