September 16, 2019

IN THIS BULLETIN:
Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. SLATE IMPLEMENTATION – TRAINING SESSION on General Overview and Queries
2. HOW TO USE iTHENTICATE – TRAINING SESSION
3. FALL GRADUATE DIRECTORS’ MEETING

Administrative Announcements:
4. GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP POLICY UPDATE
5. GRADUATE SCHOOL PLANNERS ARE AVAILABLE
6. FACULTY PANELISTS NEEDED FOR GRADUATE HONOR SYSTEM
7. ADVISOR SERVICE REPORT AVAILABLE
8. GRADUATE SCHOOL REQUEST INFORMATION URL UPDATED

Deadlines/Dates to Remember:
OCT 4 – Fall break; no classes.
OCT 8 – Last day to drop classes
OCT 17 – Fall Graduate Directors’ Meeting

Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. SLATE IMPLEMENTATION – TRAINING SESSION on General Overview and Queries
The Graduate School is implementing Slate for recruitment communications. Each training is on the Slate product overall as well as the Queries function within Slate. All sessions are via Zoom (Meeting ID: 5402318316). Registration is not required.
Thursday, September 19 at 3:00pm
Monday, September 23 at 3:00pm

2. HOW TO USE iTHENTICATE – TRAINING SESSION
Multiple dates and times; registration requested. All sessions via Zoom (Meeting ID: 5402318316)
The Graduate School is offering a training session on how graduate students will use iThenticate to review the originality of documents, ensure accurate attribution to other authors, and eliminate occurrences of potential plagiarism. Registration at https://profdev.tlos.vt.edu/ by searching for “iThenticate” in the search box.

Wednesday, October 16 at 10:00am
Wednesday, October 16 at 7:00pm
Tuesday, November 19 at 11:00am
Tuesday, December 3 at 7:00pm
Thursday, December 5 at 2:00pm

3. FALL GRADUATE DIRECTOR’S MEETING
Thursday, October 17, 10:00am, Graduate Life Center Room F.
Topics will include vPlans of Study and Timeliness, Graduate Catalog, Slate, and Graduate Program Faculty Approvals. A final agenda will be available with the next Graduate School Bulletin.
Administrative Announcements:
4. GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP POLICY UPDATE
Graduate assistantship policies and procedures have been compiled in a single document and approved as university policy No. 6210 by the Board of Visitors at its August meeting. The policy includes two updates to previous practices:
1. Proration of tuition-obligation:
Hiring departments must provide in-state tuition and mandatory E&G fees remission in proportion to the assistantship FTE for fall and spring semesters. The remission of in-state tuition and E&G fees is  calculated in four-week increments, with each quarter of tuition earned by the completion of four full weeks of work and full remission earned only if the student completes the assistantship (16 full weeks or more within the standard assistantship start and end dates in a semester).
2. Personal/sick leave for GAs, GTAs and GRAs:
Graduate students should work with their supervisors to schedule their work hours. Absences (either sick or personal) should be accommodated when possible and the work schedule adjusted to enable the graduate student to complete their academic and assistantship work commitments. The new policy addresses university holidays, work-life grants, jury duty and military leave as well.
The Graduate School is responsible for administering the policy and procedures related to assistantships and tuition remission, in conjunction with the Bursar’s Office and the Controller’s Office. For more information about the policy and how it may impact your area, review the full policy at https://policies.vt.edu/6210.pdf or contact the Graduate School at 540-231-9564.

5. GRADUATE SCHOOL PLANNERS ARE AVAILABLE
Due to delays on the publishers’ end, graduate school planners were not delivered until after New Graduate Student Orientation. If you would like planners delivered to your office for dissemination to graduate students, please email Lauren Surface at lkeister@vt.edu with the number planners you would like and your mail code.

6. FACULTY PANELISTS NEEDED FOR GRADUATE HONOR SYSTEM
The Graduate Honor System is seeking new faculty members to serve as panelists to review evidence and determine the outcome of GHS cases. Time commitment is about 3-4 hours a year based on the number of cases and availability to participate in scheduled hearings, in addition to a 30-45 minute training session. If you are interested in serving, contact GHS Chair Anurag Mantha (ghs@vt.edu), to set up a brief meeting to discuss the role. If multiple faculty volunteer from one department, a departmental training can be arranged as well.

7. ADVISOR SERVICE REPORT AVAILABLE
The Graduate School has worked with the Banner Reporting Team to create an advisor service report that pulls a list of a faculty member’s advising service from SGAADVR in Banner. The report contains from and to term as well as the student name, degree, major, status, and graduation term. To request this report for your academic program, submit a TeamDynamix request online (http://www.es.vt.edu and click Submit a Service Request ==> Academic Services ==> Academic Analysis & Reporting ==> Request Support) indicating you want the Advisor_Service to be run and provide a list of faculty ID numbers.

8. GRADUATE SCHOOL REQUEST INFORMATION URL UPDATED
The Graduate School has transitioned to Slate for recruitment. There is a new URL for prospective students to request information. If you have linked to our previous request for information link on your department website or in your department communications, please update the URL to https://testapplyto.graduateschool.vt.edu/register/GradSchoolInterestForm. You can also use this URL at recruitment events to have prospective students sign up for more information.