Category: Uncategorized

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. SPRING GRADUATE PROGRAM DIRECTORS MEETING

Policy Updates:
2. REMINDER FOR ADMISSION APPLICATION DECISIONS
3. REMINDER: TOEFL MINIMUM REQUIREMENT INCREASED BEGINNING FALL 2018
4. ASSISTANTSHIP ACCEPTANCE DEADLINE FOR NEW STUDENTS

Administrative Announcements:
5. DEAN’S DIVERSITY ASSISTANTSHIPS
6. MCNAIR ASSISTANTSHIPS
7. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
8. GRADUATE EDUCATION WEEK 2018

Deadlines:
MARCH 1: Last day to submit application for degree form for spring for name to appear in commencement bulletin.
MARCH 22: PhD/EdD last day to defend to participate in commencement
APRIL 15: Assistantship Acceptance deadline (See #4 for details).

Continue reading “February 16, 2018”

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. SPRING GRADUATE PROGRAM DIRECTORS MEETING

Policy Updates:
2. REMINDER FOR ADMISSION APPLICATION DECISIONS
3. REMINDER: TOEFL MINIMUM REQUIREMENT INCREASED BEGINNING FALL 2018
4. THE NEW CONTRACT CREATION AND APPROVAL SYSTEM
5. ASSISTANTSHIP ACCEPTANCE DEADLINE FOR NEW STUDENTS

Administrative Announcements:
6. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
7. GRADUATE EDUCATION WEEK 2018
8. GRADUATE SCHOOL COMMUNICATION TO GRADUATE STUDENTS
9. DISRUPTING ACADEMIC BULLYING

Deadlines:
FEBRUARY 2:  Last day to submit the start-of-semester defense exception form for spring.
MARCH 1:  Last day to submit application for degree form for spring for name to appear in commencement bulletin.
APRIL 15:  Assistantship Acceptance deadline (See #5 for details).

Continue reading “February 1, 2018”

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. CONTRACT TOOL TRAINING
2. SPRING GRADUATE PROGRAM DIRECTORS MEETING

Policy Updates:
3. THE NEW CONTRACT CREATION AND APPROVAL SYSTEM
4. ASSISTANTSHIP ACCEPTANCE DEADLINE FOR NEW STUDENTS

Administrative Announcements:
5. APPLICATIONS INVITED FOR ACADEMY FOR GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT EXCELLENCE (VTGrATE)
6. GRADUATE SCHOOL COMMUNICATION TO GRADUATE STUDENTS
7. DISRUPTING ACADEMIC BULLYING
8. NOMINATIONS FOR GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS OPEN
9. NOMINATE OUTSTANDING FACULTY MENTOR(S) FOR MENTOR AWARD

Deadlines:
JANUARY 29: Nominations for GEW awards
FEBRUARY 2: Last day to submit the start-of-semester defense exception form for spring.
APRIL 15: Assistantship Acceptance deadline

Continue reading “January 16, 2018”

Beginning January 16, 2018, this blog will be the home of the Graduate School Bulletin. Published on the 1st and 16th of the month, this blog will be a way to communicate with graduate program directors (GPDs) and graduate coordinators regarding upcoming events, policy updates, administrative announcements and important deadlines. It will also be distributed through the GPD and coordinator listserv.

Getting Started as a Student:
An online guide is available to help new students get started at Virginia Tech. The guide includes information about the steps it takes to become a student (PID set up, health history documentation, registration and payment, Hokie Passport, etc) and links to a variety of campus events and services, financial resources, campus life, and more. Visit the online guide>> .

Orientation Programs:
The Graduate School hosts a new student orientation in the GLC auditorium on Friday, August 19, 9:00-11:15am. Morning refreshments will be served 8:30-9:00 in the lobby. Attendance of this session is not mandatory, but is encouraged, especially for students who do not have an orientation program within their department. We request that students who plan to attend this session register online.

We also provide a variety of information sessions and activities to help new students get started in their graduate career, including an information fair in the GLC between August 15-19. The fair features more than 50 campus and community organizations and services. 

Detailed information about the orientation and Welcome Week activities>>

If you have any questions or concerns about getting started at Virginia Tech, please contact us by phone at 540.231.9561 or by email.

Please nominate and encourage your students to do so as well.
From Internet2:

“We are pleased to announce that nominations are open for two Internet2 Gender Diversity Awards for the 2016 Internet2 Technology Exchange to be held in Miami, FL, September 25-28, 2016. The two awards are:

1. The Gender Diversity Award
2. The Gender Diversity Award in Recognition of Carrie Regenstein

You may find information regarding both of the awards at
https://www.internet2.edu/about-us/community-awards/gender-diversity-award/

Nominations (self-nominations welcome) for each of the awards are due July 29, 2016. Please pass along this information about the awards and encourage women in your organizations to apply!”

Spring 2016 final grades post Monday, May 16th. Graduate School staff will be working as quickly as possible to award the 1,216 pending degrees and certificates for spring by July 1st. We award in first come, first served order as all our graduates are needing their degrees conferred for employment or further graduate study.

Once a degree is awarded, the student can get a .pdf Letter of Completion through their Graduate Student Degree Menu in HokieSpa.

Transcripts can be ordered now through the Registrar’s Office webpage and marked as “Degree Completion” hold. The transcript will print the business day after the degree is awarded. http://www.registrar.vt.edu/academic_records/transcripts/index.html

Diplomas will be ordered weekly throughout the entire summer. It takes approximately 10 business days for the diplomas to be printed and shipped after the order date. The diplomas ship directly to the student from the diploma company in Utah.

Starting Monday, May 16, the Graduate School’s Blacksburg offices in the GLC will operate with summer hours, opening at 9:00am each day and closing at 4:00pm. The summer schedule will be in effect through Friday, Jul 29. Regular business hours (8-5) will resume on Aug 1. When the Graduate School is open but the GLC is closed, visitors may access Graduate School offices through the entrance door facing Squires Student Center.

Immigration walk-in advising hours in the summer are MWF 1-4pm, TTh 9am-12pm in 120 GLC.

The Graduate Life Center remains accessible 24/7 to all graduate students with a valid Hokie Passport. A secure drop box is available for form submissions immediately outside GLC 120.

The Graduate School invites all faculty who work with graduate students to this panel discussion and open dialogue about how to balance research and scholarship with mentoring graduate students and be successful at both. Panelists include invited guest Dr. Squire Booker, and Virginia Tech faculty Dr. Paul Deck (CHEM), Dr. Birgit Scharf (BIOL), Dr. Elizabeth Creamer (EDRE), Dr. Rakesh Kapania (AOE).

The program will begin with introductory comments from the faculty panel, and will include a period of Q& A and discussion among attendees. Light refreshments will be served.

Online registration is requested but not required. If interested in participating by Webex, email to Monika Gibson with your name and contact information.

This event is co-sponsored by the Graduate School and the Biochemistry Department to encourage constructive dialogue about graduate advising and mentoring practices. Contact Monika Gibson with any questions (231-9564).

The slides presented at the Removing the Mystery of the ETD Review presentation during Graduate Education Week 2016 are now available on our Degree Completion and Commencement website. Questions regarding this presentation should be directed to Graduate Admission and Academic Progress staff at grads@vt.edu, 540-231-8636 or visit 120 Graduate Life Center.