Week of February 19-23

2024

Reminder to academic departments, instructional faculty: Spring Break is March 2-10

Spring Break 2024 will take place March 2-10. In accordance with the university’s official academic calendar, undergraduate and graduate faculty/instructors are reminded that they should not hold any class meetings, have assignments due, or administer exams during spring break or any other designated student holiday.

The week of Spring Break is important to the mental health and wellness of all Virginia Tech students and faculty should preserve these as non-instructional/assessment days.

Division of IT: Information session on Google and Microsoft service changes set for March 5

To keep Virginia Tech faculty and staff informed of the ongoing changes to Google and Microsoft services, the Division of Information Technology is hosting an online information session (via Zoom) on Tuesday, March 5, from 2:00-3:00 p.m.

The session will include a review of timelines for different roles within the university community and an update on the progress of the Google Workspace Program. There will also be a Q&A period to address questions on topics including the migration of employee email and calendars to Microsoft Outlook and the implementation of individual and Shared Drive storage allocations by departments in Google, which will take place on March 15.

The information session will be recorded and posted on the Resources and Support page. All questions submitted will be answered either during the session or in written form after the session ends.

For more information, read this campus notice or visit the Google and Microsoft Service Changes website. Additional resources for employees are available on the Shared Drives guidance and information webpage.

CETL: 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 2024 semester, the following are available to support the design, development, and implementation of learner-centered instruction.

Adjunct/Contingent Faculty Development Program – Professional development program designed specifically for adjunct/contingent faculty.
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.
Experiential Learning Certificate Program – Explore theory and pedagogy and gain knowledge and skills around best practices for experiential learning.
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 offerings, visit CETL’s Programs webpage or email CETL.

Global Education: Global Learning Course Grants deadline extended for teaching faculty

The Global Education Office, a part of Outreach and International Affairs, has extended the deadline for teaching faculty members to submit proposals for Global Learning Course Grants.

These grants support the creation or revision of home-campus courses that expand undergraduate students’ awareness of and engagement with international and global topics. Grant recipients are expected to use the funds for either incorporating new technologies or putting familiar technologies to innovative use to facilitate personal, active, and challenging intercultural learning.

Virginia Tech faculty can apply for one of two award types within this grant: a program redevelopment award of $3,500 or a new course creation award of $5,000. Between both award types, the Global Education Office will select seven recipients.

Proposals for these award types are now due no later than March 1.

For more information, read this campus notice or visit the Global Education Office website to learn more about the grant and the process for submitting a proposal.

ICYMI: Resource trials through University Libraries available to faculty, staff throughout February

Through its Department of Collections and Technical Services, University Libraries offers trials each semester for databases that currently are not part of our resource collections. With trials, the university can gather feedback from the community about potential new resources before we fully invest in a subscription or a purchase.

University Libraries has arranged trials for several new resources through the end of February that include the following:

Additionally, multiple collections from Bloomsbury are available for use during this period, including the Food Library, Fashion Video and Photography Archives, and the Cultural History collection. Faculty and staff are asked to provide feedback on these resources via the surveys in the description boxes for each of the trials listed.

For more information, read this campus notice or visit the Collections and Technical Services resource trials website.

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.