VTARA

From: Virginia Tech Police

Each year, as the semester draws to a close, Virginia Tech Police reminds all students, faculty, and staff that by taking basic precautions, one can reduce incidents of theft.

Members of the university community are asked to follow these basic guidelines:

• Lock your residence hall door at all times; never leave the room unlocked even for short periods of time.
• Remove valuables from the common area of your suite when you are not there.
• Never leave books, backpacks, etc. unattended.
• Mark valuables so that they are identifiable.
• Never leave your residence hall window open unless you are in the room.
• Never leave residence hall or apartment doors propped open when moving (it provides easy access for criminals).
• Keep your car locked at all times and remove valuables from sight when parked.
• When loading or unloading, ask someone to stay with your vehicle at all times.
• Notify the Virginia Tech Police Department immediately if you see suspicious activity.
• Call 911 if you witness a crime in progress or have an emergency.

Females only - Sign up for the Virginia Tech Police Department's free self defense class titled, Rape Aggression Defense.

In an emergency, dial 911 from any campus phone.

Program the Virginia Tech Police non-emergency number (540-231-6411) into your speed dial on your cellular phone (911 calls from cellular phones are routed off campus).

Call 231-6411 (for non-emergencies) to report crimes, request outreach programs. You can also call the TIPS line at 232-TIPP to provide information anonymously.

From: Transportation and Campus Services

Litton Reaves Access Road Closure

The access road to the Litton Reaves parking lot from Washington Street will be closed for approximately four weeks beginning Monday, Nov. 30. due to work on the steam lines. Please continue to access the Litton-Reaves Parking Lot from Duck Pond Dr. and Grove Lane.

Both lanes of Washington St. will remain open but the lanes may be shifted slightly. Please use caution when traveling in this area.

For more information or questions please contact Mike Dunn at midunn2@vt.edu or 231-7641.

From: Office of the Vice President for Research

Seminars by Virginia Tech Carilion research institute director candidates available

Video of the seminars of the two finalists for founding director of the research institute of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute (VTC) are available online.

Michael J. Friedlander, the Wilhelmina Robertson Professor and chair of the Department of Neuroscience at the Baylor College of Medicine, presented a seminar on Monday, Oct. 5, on the "Dynamics of functional synaptic connectivity in the cerebral cortex," and spoke briefly on his vision for the VTC partnership. Slides and audio are available at https://admin.na4.acrobat.com/p64708795/. Forward to 2:45 to skip blank spots in the recording.

James O. Hill, professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Colorado, Denver, and director of the National Institutes of Health-funded Center for Human Nutrition, presented a seminar Thursday, Nov. 19, on "Addressing Obesity: Taking advantage of a big problem," and also briefly presented his vision for the VTC partnership. The link for the recorded session is at http://connect.ag.vt.edu/p22427719/. Forward the recording about 4 minutes to skip audience chatter.

From: Ray A. Ali, associate director for field operations

Virginia Cooperative Extension is pleased to announce a Call for Nominations for the 2010 Alumni Association Extension Excellence Awards. Sponsored by the Virginia Tech Alumni Association, the Awards are presented annually to two Virginia Cooperative Extension faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to the people of Virginia through the land-grant mission of the University. Nominees are not required to be Virginia Tech graduates. Nominations may be submitted by alumni, faculty, department heads, directors, and deans. Self-nominations are encouraged. Nominations and supporting materials are due to Ms. Sarah McCoy (115 Hutcheson Hall - 0908, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061) by no later than 5:00 p.m. on January 25, 2010. Award recipients will be presented a plaque and a check for $2,000 at a Fall 2010 ceremony. Further information is available at http://www.cals.vt.edu/ee/index.php/awards/details/alum/.

For more information, contact Ray A. Ali at (540) 231-1247.

From: Office of the University Provost

The university community is invited to review the Selective Mid-term Review of the 2006-2012 University Strategic Plan. Given the dynamic nature of our current financial environment, it was appropriate to review our overall progress and make recommendations for the next three years. Ten teams, each led by a dean, focused their work to conduct a limited review of certain specific goals identified under the Learning, Discovery, and Engagement Domains and two goals under the Foundations Strategies. It was not the intention to use the review as an occasion to substantively revise the current plan. Rather, this review refines and informs future planning. The draft document is posted on the Office of the Provost website. The public review of the document will conclude on December 6, 2009. Please direct questions and comments to Dean Emeritus Mike Kelly.

From: Ed Schwartz, Learning Technology

2010 FDI Computer Selection Showcase

Thursday, December 10, 2009 (Reading Day) - 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
1060 Torgersen Hall - Main Showcase Area
1040 Torgersen Hall - Break-out Sessions

To assist faculty with the computer selection process, FDI has organized an all-day event on Reading Day (December 10, 2009) in Torgersen 1060 and 1040. This showcase will allow FDI participants, their support staff, and other interested colleagues to explore the FDI computer models that are available as part of the upcoming FDI track cycle (spring/summer 2010). This year, faculty can select from multiple configurations of Dell, Fujitsu, HP, and Apple computers. Like last year, desktop, laptop, and Tablet PC models are available. A complete list of these models and options can be found at:

http://www.fdi.vt.edu/summer/2010/logistics/computers.html

As part of this event, not only will these computers be on-hand for you to explore, but Dell, Fujitsu, HP, and Apple will also be sending sales representatives to answer any and all of your detailed questions regarding these machines. There will be formal presentations in room 1040 (schedule below). No appointment is necessary. We hope that you will take this opportunity to visit 1060 Torgersen on Reading Day to test-drive these machines before you make your final FDI computer selection.

Apple Presentation Schedule
Room 1040 Torgersen Hall

MORNING
9:00-10:15 a.m. – Apple Hardware and Snow Leopard - Jayson Bevins
10:30-11:45 a.m. – Technology & Mobility in Education: the Future is Here - Dr. Barry Adams

AFTERNOON
1:00-2:15 p.m. – Mac OS X Snow Leopard for Science and Scientific Computing - Warner Yuen
2:30-3:15 p.m. – Apple Hardware and Snow Leopard - Jayson Bevins
3:30-4:15 p.m. – Technology & Mobility in Education: the Future is Here - Dr. Barry Adams

For more information, contact Ed Schwartz at 231-4975.

From: Michael Hochella, University Distinguished Professor, Chair, Alumni Awards Committee

Alumni Award for Research Excellence call for nominations

On behalf of the Alumni Association, the Office of the Vice President for Research invites you and your faculty to submit nominations for the Alumni Award for Research Excellence. Two awards, with at most one in any college, will be given in the coming year and will be presented at a ceremony in late-August, 2010. Each recipient will be awarded $2000 and a plaque. Individuals who were nominated last year will automatically be considered for an award again this year by the committee, but the nominator is encouraged to update their nominees’ dossiers.

Attached is a description of the award and of the format to be used in submitting nominations. Nominations should be sent electronically to Cindy Montgomery (cindylynn@vt.edu, PDF files preferred) by close of business on December 16, 2009. Please note that the names of three outside referees are required, but it is up to the Alumni Awards Committee to solicit these letters. We will request that these letters be submitted to the Office of the Vice President for Research by close of business on January 31, 2010. The awardees will be chosen no later than February 24. Nominators may contact Cindy Montgomery (cindylynn@vt.edu or 1-6077) by January 31 to confirm that letters of recommendation for their nominees have been received.

Please call this opportunity to the attention of all faculty as soon as possible. Thank you for participating in this important process.

From: University ADA Services

University ADA Services will be hosting a Brown Bag Lunch on Monday, November 30, 2009 from 12-1pm in Torgersen Museum Room 1100. The topic of discussion for this lunch will be Employing People with Disabilities: Policies Performance and Best Practices. The Director of University ADA Services, Jennie Reilly, will be facilitating this presentation. Hope to see you there!

Register here: https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1253029790200

Registration Deadline is November 25th

For those without computer access please call (540)231-4638 to register

If you are a person with a disability and desire assistance or accommodation, please contact the ADA office @ adainfo@vt.edu

Please visit http://www.ada.vt.edu/ for more information

From: University Unions and Student Activities

Undergraduate Man & Woman of the Year Applications NOW AVAILABLE!

Applications for the annual Undergraduate Man & Woman of the Year are now available. Recipients of this award will demonstrate excellence in multiple areas including, but not limited to: outstanding academic grades, academic involvement (for example, research, writing, or creative/artistic expression), campus and/or community involvement, service, athletics, professional awards, and personal achievements in other areas. All candidates must be graduating in May, or December of the year in which the award is given.2. All candidates must have a minimum G.P.A of 3.3.3. A candidate is ineligible if he/she is currently on judicial or military probation. Applications can be found online at http://www.uusa.vt.edu/studentActivities/index.php

For more information, contact Ana Barrenechea at (540) 231-2793.

From: Division of Student Affairs

On Thursday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m., the Black Organizations Council will hold its annual Donning of the Kente ceremony in the Old Dominion Ballroom at Squires Student Center. The ceremony, which celebrates the current accomplishments of graduating students of color and the history of black student achievements at Virginia Tech, is open to the public.

This year’s Donning of the Kente will feature an address by keynote speaker Dr. J.D. Selby-Lucas, the current President of the Black Cultural Center Alumni Advisory Board. This will be accompanied by the traditional adorning of the Kente stole, and a dinner reception.

During the ceremony, participating graduates will be draped in the stripes of Kente, a colorful cloth stole native to Ghana. Though Kente was developed in the seventeenth century by the Ashanti people, it has its roots in a long tradition of African weaving, dating back to about 3000 B.C. The ceremony, often reserved for special occasions or royalty, is a visual representation of history, philosophy, ethics, oral literature, religious beliefs, social values, and political thoughts.

For more information on the Donning of the Kente ceremony, please contact Helene Jones, the events chair for the Black Organizations Council, at joneshe@vt.edu.

Free parking is available in the Squires Lot, located at the corner of College Avenue and Otey Street, or the Shultz Hall Lot, located off Alumni Drive near the North Main Street campus entrance. Find more parking information online or call (540) 231-3200.

More information about upcoming multicultural programs is available at the Multicultural Programs and Services website.

Virginia Tech’s Multicultural Programs and Services is a department within the Division of Student Affairs. The Division of Student Affairs at Virginia Tech encompasses departments dedicated to providing a rich co-curricular experience and essential student services. Virtually every aspect of a student's life outside the classroom is represented through the division's departments.

Written by Chris Gustin.

Various campus offices and entities will either be closed, or operating on adjusted schedules during Thanksgiving break the week of Nov. 23.

No classes are held from Nov. 23 through Nov. 27. The university is open Nov. 23 and Nov. 24, but will close at noon Nov. 25.

• Find out how to submit your Thanksgiving break operational closures and amended hours.

Read information for

• Records Management Services
• Division of Student Affairs
• Dining Centers
• Residence Halls
• Recreational Sports facilities
• University Libraries

From: Records Management Services
Records Management Services will be closed from noon on Wedensday, Nov. 26 until 8:00 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 30.

From: Division of Student Affairs
Division of Student Affairs Winter Break
All departments and offices in the division will close at noon on Wednesday, December 23 and will reopen on Monday, January 4.

From: Division of Student Affairs, dining centers
The dining centers will have abbreviated operation hours Thursday, December 17. Some dining centers will have limited break service available December 18 and January 11-17. All dining centers will resume regular operation hours Monday, January 18. For complete break operation hours for the dining centers, visit www.dining.vt.edu.

From: Division of Student Affairs, residence halls
All on-campus students must check out of their residence halls for winter break within 24 hours after their last exam, and by no later than Friday, December 18 at noon, unless they are directly involved with the university commencement ceremony. Residence halls close for commencement participants Saturday, December 19 at noon. Exceptions apply for registered residents in 10-month housing. The residence halls will reopen Friday, January 15 at noon. For details, visit www.studentprograms.vt.edu/housing/opening_closing.php.

From: Recreational Sports
Updated hours for Thanksgiving break are posted on the Recreational Sports facilities hours Web page.

From: University Libraries
University Libraries will be closed for Thanksgiving from noon, Wednesday, November 25 through Friday, November 27. We will resume regular hours on Saturday, November 29. Extended exam hours will take place December 10, 13-16, during which Newman Library will be open until 2am. During the winter break, the libraries will be closed Thursday, December 24 through Sunday January 3, reopening on Monday, January 4.

From: Office of the Associate Vice President for Facilities

November 20, 2009

From: Office of the Associate Vice President for Facilities Services

Subject: Energy Conservation - Thanksgiving Break

During the week of the Thanksgiving break, we have an opportunity to realize considerable energy savings for the Blacksburg campus. We are requesting that everyone within their respective areas support Virginia Tech’s energy conservation efforts.

Accordingly, Facilities Services will modify the operation schedule of the HVAC (heating, ventilating, air conditioning) systems in many campus buildings or sections of buildings next week. Air handling units in the affected buildings will only operate from 7 am to 5 pm on Monday 11/23 and Tuesday 11/24, from 7 am to 1 pm Wednesday 11/25, and be turned off completely from 1 pm on Wednesday 11/25 until midnight on Sunday 11/29. Beginning at midnight on Sunday 11/29 all air handler operations will return to pre-Thanksgiving Break schedules.

While this may result in building temperatures drifting somewhat below the seasonal target of 68 degrees during times when the building is expected to be unoccupied, substantial savings will be generated as a result of this action. As a safeguard, Facilities Services will be monitoring building temperatures throughout the week and will make adjustments as needed based on weather conditions.

The Facilities Services web site http://www.facilities.vt.edu/ provides a listing of centrally controlled buildings where portions of the HVAC system is scheduled for reduced operations. Please contact Larry Smith in Facilities Services (X1-9921 or lasmith4@vt.edu) if you have any questions or concerns with the modified operations schedule.

Each of us can also take actions that will have a meaningful impact to lower our energy costs and reduce our carbon footprint.

• Windows and doors should be closed and secured.
• Computers, lights, space heaters, and other electrical equipment should be turned off whenever possible.

Collectively, these actions will reduce operating costs and advance the university’s sustainability goals as articulated in the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment.

For more information, contact Vickie Chiocca at 231-4416.

From: College of Engineering

Dennis Hong, an associate professor with the Virginia Tech College of Engineering and director of the Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa), will be a featured speaker at the Nov. 20 TEDxNASA event in Newport News, Va.

TED is a well-known annual event where some of the world’s leading thinkers and doers are invited to share what they are most passionate about. The TEDx events are smaller versions, held in a variety of locations. At its Web site, TEDxNASA organizers said their event will “spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.”

Hong will speak tomorrow from the Ferguson Center for the Arts on the Christopher Newport University campus. “I will be speaking about all the innovative robotics work we do at RoMeLa and how a spark of imagination in the middle of the night, inspiration from nature, and rigorous research lead to innovative robots,” Hong said earlier this week, via e-mail.

The event will be live-streamed over the Web on various formats. Among other speakers at the event is “Tuesdays with Morrie” author Mitch Albom. The speaking engagement, for which Hong was invited, is the latest coup in a stellar year for the robotics researcher. Hong recently was named to Popular Science’s 8th annual Brilliant 10. He also was promoted to associate professor of mechanical engineering and awarded the SAE International’s Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award.

From: Learning Technologies

Blackboard Shutdown Progress on Target

Blackboard is being replaced by Scholar and will no longer be available for course use after August 16, 2010. If you haven't begun the process of moving your Blackboard materials to Scholar, we encourage you to do so before the summer rush.

This semester, approximately 50% of the faculty who were using Blackboard have already switched to Scholar. If you are not in this half, we suggest that you consider taking advantage of the following resources:

1. Workshops regarding Scholar are being offered throughout the fall, and spring 2010 "Blitz Week" sessions are now open for enrollment. To sign up, for either sets of programming, please visit http://www.fdi.vt.edu

2. A "Course Copy Tool" is available that will move your content from Blackboard to Scholar; however, some reorganization is required after this transfer. You can access this tool at https://learn.vt.edu/transition/

Please note that the "Course Copy Tool" will not move tests and quizzes. Online Course Systems (OCS) will do that for you. To request help with quiz migration, please use our help form at http://4help.vt.edu - Those with large sets of question pools are encouraged to contact OCS as soon as possible.

For more information, contact OCS at http://4help.vt.edu.

From: Office of the President

The Spring 2010 Graduate School commencement ceremony will begin 30 minutes earlier than it has in the recent past to facilitate the transition between the Graduate School ceremony and the University Ceremony. That is, the Graduate School ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 14. The procession will begin at 2:15 p.m. Check-in for students and faculty participating in the hooding ceremony will be in the practice gyms on the ground floor of Cassell Coliseum beginning at 1:00 p.m. and ending at 2:00 p.m. Faculty members participating in the procession are requested to arrive at the practice gyms no later than 2:00 p.m.

For more information, contact (540) 231-6231.

From: Virginia Tech Golf Shop

All faculty, staff and students are invited to the VT Golf Shop One-Day Christmas Sale on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 from 8:30AM to 6:00 PM. All merchandise is marked down from 20% - 60%. Apparel items feature the VT logo and make wonderful gifts for the the golfer and non-golfer on your Christmas list. Visit our website for additional information: http://www.recsports.vt.edu/facilities/VTGolfCourse.com

From: Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science

Good Morning,

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) sponsors the Summer Faculty Research Program for U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents who hold teaching or research appointments at U.S. colleges and universities. This program provides an opportunity for faculty members to participate in research of mutual interest to the faculty member and professional peers at U.S. Navy Laboratories. In particular, NSWC Dahlgren is interested in hosting Virginia Tech faculty under this program.

The Summer Faculty Research Program is a 10-week program, beginning in May 2010. There are three levels of appointment: Summer Faculty Fellow, Senior Summer Faculty Fellow, and Distinguished Summer Faculty Fellow. Stipends range from $1,400 to $1,900 per week for the summer program.

Each fellow will be reimbursed for expenses incurred on an optional pre-program visit to the sponsoring laboratory and one round-trip encompassing travel to the sponsoring laboratory at the beginning of the program and travel back to their home residence at the end of the program. Relocation assistance is provided to qualifying participants. At the discretion of the Navy lab, fellows may be allowed to bring a student (undergraduate or graduate) to the lab to assist with the summer research. The students' stipends will be comparable to those in the NREIP Program.

This program is residential and all work must be completed on site at the sponsoring U.S. Navy Laboratory.

Applications for the 2010 ONR Summer Faculty Research Program are due by December 4, 2009.

Additional information and applications are available at: http://onr.asee.org/

Jon Greene
Program Manager
Virginia Tech
Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science ICTAS Building,
Suite 410f (0193) Stanger Street Blacksburg, VA 24061

email: greenej@vt.edu
office: 540-231-8566
mobile: 540-553-5846

From: Transportation and Campus Services

Blacksburg Transit to Begin Christiansburg Service

The Town of Blacksburg and the Town of Christiansburg will launch expanded Blacksburg Transit bus service in Christiansburg on Monday, November 23, 2009 at 9 a.m. This expansion of the existing public transportation system includes three separate routes:

1. The Shopper Express, a circulator around the mall shopping area of Christiansburg 2.The Explorer, a circulator around the central business district and surrounding neighborhoods 3.Go Anywhere! Christiansburg route which provides service from anywhere to everywhere in Christiansburg.

To launch the new service and encourage the public to try it out, there will be games and freebies on Nov. 23 and extended hours and fare free service will be provided through December 31st.

For more information and times of service visit www.btransit.org or call 540-961-1185.

From: Transportation and Campus Services

Mail Services – delivery changes for Nov. 25

Due to the University closing at noon on Wednesday, November 25, Mail Services will only be making morning deliveries.

If you usually receive your mail in the afternoon, you WILL NOT receive your mail that day. If you have mail that needs to be sent out on Wednesday, you can bring it to the Virginia Tech Post Office by 11:00 a.m.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Mail Services at 231-6909 or mailservices@vt.

From: University Unions and Student Activities

Heritage Month Posters displayed on Virginia Tech campus

The office of leadership development in the department of student activities is sponsoring heritage month leadership posters, which will be displayed on campus during designated heritage months. This informative and decorative presentation promotes awareness of different cultures by profiling significant leaders. The heritage month posters are displayed on the third floor of Squires Student Center, on the plasma screens in the Graduate Life Center and Johnson Student Center, and online.

Ana Sofia Barrenchea, assistant director for leadership development programs, coordinates the heritage month leadership poster exhibits. She said, “We want to grab the attention of the Virginia Tech community and introduce them to these leaders and their accomplishments while celebrating their cultural heritage. We hope this will enlighten others about the accomplishments of these populations and their impact on society. We also hope it will help individuals understand that what can be seen as impossible can indeed be achievable and that there is the potential to triumph through adversity.”

During each designated heritage month, the posters highlight important role models, both historical and contemporary, who have made a difference. This fall, Hispanic heritage month was commemorated by showcasing Cesar Chavez, Ellen Ochoa, Gloria Estefan, Louis Walter Alvarez, and Roberto Clemente. The current display, celebrating American Indian heritage, includes profiles of Wilma Mankiller, Jim Thorpe, LaDonna Harris, Maria Tallchief, and Russell Means. In the upcoming months, posters will be displayed for Black history, January 18 to February 28; Jewish awareness, March 16 to April 15; and Asian Pacific American heritage, April 1 to April 30.

The content of the posters is researched by the office of leadership development. The Virginia Tech community is invited to make suggestions for the heritage month leadership posters via email at stuact@vt.edu. For more information about displays and to view leaders profiled in the past, visit the heritage month leadership poster website at http://www.uusa.vt.edu/studentActivities/heritagemonthposters.php.

The department of student activities is part of University Unions & Student Activities (UUSA). UUSA, a unit within the Division of Student Affairs at Virginia Tech, complements the academic program by providing a variety of activities, educational opportunities, programs, facilities, and services that enhance student development and enrich the quality of campus life at Virginia Tech.

Written by Dove Powers, a senior from Haysi, VA, and an English major in the college of liberal arts and human sciences.

For more information, contact Sandy Broughton at (540) 231- 3467.