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Week of June 19-23

2023

Faculty Affairs: New Faculty Welcome set for August 18 at The Inn at Virginia Tech

The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost cordially invites all new Virginia Tech faculty to the New Faculty Welcome on Friday, August 18 from 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center.

The annual event, hosted by Faculty Affairs and with contributions from units across the university, is designed to provide overview information about the university, perspectives from current faculty, and an opportunity to network with colleagues. Separate and different from orientation sessions provided by Human Resources, the program allows new faculty who have joined Virginia Tech between August 10, 2022, and August 10, 2023, to connect with faculty and academic leaders across the campus.

The event is free to attend, but registration is required.

The New Faculty Welcome program also offers breakout informational sessions for Administrative and Professional Faculty and Teaching and Research Faculty. This targeted program content is designed to address the specific needs and interests of the different faculty groups.

In addition to the general welcome session, special sessions for new teaching and research faculty members will be held after lunch on August 18 at the following times:

  • Special Teaching Session for New Faculty, 1:00 – 2:45 p.m. 
  • Special Research Session for New Faculty, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Informational presentations from past years' events and other resources are available on the New Faculty Welcome website. Faculty are encouraged to continue to check this site before and after the event for updated resources.

For more information on the event or registration, please email Leslie Stevens, faculty affairs coordinator for the Office of Faculty Affairs.

Career and Professional Development: Faculty, staff invited to use professional photo booth

Through August 18, Career and Professional Development (CPD) is offering Virginia Tech faculty and staff the opportunity to have a professional photo taken free of charge using the iris photo booth. Available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (NOTE: Smith Career Center is closed from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.), the booth is self-service with a touch screen, high-quality lighting, and camera equipment.

Helpful information and tips:

  • iris is located on the second floor in Smith Career Center (across from McComas) and is wheelchair accessible. 
  • The process takes less than ten minutes. 
  • Dress professionally and be aware that the portrait taken will not include your lower body. 
    • Solid colors work best. Avoid white so you don’t blend into the image background. 
    • If going with a pattern, keep it simple. 
    • Start with a simple shirt or blouse and add layers – scarf, jacket, etc., if desired.
  • You will have the opportunity to make minor photo edits in the booth. 
  • Photos are emailed so you can download for further editing.

Please email Ashley L. Roberts, assistant director of events and marketing in CPD, if you or your department would like to schedule time for professional photos, or if you need assistance or accommodation to use the booth. For more information on this resource, please visit the iris photo booth webpage.

Tech for Humanity: Join colleagues online for inaugural Tech for Humanity Summit

Virginia Tech, through its Tech for Humanity initiative, and New America are co-hosting the inaugural Tech for Humanity Summit (online) on Thursday, June 29 from 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Faculty and staff are invited to register for the online event that will feature discussions between national and global leaders about creating a human-centered and equitable technological future, and the responsibilities we can each assume as individuals and organizations to create that future. The agenda for the summit is as follows:

  • 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Opening Keynote: Shannon Raj Singh, Co-Chair of the International Bar Association's War Crimes Committee and former Head of Human Rights at Twitter 
  • 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Break 
  • 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Panel 1: Strengthening Human Rights and Human Security amid Rising Techno-Nationalism 
  • 3:00 - 3:15 p.m. Break 
  • 3:15 - 3:30 p.m. Tech for Humanity Award and Remarks 
  • 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Panel 2: Equity and Dignity for a Global Workforce in the Age of Automation 
  • 5:00 p.m. Closing Remarks

Participants joining the livestream will have access the keynotes and panel discussions throughout the day. All registrants will receive recordings of all sessions and curated resources following the event.

Tech for Humanity at Virginia Tech is a university-wide effort that emphasizes our role as one of the top human-centered comprehensive universities leading discovery, learning, and engagement to address the societal impact of technological innovation through human-centered approaches.

For more information, please visit the website for the Tech for Humanity Summit or Tech for Humanity at Virginia Tech.

Policy and Governance: Summer reminder of Policy 4815 – Minors at Virginia Tech

As we see an increase in minors on campus during the summer months as a result of various youth camps and events, faculty and academic staff are reminded to refer to Policy 4815: Minors at Virginia Tech which was established to bring awareness to the presence of minors in programs conducted or hosted by the university and to set minimum requirements for the screening and training of individuals working with minors.

The policy was recently revised to reflect the creation of the Virginia Tech Office of Youth Protection, compliance expectations, criminal background screening requirements, and expanded training requirements. The Office of Youth Protection is available to answer questions that faculty and staff may have about planning events, activities, programs, or camps serving minors.

Virginia Tech is committed to the safety and welfare of its students, faculty, staff, and visitors through the establishment of reasonable practices that support a safe and secure environment in all university facilities, as well as to promote safety through policies and programs. If faculty or academic program staff are planning to work with minors or invite them to participate in a program hosted at Virginia Tech, please review carefully the revised policy.

If you have any questions or need more information about Policy 4815 or programs with minors at Virginia Tech, please read this campus notice or email the Youth Protection Associate Specialist.

ICYMI: Updates on phases, timeline for elevating minimum IT security controls

Executive Vice President and Provost Cyril Clarke and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Amy Sebring shared a message with university leaders recently to update them on Virginia Tech’s efforts to elevate safeguards to the Center for Internet Security Critical Security Controls version 8 Implementation Group 2 (CIS IG2) standard.

The following are summary points from their message:

  • The university has successfully met its timeline for completing Phase I of the project which included completion of an enterprise IT asset inventory and the completion of a risk assessment survey. 
  • We greatly appreciate the hard work of many across the university, especially IT professionals in distributed units and the Division of IT. 
  • Two more project phases are now needed to move the university to complete this important project in the IT Transformation program. 
  • Phase II will develop plans of action and establish milestones, on a unit-by-unit basis, for achieving compliance with the CIS IG2 controls across the university. 
  • Updated Deadlines for Phase II, Plan of Action and Milestones: 
    • Units with one or more high-risk systems: February 29, 2024
    • Units with only low-risk, moderate-risk systems: May 31, 2024
  • The IT Security Office will provide instructions and guidance for units to develop outcomes for Phase II no later than August 1, 2023. 
  • Please convey our thanks to all in your organizations who completed the work for Phase I and for their continuing support as we implement Phase II and, later, Phase Ill to achieve full CIS IG2 compliance.

Please read the complete message from Provost Cyril Clarke and EVP-COO Amy Sebring for more information. If you have additional questions on this effort, please email the university's IT Security Office.

Additional Resources and Updates

If you have comments or recommendations for how we can improve the Weekly Communications Update or suggestions for information that should be shared with faculty, staff, and academic program personnel, please provide them through this Google form or email Provost Communications.

Please 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.