Week of December 11-15

2023

From Provost Cyril Clarke: Happy Holidays 2023

Fall commencement signals the end of the semester and the start of the holiday season. As we bring 2023 to a close, I would like to thank you for your outstanding work this past year and your steadfast commitment to supporting our students and elevating our university. Your dedication and service to Virginia Tech is the cornerstone of our success, and I am profoundly grateful for your ongoing partnership and contributions.

Recent events and conflicts around the world and close to home have challenged the notion of peace and joy during the holiday season. Nevertheless, it is my hope that compassion, empathy, and understanding are gifts that you will receive and that we can share with others who need them most.

Please take the opportunity during the holiday break to step away from your work, appreciate all you have accomplished, and enjoy this special time with family and friends. On behalf of the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost and administrators across the university, I wish you a safe and peaceful holiday season.

Cyril

Provost’s Office, TLOS: Call for proposals for 4-VA Collaborative Research Grants

The Provost’s Office invites proposals for funded research activity through a 4-VA Collaborative Research Grant. 4-VA is a collaborative effort of eight institutions in the Commonwealth of Virginia, including Virginia Tech, working together to realize Virginia’s goals for higher education.

Collaborative Research Grants are intended to promote partnerships that leverage the strengths of each university, establish inter-institutional relationships, and prepare for proposals to larger external funding sources. Awards are managed by Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS).

Collaborative Research Grants of up to $30,000 are available to support research projects headed by a Virginia Tech faculty member as principal investigator and require at least one named faculty collaborator from another 4-VA member institution. Proposals reviews will take place on a rolling basis through the March 1, 2024 deadline for submissions.

For more information, read this campus notice or email Lujean Baab, senior director of Grants and Awards and 4-VA Campus Coordinator.

CPD: Learn to become a Career Champion for Virginia Tech students

Career and Professional Development (CPD) invites faculty and staff to become a Career Champion for Virginia Tech students and learn more about CPD’s services for undergraduate and graduate students, career resources, and strategies for career conversations.

The online Career Champion program, consisting of interactive asynchronous learning, hands-on reflection, and content application, is designed to provide participants with tools and referral resources for career-related discussions with students. Through the Career Champion program, faculty and staff will:

Learn the components of the career development process.
Increase knowledge of resources available through CPD for undergraduate and graduate students with varying career needs.
Increase confidence in ability to have career conversations with students.
Understand the importance and value of Virginia Tech student reflection on career-related experiences.
Increase awareness of current career trends.

For more information and to register, please read this campus notice or visit the TLOS Professional Development Network page for this program. Registration closes January 24, 2024. Additional question or inquiries may be emailed to the CPD office.

Faculty Affairs: Reminder of guidance on promotion and tenure cases prior to mandatory year

Faculty Affairs reminds academic deans, department heads, and school directors that guidance is available regarding non-mandatory promotion and tenure (P&T) cases.

The guidance memo clarifies that P&T cases do not have to wait until a faculty member’s mandatory year if there is agreement that the faculty member has satisfied all the department’s expectations for P&T. Furthermore, faculty who are being evaluated for promotion and tenure, whether in their mandatory year or in a non-mandatory year, are held to the same standards as described in each department’s or school’s expectations document (see Section 3.4.2 of the Faculty Handbook.)

For more information on this guidance, please read the full memo on the Faculty Affairs website or visit the Promotion and Tenure page for further details. Questions may be emailed to Faculty Affairs.

ICYMI: Registration open for Virginia Tech’s annual Advancing Diversity Gathering

The Office for Inclusion and Diversity invites faculty and staff to attend the 2024 Advancing Diversity Gathering, January 10, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at The Inn at Virginia Tech. The Advancing Diversity Gathering is an annual InclusiveVT touchpoint event that brings together diversity and inclusion stakeholders across the university for sharing best practices and learning from one another.

This year’s keynote speaker is Sumun Pendakur, educator, DEI expert, and member of the Board of Directors for NADOHE, the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. Pendakur's keynote will be followed by a discussion of the significance of the AANAPISI designation at Virginia Tech, led by Nina Ha, director of the APIDA+ Center and Melissa Faircloth, director of the Ati:Wa:oki Indigenous Community Center and Senior Advisor for Native Affairs.

Eight interactive breakout sessions will take place during the afternoon with discussions on topics such as academic leadership, inclusive pedagogy, constructive dialogue, and community resiliency.

For more information or to register for the event, visit the Advancing Diversity Gathering website or email Michele Deramo, associate vice provost of Diversity Education and Engagement. Virtual attendance options are also available.

Additional Resources and Updates

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.