Week of November 4-8

2024

From Provost Cyril Clarke: Conversations about outcome of presidential election

Provost Cyril Clarke shared a message this morning with faculty and academic staff about facilitating discussions and classroom conversations on the outcome of the presidential election and his support for engaging in active and respectful dialogue. Here are the highlights of Provost Clarke’s message:

The general election tomorrow provides yet another opportunity to engage in and celebrate our democracy.
Presidential campaigns have expressed divergent views about many aspects of our nation’s past, its current circumstances, and our future aspirations.
I anticipate that when the election results are confirmed, there will be those who will be satisfied with the outcome and others who will be distressed.
Irrespective of who wins or loses, I am confident that both our country and our university will continue to commit to building a prosperous future.
Course instructors and mentors should feel free within the context of their courses and learning goals to facilitate discussions about the election that will enable processing of results and critical thinking.
I have confidence in your ability to facilitate conversions in support of active listening and respectful dialogue.
It is important that mutual respect and constructive dialogue remain central to our efforts to provide a supportive and collaborative learning environment.
Thank you for your continued commitment to these principles and to ensuring every voice and viewpoint is valued.

For the full message from Provost Clarke, visit the provost’s website.

Outreach and International Affairs: Events planned for International Education Week 2024

Observed by universities across the U.S. in mid-November, International Education Week 2024 at Virginia Tech will be held November 11–16, highlighting the power of global engagement and intercultural exchange. The week-long celebration is an opportunity to celebrate Hokies’ diverse backgrounds and to showcase Virginia Tech’s intercultural communities, global connections, and international engagement.

One of the week’s tentpole events is a keynote address by Mary Maker, a South Sudanese refugee, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and education advocate at Elimisha Kakuma, on Thursday, November 14 at the Moss Arts Center.

Other key events include the Council of International Student Organizations’ annual Dance of Nations, on Wednesday, November 13, and a new event called the Hokie Culture Crawl – an opportunity to engage with the Campus Cultural Centers and gain access to exclusive Hokie swag.

The International Education Week 2024 celebration at Virginia Tech is made possible by several generous sponsors. The Cranwell Foundation is the signature sponsor with Outreach and International Affairs as a premier sponsor.

For more information including a detailed schedule of events, read this campus notice or visit the International Education Week website.

TLOS and Division of IT: Protect Zoom meetings by managing AI bots

Artificial Intelligence agents (commonly known as “AI bots”) have grown in popularity, with many vendors offering AI bots that create transcripts and summaries of virtual meetings, record meetings, or monitor meetings in some other way. The presence of bots in Zoom meetings may introduce security risks if personally identifiable information (PII) is shared, or if data is transmitted to a third-party company that does not have a contractual agreement with Virginia Tech.

To avoid potential problems caused by third-party AI bots, Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS) and the Division of Information Technology (IT) recommend using Zoom AI Companion. Zoom AI Companion offers many of the same features offered by third-party bots, is included in Virginia Tech Zoom accounts, and is approved by the university for data security.

Meeting hosts can choose to block unwanted AI bots in Zoom meetings or communicate their expectations regarding the use of AI bots to meeting attendees. Keep in mind that any AI bots should be university-approved software to be allowed in Virginia Tech Zoom meetings.

For more information, read this campus notice. For assistance using and selecting software, contact 4Help.vt.edu, or browse software packages available to students or departments at the Software Service Center.

MAOP: Seeking faculty mentors for MAOP summer research internship

The Multicultural Academic Opportunities Program (MAOP) is currently seeking Virginia Tech faculty mentors for the 32nd Annual Undergraduate Summer Research Internship Program set for May 27, 2025 - July 31, 2025.

The 10-week internship provides underrepresented and underserved students from Virginia Tech and across the United States an opportunity to gain hands-on research experience in their chosen discipline. Several of the students who have participated in MAOP over the years have chosen Virginia Tech for graduate school.

Faculty mentors who participate in the internship benefit in the following ways:

Mentees will spend 30/hours per week in the faculty members lab and/or getting hand-on research experience.
An opportunity to mentor some of the brightest students in the country.
All logistics of the program are handled by MAOP so faculty only need to focus on the research experience for the students
Faculty receive reliable and consistent personnel for ten weeks in the summer which will allow them to continue to focus on their work.

Those who are interested in serving as a mentor this summer should complete the faculty interest form no later than November 15.

For more information on MAOP and becoming a faculty mentor, read this campus notice, visit the Prospective Faculty Mentors website, or email MAOP.

ICYMI: Nominate junior faculty for Research and Innovation’s Proposal Development Institute

The Office of Research and Innovation encourages department heads to nominate junior faculty members for the Proposal Development Institute (PDI), January 16-17, 2025. The two-day program will cover topics related to proposal preparation, spanning from how to interact with program managers to effectively communicating research ideas in proposals.

In-person participation is strongly encouraged but Zoom participation will also be available for those that are unable to be in Blacksburg on those days. Nominations for PDI should be submitted no later than December 13, 2024.

PDI provides a variety of experiences that collectively enhance the ability of tenure-track faculty and research assistant professors to successfully pursue externally funded grants and contracts to support their research and scholarly activities.

The program is funded through a $300 registration fee per participant, which departments will commit to sponsoring by nominating their junior faculty.

For more information or to nominate junior faculty, read this campus notice, visit the Proposal Development Institute website, or email Eleanor Nelsen the names and email addresses of the early career faculty who are being nominated.

Additional Resources and Updates

Newsletter Spotlight: Professional Development Network Monthly Workshop

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.