Category: Uncategorized

For students who did  not make it to the workshops – this session is for you!!

ETD Speaker Series: Graduate School Review of your ETD in the  Virtual Graduate Life Center (vGLC) Graduate School staff will  discuss items we check while reviewing your submitted ETD and  the timeline of the submission process

When:      11/07/2012 @ 2:00 PM

Where: Plaza in the Virtual Graduate Life Center (vGLC) http://virtual.glc.vt.edu

 

We are implementing a new viewing option for the ETD  speaker series. We will be using the Virtual Graduate Life  Center (vGLC), an environment where you can create an account  and attend various events held in at the Blacksburg campus  from anywhere in the world that you have internet access  http://virtual.glc.vt.edu/. Please take the time now to review the  links below on downloading the appropriate software and how to  create an account then log into the vGLC.

 In order to use the vGLC for the first time, please follow  these basic instructions below:

1.     In a web browser, go to: http://openlife01.cc.vt.edu:9500/wifi

2.     Click the CREATE ACCOUNT link at the top right of the webpage

• Enter VT email
• Enter name
• Enter password
• Select avatar type
• Select Create

 3.     Download Imprudence Software 1.4.0-beta-2 Windows

http://imprudence.googlecode.com/files/Imprudence-1.4.0-beta-2%0b%C2%A0.exe

or 1.4.0-beta-2 Mac (Intel)

<http://imprudence.googlecode.com/files/imprudence-1.4.0-beta-2%0b%C2%A0-mac.zip

 4. Open/Start  Imprudence Viewer/Icon (purple hand)

• Go  to grid manager
• Click the Add New Grid button below the Select a Grid menu box
• In the Grid text box, type: virtual_glc 
• In the Grid Name text box, type: Virtual GLC
• In the Login URI text box, type: http://openlife01.cc.vt.edu:9500/
• Select OK

Please make sure you read the instructions: 

https://scholar.vt.edu/access/content/group/openlife/doc/OL_vGLC.pdf

****To view live streaming you must review pages 10-12:

Have Apple QuickTime Player http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

Use Imprudence 1.4.0 or later to view the virtual world Enable  media helper widget in Imprudence via Preferences.

• Open Edit drop-down menu and choose Preferences.
• In Preferences, navigate to the Audio & Video menu.
• Put a check in the Media helper widget check-box.
• Click Apply
• Click Ok

Day of Event

• Logon to Imprudence
• Meet us at the plaza in the Virtual Graduate School Life Center
• Click the play button in the bottom menu bar in
• Imprudence, to the right of the camera icon
• Click on black screen
• Press Play

There will be Graduate School staff available before, during and after the session to answer any questions you may have.  We hope to see you there!

Questions regarding the vGLC should be directed to Marija  Telbis-Forster at mtelbisf@vt.edu or Jodi Cromer  jodilynn@vt.edu

The Graduate School will host an open house in the nationally recognized, award-winning Graduate Life Center (GLC) on Friday, October 19, from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to attend to learn more about the services and spaces the facility offers.

The open house will include the following activities and opportunities:

• Tours of the GLC, including residential floors
• Scavenger hunt with prizes
• Information about graduate-student services in the GLC, including career advising, writing support, statistical consulting, library services and counseling
• Graduate-student art, photo and writing contest
• Corn-hole tournament on the GLC lawn
• Fun photo ops with props
• Visits with GLC staff
• Light refreshments provided by ABP

The GLC is the first graduate facility of its kind in the nation. A joint venture of the Graduate School, Housing and Residence Life, and Student Centers and Activities, the center offers academic, administrative, professional, residential, and social spaces to promote graduate education and graduate community.

For more information about the event, visit our open house website or contact graduate student services or 540.231.9561.

The Graduate School’s student services and advising area (120 GLC suite) will operate with new business hours starting Oct 1. On Wednesdays the service area will open at 9:30am and close at 6:00pm. This is a pilot program for the fall semester; at the end of fall we will evaluate the impact of this change and decide whether to continue with altered hours or return to an 8-5/M-F schedule. A secure drop-box has been installed at the entrance to the service area for students, faculty and staff to drop off forms when our service area is closed. 

Send comments to grads@vt.edu.

The Graduate School student services and advising area (120 GLC) will undergo some changes on Tuesday, Sep 18, requiring that we close the service area to walk-in traffic. We ask all students to try to avoid visiting the Graduate School on this day unless they need urgent in-person assistance. Email and phone services will be uninterrupted and accommodations will be made to see students in the Graduate School lobby as needed. Please stop by to see us after Tuesday to see our new, more student-friendly layout!

I’m pleased to announce the launch of the Electronic Signature Approval system for final examinations and Electronic Thesis/Dissertations. This system allows for the scheduling of final examinations, signing of the final examination card and upload of the ETD using the VT PID and password.  Now that we have achieved the goal of a "secure" electronic signature and "secure" process, the Graduate School will be moving toward greater use of electronic processes.

Effective Monday, September 17, 2012, all final non-thesis and thesis/dissertation oral examinations must be scheduled through this Electronic Signature Approval system. Students will sign into the Electronic Signature Approval system to request their final examination and upload their ETD (if a thesis/dissertation student). Advisory committee members will sign into the Electronic Signature Approval system to approve the final examination request as well as electronically sign the examination card (notification sent to the @vt.edu email address).

Students who have already requested the scheduling of their final examination using the paper form will not need to resubmit through the Electronic Signature Approval system. Final examinations for students on Defending Student Status will still be requested using the paper form. Preliminary examinations will still be requested using the paper form.

As you are aware, the final examination request must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the examination date and the Electronic Signature System (ESS) was set up accordingly.  The ESS does not allow a student to request an exam date less than two weeks from the examination request submission date.  It is important that students plan in advance with their advisory committee to ensure that all advisory committee members can attend the examination for the date/time requested.  If any member of the advisory committee does not approve the final examination request the student will need resubmit with a new date/time.  Requesting a room in the examination request does not reserve the room; students must reserve the room through the building room coordinator.

Once an examination request is approved by the advisory committee and the Graduate School, an email confirmation will be sent to the student, advisory committee and department staff coordinator with notification of the official examination scheduling. An examination should not be held without receipt of the notification email from the Graduate School. Please contact the Graduate School before the examination if you have not received a scheduling notification email.

The Electronic Signature Approval system can be accessed online at https://gradexam.stl.vt.edu/pages/login.php <blocked::https://gradexam.stl.vt.edu/pages/login.php> .

An Electronic Signature Approval system guide can be found online at https://secure.graduateschool.vt.edu/GSITWiki/Wiki.jsp?page=UniversityTools <blocked::https://secure.graduateschool.vt.edu/GSITWiki/Wiki.jsp?page=UniversityTools> .

Questions regarding the use of the Electronic Signature Approval system should be directed to Graduate Admissions and Academic Progress (540-231-8636; gradappl@vt.edu).

Karen P. DePauw, Ph.D.
Vice President and Dean for Graduate Education Virginia Tech Graduate Life Center 235 Blacksburg, VA 24061
540.231.7581 (phone)
540.231.1670 (fax)
http://www.graduateschool.vt.edu/ <blocked::http://www.graduateschool.vt.edu/>

https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/kpdtge/ <blocked::https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/kpdtge/>
https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/globalperspectives/ <blocked::https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/globalperspectives/>

 
P.E.O. is announcing the highly competitive $15,000 P.E.O. Scholar Award program for women doctoral students for 2013/2014 academic year.   P.E.O. is a philanthropic educational organization (www.peointernational.org), which provides financial aid for the education of women.  The three Blacksburg P.E.O. Chapters coordinate efforts to identify and nominate up to three candidates. Successful chapter nominees will be asked to submit more detailed award application materials by P.E.O. International in early winter and will have 45 days to complete their applications. Award recipients will be announced by May 1, 2013.
 
Eligibility:
A woman is eligible for nomination by a local P.E.O. chapter if she:
·         is a citizen of the U.S. or Canada at the time of her nomination;
·         will complete her doctoral degree between April 2014 and August 2015
·         doctorial students in a “Medical Scholars Program” pursuing both an M.D. and a Ph.D. are also eligible;
·         is enrolled in her program at an accredited college or university. She can be part-time at the time of nomination, but must be a full-time student during the year of the award.
A woman is not eligible for Scholar Awards support for a:
·         master’s degree
·         certificate program
·         residency, fellowship, specialization, postdoctoral research position, etc.
A woman is not eligible for a Scholar Award if she will be employed full-time during the year of her award.
The applications of individuals who satisfy these eligibility criteria will be evaluated on a nondiscriminatory basis without consideration of race, age, national origin, religious affiliation, disability or P.E.O. connection.
 
Local Nomination Application Components:
One to two page single-spaced cover letter highlighting current work and career goals
Resume
Unofficial transcripts
One letter of reference
 
Application Deadline: September 30, 2012.
Mail or email complete applications to:
Rebecca Caldwell
345 Woods Lane
Newport, VA 24128
rebec.caldwell@gmail.com
 
Faculty are requested to identify outstanding eligible women doctoral students and encourage them to apply for the award. The Awards are extremely competitive but Virginia Tech has had over 20 awardees since 2000. For additional information on the P.E.O. Scholar Award, see: http://www.peointernational.org/peo-projectsphilanthropies or contact Rebecca Caldwell at rebec.caldwell@gmail.com or 540-544-4444.
 
 

Orientation Programs:
New graduate student orientation hosted by the Graduate School will be in the auditorium in the Graduate Life Center (GLC) on Friday, August 24, 9:00-11:00. Morning refreshments will be served 8:30-9:00 in the Multipurpose Room.

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 20-24. The fair features more than 50 campus and community organizations and services. 

Detailed information about the orientation and Welcome Week activities>>

Getting Started as a Student:
An online guide is also available for new students to help them get started. The guide includes information and links to a variety of campus services, including student ID cards, class schedule and registration, tuition payment, policies, financial resources, health and wellness, campus life and more. Visit the online guide>> .

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.

Effective: August 27, 2012

In order to better serve graduate students and academic units, the Graduate School is assigning a Graduate Admissions and Academic Progress (GAAP) Advisor to each College. The GAAP Advisor will serve as a liaison between the Graduate School and academic units and will work directly with students, faculty, graduate program directors and graduate coordinators in relation to graduate student advising and paperwork completion. The GAAP Advisor is not a replacement to the faculty advisor or graduate coordinator, rather the GAAP Advisor is a primary point of contact in the Graduate School who can provide immediate assistance to students and academic units. Should the primary GAAP advisor assigned to a student or academic unit be unavailable at any time, another GAAP Advisor will be able to provide immediate assistance.

The Graduate Admissions and Academic Progress Advisors are:

Holly Cromer (hcromer@vt.edu, 540-231-8636)
    Graduate Applications – all academic units

Gwen Ewing (ewinggf@vt.edu, 540-231-8636)
    Pamplin College of Business
    College of Engineering – Master degree students
    Interdisciplinary Degrees

Debbie Payne (payned@nvc.vt.edu; 703-538-8327)
    National Capital Region – all academic units

Danielle Tillilie (dmtill@nvc.vt.edu; 703-538-8327)
    National Capital Region – all academic units

Jodi Vandervort (jodilynn@vt.edu, 540-231-8636)
    College of Architecture and Urban Studies
    College of Science
    Graduate Studies (Commonwealth Campus, Non-degree, Certificates)

Nicholas Vaught (nvaught2@vt.edu, 540-231-8636)
    College of Liberal Arts & Human Sciences
    College of Natural Resources & Environments
    VA/MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine

Priscilla Wright (pkwright@vt.edu, 540-231-8636)
    College of Engineering – Doctoral degree students
    College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

We look forward to a great upcoming academic year working with all of you!