Week of November 13-17

2023

Faculty Affairs: Teaching, research faculty invited to register for inaugural Pop-Up Faculty Club

Virginia Tech teaching and research faculty are invited to the inaugural Pop-Up Faculty Club on Tuesday, December 5 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Data and Decision Sciences Building (727 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg).

Hosted by the Faculty Senate and sponsored by the Office of Faculty Affairs, this casual mix and mingle event will give faculty a chance to get to know colleagues from across campus in an informal setting. Due to limited space, registration is required.

Additional Pop-Up Faculty Club events are planned for various locations/date in the coming year and will be announced soon.

For more information, view the December 5 Pop-Up Faculty Club event registration form or email Faculty Affairs.

TLOS: New generative AI workshops available to faculty, course instructors

Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS) is offering additional generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) workshops focused on helping faculty explore ways to incorporate Gen AI in their courses. Registration is now open for five new workshops that have been added to TLOS’ introductory workshop sessions.

Workshop attendees have the option of participating in hands-on collaborative sessions as well as traditional format workshops. Topics include using Microsoft Bing Chat Enterprise, AI-assisted course design, and enhancing Canvas assessments.

TLOS has curated a collection of recommendations, articles, and case studies to help faculty make decisions about how to manage Gen AI tools in their classrooms. Faculty can join the conversation by submitting the Gen AI community list interest form. List members will receive periodic invitations for meetups and updates on resources and workshops.

A unit of the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, TLOS improves student learning by fostering digital fluency, partnering with faculty to design and develop successful digital learning experiences, and creating technology-enhanced learning environments for flexible and online learning.

For more information, read this campus notice, visit the Professional Development Network website, or email TLOS.

IT Transformation Program: Software procurement streamlined through two new processes

Increased demand for software combined with long wait times and complicated forms spotlighted a need for a customer-friendly, expedited software procurement process. To meet this need, the IT Transformation Program has developed two new software procurement processes:

Expedited procurement of low-risk, low-cost software and IT services
A new procurement operating model and license review process

The low-risk, low-cost process was piloted this spring and has alleviated much of the IT procurement request backlog while delivering an expedited way to satisfy broad demand across the university for low-risk, low-cost software. The pilot process saw the length of time for completion of qualifying procurements reduced from 300 days to an average of eight days.

Going forward, an even larger change is reflected in the new procurement operating model. The new unified approach enables a one-stop procurement experience for university departments, with enhanced transparency, improved communication, and a more consistent customer experience while still completing technical and legal reviews to ensure the safety of university data.

For more information on these new processes, read this VT News article or visit the IT Transformation Program website. A recording of the September information session on IT procurement changes is also available.

Human Resources: Care.com premium access available to full-time faculty, staff

As of November 1, Virginia Tech full-time faculty and staff across all locations will continue to have unlimited, premium access to the Care.com network for finding child care, adult care, pet care, housekeeping, and tutoring. However, as previously announced, the pilot program for backup-care funding and reimbursement is no longer available.

With Care.com premium access, faculty and staff can book short- and long-term care with a wide range of provider types including those with experience assisting children and adults with special needs. All caregivers within Care.com’s network have completed a background check. Employees can search for caregivers, post jobs, purchase additional screening, and pay caregivers in real-time through the platform.

Faculty and staff who previously registered through Care.com will maintain their membership. Those interested in registering may do so online using their Virginia Tech email address.

For more information, read this campus notice or visit the Care.com portal for Virginia Tech employees. Additional questions and inquiries can be emailed to the Care.com Member Care team or Hokie Wellness.

ICYMI: Faculty, instructors invited to take part in December Course Design Clinic

Faculty and instructors planning for their spring 2024 courses are invited to join the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) for its December Course Design Clinic and leave with a plan and syllabus for the spring 2024 semester.

The clinic will take place December 18-19. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. During the two-day clinic, faculty and instructors will be guided through several stages of course design to include:

Identifying goals and learning outcomes
Organizing the syllabus and schedule
Designing individual class meetings, activities, and assignments
Planning for assessment of student learning

Through working with CETL staff, participants will receive guidance on rigorous instructional design, assignment-based assessment, active learning strategies, and inclusive course design. The goal of this clinic is to encourage faculty and instructors to think through the multiple levels of granularity for courses and to complete much of the planning while having instructional experts on hand.

For more information about the December Course Design Clinic, visit the program webpage or email CETL.

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.