Week of November 18 - 22

2024

Office of the President: Northeastern President Joseph Aoun to speak on AI, future of higher ed

Virginia Tech President Tim Sands invites the university community to join him in welcoming Northeastern University President Joseph Aoun, author of Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, for a conversation on the future of higher education and how universities can prepare students to succeed in a world of AI and automation.

The public event, part of Virginia Tech’s Presidential Speaker Series, will be on Thursday, November 21, from 1:15-2:15 p.m. in Commonwealth Ballroom of Squires Student Center. No registration is required, and those who wish to attend remotely can do so through the Presidential Speaker Series webpage.

A “robot-proof” education, Aoun argues, is not concerned solely with topping up students’ minds with high-octane facts. Rather, it calibrates them with a creative mindset and the mental elasticity to invent, discover, or create something valuable to society—a scientific proof, a hip-hop recording, a web comic, a cure for cancer. Aoun lays out the framework for a new discipline, humanics, which builds on our innate strengths and prepares students to compete in a labor market in which smart machines work alongside human professionals.

For more information on this event, read this campus notice, email Eleanor Webster in the Office of the President, or call 540-267-6749.

CETL: Faculty preparing for course instruction invited to attend Winter Course Design Clinic

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) invites faculty preparing for future course instruction to attend the Winter Course Design Clinic on January 15-16, 2025 in the Goodall Room at Newman Library.

During the Winter Course Design Clinic, activities will focus on identifying areas of both strength and weakness in existing course design, incorporating engaging pedagogy, identifying moments to check in with students, and building a stronger community and sense of belonging. The clinic looks at stages of design to include:

Aligning goals and learning outcomes with activities and assessments
Organizing the course shell, syllabus, and schedule
Designing individual class meetings, activities, and assignments
Planning for assessment of student learning

Keynote Speaker Xinghua “Ray” Gao, assistant professor for Construction Engineering and Management at the Myers-Lawson School of Construction, will share strategies for student engagement, participation, and a positive classroom environment as well as insights on effective teaching as a tenure track faculty.

For more information and to register for the event , read this campus notice, visit the Winter Course Design Clinic webpage, or email CETL.

Division of IT: Participants needed for next-level Microsoft 365 Copilot AI tool trial

As the Division of Information Technology (IT) evaluates possible generative AI options for the university, they are embarking on a limited trial of Microsoft 365 (M365) Copilot. While the baseline Copilot tool is already offered at Virginia Tech, M365 Copilot is a separate generative AI tool that integrates with the M365 suite and is designed to boost productivity when using products including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, and more.

The trial program can accommodate 100 full-time employees and will last approximately three months. Those applicants selected for the program will:

Receive access to a temporary M365 Copilot license during the trial period
Engage with M365 Copilot daily to help the university assess its benefits
Be able to use this license for work purposes
Participate in weekly user training sessions
Provide feedback to the program regarding this experience

It is important that trial participants commit to using M365 Copilot regularly during the assessment period and are already familiar with using the M365 suite.

To apply, please fill out this form by November 20.

For more information about the M365 Copilot AI tool trial, read this campus notice or email Collaborative Computing Solutions.

Board of Visitors: Quarterly board, committee meetings to take place November 18-19

The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors (BOV) will hold its quarterly meeting on Tuesday, November 19, at 1:15 p.m. in 2100 Torgersen Hall, 620 Drillfield Drive on the Blacksburg campus.

On Monday, November 18, an information session for board members will start at 9:30 a.m. in Latham Ballroom A/B at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center. Committee chairs will meet in open session on Tuesday, November 19 at 7:30 a.m. in the Old Guard Room at The Inn at Virginia Tech.

Individual committee meetings will be held November 18 and 19 at The Inn at Virginia Tech. During these meetings, board members will consider resolutions to approve two new graduate degrees: a Master of Science in water resources and a Master of Arts in education, reading, and literacy.

The information session and the full board meeting will be livestreamed. To view either meeting online, visit the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors website.

For more information including topics on the agenda and a schedule of committee meetings, read this campus notice or visit the BOV website. If you encounter any issues with the livestream, call Virginia Tech 4-Help at 540-231-2280.

ICYMI: Recent updates to University Policy 1070-Global Travel Policy

Virginia Tech, through the Global Education Office (GEO) and the Global Travel Oversight Committee (GTOC), has updated Policy 1070: Global Travel Policy to continue to provide support to faculty, staff, and students taking part in university-supported travel outside of the United States.

What is new in Policy 1070:

Travelers are now required to report incidents while abroad using Global Safety and Risk Management as a one-stop-shop for reporting requirements and support. Incidents include, but may not be limited to injury, illness, damage to university property, robbery, burglary, vehicle accidents, assault, harassment, and arrest.
More clarity in what is considered a “high risk” destination.
Improved support for faculty planning non-credit or co-curricular student travel.
Updated list of definitions.

Fiscal personnel, business managers, departmental leadership, and anyone who engages in university-supported international travel should familiarize themselves with the recent updates to Policy 1070.

For more information on GEO support and resources, read this campus notice, visit the Global Safety and Risk Management website, or refer to Policy 1070.

Additional Resources and Updates

Newsletter Spotlight: Women’s Center at Virginia Tech

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