Week of September 25-29

2023

Provost’s Office and Faculty Senate: Town hall to share results of COACHE survey

Executive Vice President and Provost Cyril Clarke and Faculty Senate President Joe Merola invite Virginia Tech faculty to a town hall presentation on the results of the 2023 COACHE faculty job satisfaction survey.

When: Thursday, October 5, 11:00 a.m.
Where: Latham Ballroom at The Inn at Virginia Tech (a Zoom option will also be available for those who cannot attend in-person)

Virginia Tech faculty participated this spring in the 2023 COACHE survey, run by the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education. The survey measures faculty perceptions of the university, the workplace, the community, and their jobs.

Data from COACHE surveys drives institutional change. Past survey results have informed the development, enhancement, or modification of a wide range of programs and policies. The COACHE town hall offers a starting point for those discussions, so faculty participation is welcome. Light refreshments to follow the in-person town hall presentation.

For more information, read this campus notice or visit the COACHE faculty job satisfaction survey website.

TLOS: Faculty, GTAs invited to take part in Universal Design for Learning Day

Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies’ (TLOS) Accessible Technologies group invites teaching faculty and graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) to participate in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Day on October 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at Newman Library’s Lury and Barbara Goodall Room 101.

This professional learning event will focus on integrating inclusive design, pedagogy, and technology to support diverse learning needs across multiple disciplines at Virginia Tech. Participants will learn strategies and best practices they can leverage to reduce educational barriers and foster student engagement and success.

All attendees will receive a digital badge and faculty will earn eight computer refresh credits. Light refreshments and lunch will be provided. Registration is required.

For more information, read this campus notice or visit the UDL Day website. Individuals with a disability who desire accommodations may request them on the event registration form. For additional questions, concerns, or requests for more information, please email TLOS.

CETL: Developing experiential learning in the classroom through PBL Institutes

For Virginia Tech faculty who would like to engage students with experiential learning opportunities in their classes, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) is offering two PBL Institutes in partnership with institutions nationally recognized for their expertise in experiential pedagogy.

Project-Based Learning Institute – In partnership with WPI’s Center for Project Based Learning, the Project-Based learning institute will offer presentations, workshops, and pedagogical coaching with faculty mentors with extensive experience and expertise designing courses and teaching with projects. The institute includes three, half-day ONLINE sessions the following days and times (registration is required):
- Friday, October 6, 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Friday, October 13, 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Friday, October 20, 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Problem-Based Learning Institute – In partnership with the University of Delaware’s Institute for Transforming University Education, Virginia Tech is launching a new institute focused on problem-based learning. Join experts in problem-based learning pedagogy to design problems to be drivers of learning in your course. The institute includes three, half-day ONLINE sessions the following days and times (registration is required):
- Friday, October 6, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
- Friday, October 13, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
- Friday, October 27, 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

For more information, visit the PBL Institutes website or email CETL.

Reminder: Faculty, staff participation in elections and political activity

Virginia Tech is supportive of all faculty and staff exercising their right to vote and participate in upcoming local, state, and federal elections. While the university encourages civic engagement, all political activity should be kept separate from the workplace. A political opinion should not be shared as a Zoom background, email tag line, poster, or in other forms in the workplace.

Per the university’s Statement of Business Conduct Standards (Professional and Personal Integrity), “Employees must take care to ensure that their university-related activities are kept separate from political activities; it must be clear that they act as citizens in such activities, not as representatives of the university. Further, employees must not use university resources, including computer and network systems and university work time to promote political positions or political campaigns.”

For more information, please refer to the Statement of Business Conduct Standards and the Faculty Handbook (Section 2.25: Political Activity). For questions or concerns, email the HR Service Center or call 540-231-9331.

ICYMI: Requests for Pre-tenure Pandemic Course Relief Program for AY2024-25

The Office of Faculty Affairs is now accepting applications for the Pre-Tenure Pandemic Course Relief Program for academic year 2024-25. Requests for course buyouts are due to department heads, chairs, and school directors by October 16. Completed applications are due to Faculty Affairs from colleges by November 1.

The program is intended to help mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on faculty advancement and provides a one-course buyout in one semester for pre-tenure tenure-track faculty negatively impacted by the pandemic.

The Provost’s Office will provide up to $5,000 in matching funds to the faculty member’s college or department for a one-course buyout to be used prior to their mandatory promotion and tenure year. The goal is to allow additional time for faculty to focus on their research programs as they prepare for promotion and tenure.

For more information and a link to the application form, visit the Pre-Tenure Pandemic Course Relief Program page 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.