Graduate School Bulletin

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Did You Know?
Did you know that the Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion has launched a series of monthly virtual discussions focused on recruitment and retention support for graduate students called Jigsaw Connect? Join the next session on Wednesday, September 30th at 11 a.m. See the Recruitment page, https://graduateschool.vt.edu/recruitment.html, for more details.
Did you know that graduate students can get COVID-19 tests at Schiffert Health Center? The center now is offering tests seven days a week. More information is on the VT Ready site.
Did you know that Virginia Tech now has a COVID-19 information hotline that is staffed seven days a week? The number is 540-231-7600.

Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. Required Training: Coronavirus Awareness Online Course
2. Diversity: Inclusion for the Modern Workplace Student Requirement
3. 2020 Virtual HBCU/MSI Research Summit information Sessions: How to get involved?
4. I Belong Here: Women’s Sense of Belonging in Academia and Society
5. Jigsaw Connect:  “Prospective Student Engagement using Slate”

Deadlines & Dates to Remember
October 1: Fall 2020 Deadline for Inclusion in Commencement Listing

Policy Updates
1. TOEFL and GRE Testing Updates
2. Inclusion and Diversity Requirement for Graduate Students: Reminder to Develop Plans 

Administrative Announcements
1. Graduate Honor System Recruiting Faculty Panelists
2. Accepting Nominations for Graduate Alumni Achievement Award
3. 2020 Graduate Recruitment Brochure is Online

Continue reading “September 16, 2020”

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Did You Know?
Did you know the Graduate School has published its Academic Plan for fall 2020?
Did you know the Graduate Academy for Teaching Excellence has developed recommendations to support GTAs? You can find them here: http://vtgrate.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Guidelines-for-supporting-Graduate-Teaching-Assistants_Final.pdf
Did you know we have virtual tours on our Visit Us page? Share the link with prospective students. https://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions/visit-us.html

Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. Diversity: Inclusion for the Modern Workplace Student Requirement

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

Policy Updates
1. Admissions Applications Move to Slate
2. New Version of the Plan of Study Change Form
3. International Student Advisor Assignments
4. Inclusion and Diversity Requirement for Graduate Students: Reminder to Develop Plans 

Administrative Announcements
1. College of Engineering – 100% of Inclusion and Diversity Requirement Plans Submitted and Approved
2. Graduate Honor System Recruiting Faculty Panelists
3. Controller’s Office Guidance Regarding Teleworking from Outside of Virginia
4. Graduate School Visit Us Page is Live!
5. Immigration Check-In Online for New International Students
Continue reading “September 1, 2020”

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Did You Know?
Did you know the Graduate School has published its Academic Plan for fall 2020?
Did you know the Graduate Academy for Teaching Excellence has developed recommendations to support GTAs? You can find them here: http://vtgrate.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Guidelines-for-supporting-Graduate-Teaching-Assistants_Final.pdf
Did you know we have virtual tours on our Visit Us page? Share the link with prospective students. https://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions/visit-us.html

Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. Hokie Mentorship Connect: Digital Networking
2. Graduate Assistant Employee Zoom Session
3. Diversity: Inclusion for the Modern Workplace Student Requirement

Deadlines & Dates to Remember
August 18: GTA Workshop

Policy Updates
1. New Procedures for Requesting Reduced Comprehensive Fees
2. New Version of the Plan of Study Change Form
3. International Student Advisor Assignments
4. Inclusion and Diversity Requirement for Graduate Students: Reminder to Develop Plans

Administrative Announcements
1. Message from Karen DePauw to All Graduate Students at All Campus Locations
2. Controller’s Office Guidance Regarding Teleworking from Outside of Virginia
3. Invitation to Submit Department Recruitment Fair Information
4. Graduate School Visit Us Page is Live!
5. Immigration Check-In Online for New International Students
Continue reading “August 16, 2020”

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Did You Know?
Welcome to Did You Know – a new section of the Bulletin for quick reminders of existing resources and other tiny updates

Did you know the Graduate School has published its Academic Plan for fall 2020?
Did you know Virginia Tech submitted a detailed fall semester plan to SCHEV?
Did you know Virginia Tech encourages students returning to campus in fall to get a COVID-19 test?
Did you know the Graduate School has fall 2020 guidelines for GAs, GTAs, and GRAs?

Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. Hokie Mentorship Connect: Digital Networking

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

Policy Updates
1. New Version of the Plan of Study Change Form
2. International Student Advisor Assignments
3. Inclusion and Diversity Requirement for Graduate Students: Reminder to Develop Plans 

Administrative Announcements
1. Invitation to Submit Department Recruitment Fair Information
2. Department Consultations Are Available!

Continue reading “August 1, 2020”

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Did You Know?
Welcome to Did You Know – a new section of the Bulletin for quick reminders of existing resources and other tiny updates

Did you know the Graduate School has published its Academic Plan for fall 2020?
Did you know Virginia Tech submitted a detailed fall semester plan to SCHEV?
Did you know Virginia Tech encourages students returning to campus in fall to get a COVID-19 test?
Did you know the Graduate School has fall 2020 guidelines for GAs, GTAs, and GRAs?

Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. July Graduate Program Directors Meeting
2. Beyond Zoom: Resources to Stay Connected
3. Recruitment on a Budget: Affordable Ways to Attract Students to Your Program 

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

Policy Updates
1. Office of the Dean Graduate Form Processing
2. International Student Advisor Assignments
3. Inclusion and Diversity Requirement for Graduate Students: Reminder to Develop Plans 
4. Graduate Students May Use SSDE for Preliminary Exams in Summer 2020

Administrative Announcements
1. Invitation to Submit Department Recruitment Fair Information
2. Department Consultations Are Available!
3. SEVP and DHS Rescind July 6 Policy Regarding International Students

Continue reading “July 16, 2020”

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. July Graduate Program Directors Meeting
2. Virginia Center for Housing Research Summer Course Offerings
3. Beyond Zoom: Resources to Stay Connected
4. Recruitment on a Budget: Affordable Ways to Attract Students to Your Program

Deadlines & Dates to Remember
July 1: Graduate Application Review Process Information Needed (3^rd posting)

Policy Updates
1. Office of the Dean Graduate Form Processing
2. Managing Assistantship Offer for New International Students (3^rd posting)

Administrative Announcements
1. GTA Workshop Registration Now Open
2. Tuition Rates for AY 2020-21 Now Posted
3. Department Consultations Now Available from ORDI
4. International Student Late Arrival for Fall 2020
5. Immigration Services Merger with Cranwell International Center (3^rd posting)

Continue reading “July 1. 2020”

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. Graduate Program Director’s Meeting
2. Virtual Recruitment: Where Do I Begin? (2^nd posting)

Deadlines & Dates to Remember
July 1: Graduate Application Review Process Information Needed (2^nd posting)

Policy Updates
1. Graduate Students May Use SSDE for Preliminary Exams in Summer 2020 (2^nd posting)
2. Application Fee Waiver Codes and Process Updates (2^nd posting)
3. Managing Assistantship Offer for New International Students (2^nd posting)

Administrative Announcements
1. Graduate Assistantship Stipend Scale for AY 2020-21
2. International Student Late Arrival for Fall 2020
3. Immigration Services Merger with Cranwell International Center (2nd posting)

Continue reading “June 16, 2020”

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events
1. Virtual Recruitment: Where Do I Begin?

Deadlines & Dates to Remember
July 1: Graduate Application Review Process Information Needed

Policy Updates
1. Graduate Students May Use SSDE for Preliminary Exams in Summer 2020
2. Application Fee Waiver Codes and Process Updates
3. Managing Assistantship Offer for New International Students

Administrative Announcements
1. Immigration Services Merger with Cranwell International Center

Continue reading “June 1, 2020”

Meetings/Workshops/Events:

1. COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

Administrative Announcements:

2. COVID-19 FAQ UPDATED; 4/16 GPD MEETING NOTES
3. SPRING 2020 COLLABORATIVE ART PROJECT
4. DEFERRAL OF FALL 2020 ADMISSION PROCESS
5. SPRING GRADUATE SCHOOL EXAM DEADLINE EXTENDED
6. EMERGENCY FUND RESOURCE FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
7. GUIDANCE FOR USING ZOOM TO CONDUCT PRELIMS AND FINAL EXAMS
8. GRADING OPTIONS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS – 3rd posting
9. ATTENTION! GRADUATE CATALOG EDITORS – 3rd posting
10. VT CALL FOR FACULTY PROFILES: HBCU/MSI SUMMIT – 3rd posting

Deadlines/Dates to Remember:

• May 15: deadline to submit admission decisions for fall 2020 international applicants
• May 22: last day to hold spring 2020 prelim or final exams
• Jun 1:  international students outside the U.S. must submit financial and immigration documents to receive I-20/DS-2019 for fall arrival (deadline does not apply to transfer students)

Continue reading “May 1, 2020”

Meetings/Workshops/Events:

1. GRADUATE PROGRAM DIRECTORS MEETING (4/16)

 Administrative Announcements:

2. GUIDANCE FOR USING ZOOM TO CONDUCT PRELIMS AND FINAL EXAMS
3. COVID-19 UPDATES
4. GRADING OPTIONS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS – 2^nd posting
5. ATTENTION! GRADUATE CATALOG EDITORS – 2^nd posting
6. VT CALL FOR FACULTY PROFILES: HBCU/MSI SUMMIT – 2^nd posting

Deadlines/Dates to Remember:

• APR 15 – Extended deadline for withdrawing from a class
• MAY 1 – Deadline for changing grading option (see below)
• MAY 15 – Deadline to defend (possible one week extension – email grads@vt.edu)
• MAY 29 – Graduate Catalog edit deadline

Meetings/Workshops/Events:

1. GRADUATE PROGRAM DIRECTORS MEETING
Thursday, April 16, 10-11:30, GLC Room F and Zoom
Register for the second Spring 2020 Graduate Program Directors meeting at https://gs.vt.edu/spring2020gpd. Please note that, along with registration, you are required to sign in with your Virginia Tech credentials in order to attend this meeting.

Administrative Announcements:

 2. GUIDANCE FOR USING ZOOM TO CONDUCT PRELIMS AND FINAL EXAMS
The Graduate School is providing written guidance for faculty and students on conducting preliminary and final examinations using Zoom. Please visit our website at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/academics/what-you-need-to-graduate/basics-zoom-graduate-exams.html to review our recommendations.

 3. COVID-19 UPDATES
The Graduate School is continually updating its website’s front page with COVID-19 FAQs . Please refer to https:///covid-faqs.html for regular updates.

 4. GRADING OPTIONS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS – 2^nd posting
Graduate students will be allowed to change the grading option from A/F to P/F for graduate courses taken in Spring 2020.  A maximum of 6 graduate credits converted A/F to P/F in this manner will be allowed to count toward their program’s graded course credit total on the Plan of Study (research credits are graded as Equivalent Credit [EQ] and do not count as P/F).  The decision to change the grading option should be reached in consultation with the faculty advisor and the Graduate Program Director. These decisions should be made not later than May 1, 2020. Instructions for how to document and process grade mode changes in Banner are posted here. 

5. ATTENTION! GRADUATE CATALOG EDITORS – 2^nd posting
The cycle to edit for catalog year 2020-2021 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 29.

 6. VT CALL FOR FACULTY PROFILES: HBCU/MSI SUMMIT – 2^nd posting
Are you interested in collaboration with faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) or other minority-serving institutions (MSIs)? The HBCU/MSI Research Summit is an opportunity to build direct inter-institutional partnerships between faculty at Virginia Tech and faculty at HBCUs and MSIs. The annual summit held every October, brings several guests, students and faculty, from various HBCUs and MSIs to Virginia Tech.If interest in being listed in our directory, please complete a brief Faculty Interest Survey at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_514e3ol0X1Bq4nj. The purpose of the survey is to collect information about interested faculty and their work at Virginia Tech to build a database of faculty profiles to facilitate collaborations with HBCUs and MSIs.