Week of April 28-May 2

2025

Provost’s Office: Open forums for Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs

The search committee for Virginia Tech’s next vice provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs invites the campus community to participate in virtual and in-person open forum sessions with three finalists who will be on the Blacksburg campus.

Jill Sible: associate vice provost for Undergraduate Education, Virginia Tech
Open Forum: April 29
Campus visit dates: April 28-30
Carlos Jensen: associate vice chancellor for Educational Innovation, University of California San Diego
Open Forum: May 5
Campus visit dates: May 4-6
Michel Pleimling: professor of Physics and associate dean for Undergraduate Programs, College of Science, Virginia Tech
Open Forum: May 8
Campus visit dates: May 7-9

All forums will take place from 3:30-4:30 p.m. (reception to follow) in Assembly Hall at the Holtzman Alumni Center. Zoom links for virtual attendees will be posted on the Senior Administrator Search webpage on the day of each respective forum.

For more information including search updates and candidate information, visit the Faculty Affairs Senior Administrator Search webpage.

Faculty Affairs: Call for proposals for the Faculty Writing Group Grant Program

The Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs invites proposals to the Faculty Writing Group Grant Program. The grant encourages faculty to form collaborative support networks beyond their home departments and colleges that advance their writing and research throughout their careers.

Over the academic year, writing group members establish writing and research goals, and support one another in meeting them. Initially designed for post-tenure faculty, the program now welcomes all ranks of instructional faculty because writing groups benefit from colleagues from this range of career stages and position types.

Proposals for this grant program should be submitted via email to Rachel Gabriele on or before May 15. Groups selected will receive a $2,000 grant toward their proposed goals, and approximately five grants will be funded.

For more information and to apply, read this campus notice, visit the Writing Group Grant Program website, or email Rachel Gabriele in Faculty Affairs.

Division of IT: Plan for Microsoft storage changes for employees at Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech has modified its plan for Microsoft storage changes to allow for more straightforward and efficient storage management for users and departments.

Baseline storage allocations increased for employees (June 30): For most employees, the baseline is 50 GB of OneDrive storage, and 50 GB of email storage in Exchange Online, with additional 1.5 TB of email archive storage.
Storage caps for students, retirees remain largely unchanged (June 2)
Revised timeline for shared resource claiming: Microsoft 365 shared resources (Teams, SharePoint sites, M365 Groups, Viva Engage communities) must be claimed by a department to remain active. Please be aware of the following dates:
- June 2 – Unclaimed shared resources become read-only
- June 30 – Access is removed for unclaimed shared resources
- July 14 – Unclaimed shared resources will be deleted

For more information, read this campus notice or visit the Microsoft Storage Changes website. For local support, contact your unit/department IT team.

CRCPE: Spotlight on Civil Rights Compliance development opportunities

Throughout the year, the Office for Civil Rights Compliance and Prevention Education (CRCPE) offers interactive development opportunities on Virginia Tech’s accommodations for individuals with disabilities, as well as anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies and procedures. They also provide conflict resolution workshops to strengthen communication and increase collaboration.

CRCPE promotes a learning and working environment free from harassment and discrimination for employees and students. The office strengthens the university’s institutional values through civility, compliance and education while mitigating risks.

For more information, read this campus notice, visit the Office for Civil Rights Compliance and Prevention Education website, or email CRCPE.

ICYMI: University resources, guidance when planning for international travel

Virginia Tech employees and students are encouraged to be aware of U.S. government regulations and follow established policies to help ensure travel abroad proceeds smoothly and safely. To assist faculty, staff, and students in planning for international travel, Outreach and International Affairs, Research and Innovation, and the Division of IT have developed detailed guidance and resources to include:

Preparing for university-supported global travel
IT security guidelines
Additional information for visa holders

International engagement is and will remain central to Virginia Tech’s mission. In addition to the guidance above, travelers are encouraged to review the following websites frequently:

For more information, read this campus notice. Virginia Tech will continue sharing updates and information through these websites as conditions evolve.

Additional Resources and Updates

Newsletter Spotlight: Focus on Research (Research and Innovation)

Please submit a Google form or email Provost Communications for comments or recommendations to improve the Weekly Communications Update or to share faculty, staff, and academic program personnel information.

Visit the provost’s website frequently for new and updated university information. All members of the campus community should also read their VT News daily email for further important updates, notices, and resources.