Week of September 29-October 3

2025

Research and Innovation: Monitoring potential federal shutdown, impacts on sponsored activity

Virginia Tech is closely monitoring developments in Washington, D.C. to evaluate the likelihood of a federal government shutdown at midnight on September 30.

Research and Innovation and the Office of Sponsored Programs have developed a webpage to provide up-to-date information and guidance on what a U.S. government shutdown would mean for research activity. The webpage includes frequently asked questions and contacts for pre-award and post-award questions.

Researchers should continue to work on their grants and contracts unless their agency or program officer advises them otherwise. Faculty should keep in close touch with their post-award administrator grants/contracts administrator and check the new webpage for the latest information.

For more information, updates, and guidance on this matter, visit the Potential Federal Government Shutdown and Sponsored Activity webpage.

Student Affairs: Call for proposals for fall 2026 Living-Learning Programs, invite to info sessions

Student Affairs and the Office of Living-Learning Programs invites faculty and departments to submit a Living-Learning Program (LLP) proposal for communities that will launch fall semester 2026.

Virginia Tech LLPs are intentional communities where students make powerful connections between their academic and residential environments. Through academic partnerships, LLPs allow students to find individuals with similar interests; establish personal, professional, and academic networks, which support their success; and create a place they call home.

Information sessions and registration for interested faculty and departments:

Monday, October 6 - 3:00-4:00 p.m. (in-person) Location: Ambler Johnston Senior Common Room (location details will be sent after registration)
Tuesday, October 21 - 5:00-6:00 p.m. (Zoom)

To ensure enough time to launch high quality programs, proposals are due on November 3. Final selection notifications will be sent by December 2.

For more information and to register for an information session, read this campus notice, visit the LLP Program proposals webpage, or email Jamie Penven.

Research and Innovation: Nominate early career faculty for the Proposal Development Institute

Research and Innovation encourages department heads to nominate early career faculty for the Proposal Development Institute (PDI), January 15-16, 2026.

The two-day program provides a variety of experiences designed to enhance the ability of early career tenure-track faculty and research assistant professors to successfully pursue externally funded grants and contracts in support of their research and scholarly activities.

PDI is funded through a small fee ($350) per selected participant, which departments and programs will commit to sponsoring by nominating their faculty members.

For more information on PDI, the program schedule, and nomination process, visit the PDI webpage or email Eleanor Nelsen in Research and Innovation.

BOV: Virtual meeting on four-year athletics budget adjustment set for September 30

The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors will meet in special session on September 30 at 9:30 a.m. During the meeting, board members will consider a four-year athletics budget adjustment that would position the university’s athletics program to compete with the top programs in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

If approved, the proposed total additional investment would be $229 million over four years, which is intended to bridge funding to reach a sustainable financial position by FY2029. This amount includes both internal and external sources of funding.

This meeting will be livestreamed. Information for the public to watch the virtual meeting may be found on the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors website.

For more information on this special BOV session, read this campus notice.

ICYMI: Provost message on civil discourse and role of faculty as scholars, citizens, and role models

Provost Cyril Clarke recently shared a message with the academic community on civil discourse, and the role of faculty and the university that, at its core, is a place where ideas are shared, debated, and tested. Here are the message highlights:

Civil discourse and respectful disagreement are not only welcome here at Virginia Tech, they are essential to who we are.
In times of controversy and division, we have a special obligation as scholars, colleagues, and citizens to listen with openness, engage with respect, and make room for perspectives that differ from our own.
As faculty, we enjoy academic freedom in teaching and research, which is essential to the advancement of knowledge and the education of our students.
We also hold the same First Amendment rights as other citizens when acting in our personal capacity. These rights are fundamental, but they also carry important obligations.
While faculty may exercise their First Amendment rights as private citizens, those expressions must be balanced with professional responsibilities.
Navigating this tension requires judgment, care, and awareness of our dual roles as both private citizens and members of a scholarly community.
Polemical statements on social media, particularly on socially charged issues, rarely manage this balance well.
We must also remember that as faculty we serve as role models for our students who look to us not only for subject-matter expertise but also for examples of how to engage in civil discourse.
I encourage all of us to return often to our Principles of Community, which remind us that we are committed to mutual respect and human dignity.
Thank you for sharing this message and for your leadership in helping us maintain a university environment where scholarship and learning thrive.

Read the full message from Provost Clarke.

Additional Resources and Updates

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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.