Week of November 20-24

2023

From Provost Cyril Clarke: Offering thanks, support for our colleagues this Thanksgiving

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to thank each of you for your amazing work and your ongoing focus on and dedication to supporting and guiding our students. Through partnerships with and the efforts of our faculty, program support staff, and college and unit leaders, Virginia Tech continues to grow its reputation and position itself as an institution that serves a global community and positively impacts people and places around the world.

Conflicts and tragedies around the world and in our local area have made this Thanksgiving more complicated and somber than most. As President Sands shared in his recent message to the Virginia Tech community, our thoughts and sympathies go out to those who have been impacted by the terrorist attack on Israel and the war in Gaza, and those in our Blacksburg community who continue to mourn the loss of two high school students earlier this month. Please offer them your compassion, empathy, and support during this difficult time and direct them to campus resources if they are in need of additional assistance.

I hope you will take the opportunity during the Thanksgiving break to step away from your work and spend quality time with friends and family. Thank you once again for all you have accomplished this semester, and I look forward to our continued partnership and collaboration in the spirit of Ut Prosim.

Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign: Give thanks by donating to those in need

As our university community looks forward to the upcoming holidays and makes plans to spend time with family and friends, please take a moment to support those less fortunate through the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC). Even a small gift can make a big difference in the lives of others.

The CVC is a voluntary, charitable donation program for state employees. It is an easy and convenient way for employees to support a wide range of not-for-profit health and human services organizations. Employees can designate their contributions to go to specific charities or donate to a general fund. Donations can be made through payroll deduction, check or cash.

This year’s campaign has a university goal of $400,000 and runs until Friday, December 8. Thank you to all those who have donated so far. If you haven’t had a chance, please consider donating. No amount is too small and every dollar counts.

For more information on the CVC and how to donate, please contact your college/unit steering team representative or visit the CVC website.

CETL and Academic Advising Initiatives: Help your students Thank-a-Teacher, Thank-an-Advisor

The Thank-a-Teacher program allows students, alumni, and parents to send a note of appreciation to a faculty member at Virginia Tech. Those faculty with students who are interested in sharing a message of thanks (anonymously or name included) can direct them to the online form and ask them to include one or two sentences expressing their appreciation. The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) will then send the teacher the special ‘thank you’ note.

Academic Advising Initiatives manages the Thank-an-Advisor program that allows students to thank Virginia Tech academic advisors who have gone above and beyond to make a difference in their lives. For faculty with students interested in recognizing an advisor, encourage them to submit a Thank-an-Advisor message (anonymously or name included). Students should access the online form, share a short message of appreciation, and indicate whether it is okay to publish comments on a website or only share privately with the advisor being recognized.

For more information on these programs, read this campus notice or visit the Thank-a-Teacher and Thank-an-Advisor websites.

Division of IT: Helping students prepare for Google storage changes before end of fall semester

The Division of IT continues to address questions and concerns in preparation for the implementation of Google storage changes affecting Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff. One challenge they have faced in this preparation has been reaching students to let them know where and when they need to take action.

The Google project team is asking for assistance from instructional faculty and academic program staff to inform students in their classes of the deadlines for tasks that need to be completed. To that end, the Division of IT has prepared a short video that reviews the most important things students need to bear in mind regarding the Google service changes that will happen over winter break and in early January.

Faculty are encouraged to share a link to (or play) this video in their classes between now and the end of the fall semester as well as adding it to their course information pages in Canvas. The video supports Canvas announcements, digital signs, social media posts, direct email, and campus notices that are already in place.

For more information about upcoming changes to storage, email, and calendar services, visit the license changes website. If you have questions or need help with Google Workspace or another Virginia Tech IT service, contact 4Help.

ICYMI: Teaching, research faculty invited to 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 in 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.

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.