Posted on by gibsonm

April 1, 2022

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

  1. Graduate Residential Fellows (GRFs), The Residential College at West Ambler Johnston
  2. GTA Opportunity in the Calhoun Honors Discovery Program Position 1
  3. GTA Opportunity in the Calhoun Honors Discovery Program Position 2

Policy Updates

  1. CGS Resolution

Administrative Announcements  

  1. Change in Forms Submission Process
  2. Graduate Student Climate Survey Reminder

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

  1. Graduate Residential Fellows (GRFs), The Residential College at West Ambler Johnston

The application deadline is April 4, 2022

The Residential College at West Ambler Johnston, a community of 850 students ranging from first-year to graduate students from all academic disciplines, anticipates hiring two live-in GRFs for the 2022-23 academic year. GRFs work closely with the Faculty Principal, student house council, resident advisors, student affairs staff, and others to ensure that the goals and aspirations of the residential college are fulfilled, offering mentorship to students, and facilitating the creation of a strong sense of community (see https://llp.vt.edu/residential_colleges/waj.html). Position details may be found at https://docs.google.com/document/d/106GdMfqQkIKEa_AELVQmJkYL65ITYbgXsJVi5jvUDGc/edit?usp=sharing. Questions may be directed to Faculty Principal of the Residential College, Prof. Danna Agmon at dagmon@vt.edu. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, but, for priority consideration, please email a letter of interest, resume, & contact information (email and phone number) for three references, all in one document, by Monday, April 4, 2022, to dagmon@vt.edu, using the subject line “GRF Application: LAST NAME.”

  1. GTA Opportunity in the Calhoun Honors Discovery Program Position 1

The application deadline is April 4, 2022

The Virginia Tech Honors College seeks to hire a graduate teaching assistant (GTA) to teach five-week, 1-credit course in computer engineering to non-specialists and support learning in our transdisciplinary design studios, the centerpiece of our Calhoun Honors Discovery Program: https://honorscollege.vt.edu/chdp.html. Required Qualifications: advanced understanding and experience in programming in Python, cybersecurity, embedded programming, and the internet of things. Preferred Qualifications: experience as a student in problem-based studio settings; experience in learning and/or working across disciplinary boundaries; experience teaching, tutoring, or mentoring a diverse range of students. This is a one-year, 20-hour per week position and includes a graduate student tuition waiver and a competitive stipend. Applicants should send a cover letter, CV, and contact information for three (3) references to Dr. Paul Heilker, Associate Dean of the Honors College by 5:00 pm on Monday, April 4, 2022 at pheilker@vt.edu.

  1. GTA Opportunity in the Calhoun Honors Discovery Program Position 2

The application deadline is April 4, 2022

The Virginia Tech Honors College seeks to hire a graduate teaching assistant (GTA) to support teaching and learning in our transdisciplinary design studios, the centerpiece of our Calhoun Honors Discovery Program: https://honorscollege.vt.edu/chdp.html. Preferred Qualifications: experience as a student in problem-based studio settings; experience in learning and/or working across disciplinary boundaries; experience teaching, tutoring, or mentoring a diverse range of students. This is a one-year, 20-hour per week position and includes a graduate student tuition waiver and a competitive stipend. Applicants should send a cover letter, CV, and contact information for three (3) references to Dr. Paul Heilker, Associate Dean of the Honors College by 5:00 pm on Monday, April 4, 2022 at pheilker@vt.edu.

Policy Updates

  1. CGS Resolution

VT participates in the Council of Graduate Schools’ (CGS) “Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistantships” also known as the “April 15 Resolution” (https://cgsnet.org/april-15-resolution). Participation in the resolution obligates us to allow admitted graduate students to consider all offers of financial support through April 15. In turn, the resolution binds students to their decisions made or held in place after April 15. Over 325 U.S. institutions offering graduate degrees have agreed to abide by this resolution. Our participation ensures that both student and program conduct their admissions in an ethical manner and that they receive equal treatment and consideration in the financial support decision-making process.

Here are some important aspects of the Resolution:

  • The April 15, 2022, deadline applies only to acceptance of an offer of financial support such as a graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or assistantship.
  • It applies only to offers of financial support for the following academic year.
  • Although you can send out your offers well before the deadline, prospective graduate students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial aid prior to April 15.
  • Acceptance of an offer of financial support made after April 15, 2022, is conditional upon presentation by the student of written release from any previously accepted offer.
  • All offers of financial support should include a copy of or link to the “April 15 Resolution”: (https://cgsnet.org/april-15-resolution).

In addition to direct information on the resolution, some explanatory language should be included in all financial support letters. Below is an example of wording that you are free to use in your letter: “Please inform us in writing of your decision no later than April 15, 2022. In accordance with the Council of Graduate Schools’ (CGS) resolution, you may consider other offers of financial support until the April 15 deadline, but any decision after April 15 is an obligation that you are expected to honor. Likewise, we will honor this offer until the April 15 deadline, after which point it will be rescinded unless you are informed in writing that the deadline for a decision has been extended. Although you are under no obligation to accept this offer prior to April 15, please let us know as soon as you have made a decision so that we may extend offers to other prospective students if possible.

Administrative Announcements

  1. Change in forms submission process—Graduate Admissions and Academic Progress

To improve documentation of documents and form submission to the Graduate School and ensure FERPA compliance for forms sent electronically, all Graduate Admissions and Academic Progress forms and related documents are to be submitted via the FERPA compliant Graduate Admission & Academic Progress Form Submission page: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfRr_RfviUz9JH3Xj6iDz3nP6FhQ76wdNpc4HViJfdjpwa2-Q/viewform  or hand delivered to the Graduate School offices in Blacksburg or Falls Church. Effective March 1, 2022, the Graduate School will no longer accept any forms or documents submitted by email to grads@vt.edu, gssoncr@vt.edu, or an individual Graduate School staff member email. For questions regarding this new process, please contact Janice Austin at jema@vt.edu. Please note that forms for Graduate School Dean review and signature should continue to be submitted through their secure submission page https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfkjThbjJ_x4ESc67uCDNiSVEjR6DpwOmJi9QccPa5sdAym9A/viewform.

  1. Graduate Student Climate Survey Reminder

The survey deadline is April 5, 2022

Please remind students to complete the Graduate Student Climate Survey, which closes April 5th. This survey will allow Virginia Tech’s leaders to receive valuate input from students about their department and campus climate. If the link is needed again, please email Kacy Lawrence at klawr5@vt.edu.