Week of February 10-14

2025

From Provost Cyril Clarke: Update on potential impacts of executive orders

Provost Cyril Clarke shared a message with faculty last week on recent executive orders and federal directives that impact our educational and research missions. Here are summary points from that message:

University leaders are in the process of studying a number of memorandums, proclamations, and executive orders issued over the past few weeks.
Of particular interest are those that pertain to DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and foreign aid.
Last fall, the university moved to strengthen InclusiveVT by reorganizing central university functions to enhance educational environments.
We will continue our work in this area in compliance with the law and with guidance from the Board of Visitors.
Regarding foreign aid, a number of federal grants have received stop-work orders, including projects funded by USAID.
We are in the process of identifying projects at risk and expect to work with PIs to formulate plans for addressing each project on a case-by-case basis.
Although a freeze on federal projects was recently rescinded, faculty are encouraged to hold back on expenditures that may not be essential to the conduct of the research at this time.
Our commitment to upholding the First Amendment rights of our community and related academic freedom has not wavered.
We will continue to protect freedom of expression irrespective of viewpoint in accordance with legal limitations related to time, manner, and place.
President Sands has established a working group to monitor, analyze and develop strategies to address the situation. We will update you periodically as further information becomes available.

Read the full message on the provost’s website. Updates on federally sponsored grants and contracts can be found on the Research and Innovation website.

Division of IT: Be judicious when sharing university data with publicly available AI tools

As generative AI tools gain a greater presence, it is important to consider the potential security risks of using these tools, as well as their potential benefits, and to follow best practices to protect data, your privacy, and the privacy of others.

The Division of IT asks that members of the university community not share any personal, sensitive, or high-risk data in publicly available AI platforms (e.g. ChatGPT.com, DeepSeek.com). To mitigate risk, sensitive data should only be shared within appropriate, secure platforms, or per university guidelines.

Several resources are available to help the Virginia Tech community navigate their use of generative AI at the university effectively and responsibly:

AI Tips & Tools from your librarians (University Libraries)
Considering Generative AI at Virginia Tech (TLOS)
Guidance: Using Artificial Intelligence During Research Activities (Research and Innovation)
Recorded Microsoft Copilot training session

For more information, read this campus notice. For information about what constitutes low vs high-risk data, see the Virginia Tech Risk Classification Standard.

Faculty Affairs: Virginia Tech Faculty Mentoring Forum set for March 5

Faculty Affairs is pleased to announce the 2025 Virginia Tech Faculty Mentoring Forum, March 5 from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at The Inn at Virginia Tech.

Designed as a day-long conference style event, Virginia Tech academic faculty and administrators will gather to share effective mentoring strategies, explore issues and challenges, and develop actionable solutions to support faculty professional growth.

The forum will be comprised of concurrent sessions focused on mentoring and mentorship led by university colleagues representing various disciplines and interests. Two keynote sessions will feature mentoring experts:

Dr. Karen Cardozo, founder, Leap Here Consulting and Lecturer - University of Massachusetts Amherst
Dr. Tracy Smith, director of Faculty Mentoring and Career Support - Appalachian State University.

The forum is free to attend, but registration is required. A full schedule of sessions will be released soon.

For more information on the forum and registration, email Barbara Lockee, associate vice provost for Faculty Affairs.

Government and Community Relations: Take the Partnership for Progress Survey

Partnership for Progress is an innovative initiative bringing together key stakeholders from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Montgomery County, and the New River Valley Regional Commission to create a visionary, actionable roadmap for the region’s future.

Faculty and staff in the region are invited to share their experiences of living and/or working in the community to help shape this vision via an online survey. Responses will provide valuable insights to guide the work of Partnership for Progress in understanding and addressing the unique needs and aspirations of our community.

The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete, and all answers are anonymous. Participant input will help in the planning and designing of recommendations to actualize our shared vision for the future.

For more information, read this campus notice, visit the Partnership for Progress website, or email Partnership for Progress.

ICYMI: Programs, workshops to support faculty in enhancing teaching strategies

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) supports Virginia Tech faculty in advancing research-based teaching and learning design and strategies through certificate programs, learning communities, and workshop offerings.

Throughout the spring 2025 semester, the following are available to support the design, development, and implementation of learner-centered instruction.

Book Clubs – Investigate topics of interest in teaching and learning.
Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) – Professional development opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral associates seeking to gain teaching-related knowledge and skills.
Communities of Practice – Explore topics relevant to your teaching experiences, interests, and needs with fellow Virginia Tech faculty.
Principles of Effective Teaching (PET) Certificate Program – An opportunity for faculty to engage in and develop substantive knowledge and skills.
Project-Based Learning – Learn about project-based learning at Virginia Tech.
Workshops – Designed to foster teaching and learning knowledge and skills.

For more information and to register for these and other offerings, visit CETL’s Programs webpage or email CETL.

Additional Resources and Updates

Newsletter Spotlight: Moss Arts Center: Performances, Exhibitions, and Events

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.