Week of July 21-25

2025

TLOS and CRCPE: ADA Title II compliance target date announced, resources available

Virginia Tech’s Office for Civil Rights Compliance and Prevention Education (CRCPE), in coordination with Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS), emphasize that all employees, including teaching faculty, are responsible for ensuring that the materials they create, share, or use, in any format, are accessible to people of all abilities no later than April 24, 2026.

As part of this effort, the Title II resources webpage has been created and serves as a central hub for tools, training, and support to assist faculty and staff in meeting these obligations. Key features of the webpage include:

For nearly a decade, Virginia Tech has promoted accessibility education and the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL guides educational practices and ensures high-quality learning experiences by considering the needs of diverse learners and removing common learning barriers from the educational curriculum.

For more information, read this campus notice, visit the Title II resource webpage, or contact 4Help.vt.edu with questions or to request training support.

Research and Innovation: Federal funding for research conversation in the D.C. area

Northern Virginia-based faculty and staff are invited to join Dan Sui, senior vice president for Research and Innovation, and other members of Virginia Tech’s research and innovation leadership team for a conversation on the current landscape of federal funding and its impact on our research enterprise.

The discussion will take place at Academic Building One in Alexandria, August 5 from 9:00-10:00 a.m. Registration is required.

During the event, Research and Innovation leadership will also discuss potential policy and priority changes and university plans for maintaining a vibrant, impactful research and innovation ecosystem.

For more information and to register, read this campus notice or visit Research and Innovation’s Events webpage.

Provost’s Office: Celebrate internship programs, partners during Virginia Intern Day 2025

Virginia Tech is joining with SCHEV, Virginia colleges and universities, and partner companies and organizations across the commonwealth to celebrate Virginia Intern Day 2025 (VID) on July 31. VID is an opportunity to recognize employers who provide robust internship programs that benefit our future leaders and highlight our interns’ pivotal contributions to our ever-changing workforce.

Through Virginia Tech’s commitment to provide students with ways to learn through place-based opportunities, we celebrate our programs and initiatives that help to advance the university’s strategic plans to engage students in internships and similar career-related experiences. These include, but are not limited to:

Along with these university-wide programs, each college offers information and a variety of opportunities and resources to support students seeking internships and engagement with partner companies and organizations.

For more information on Virginia Intern Day, visit the VID website.

Parking Services: 2025-26 parking permits for faculty, staff go on-sale July 23

Faculty and staff annual, semester, evenings only, and remote parking permits for the 2025-26 academic year will go on sale July 23. Permits will be mailed beginning August 1 and are valid from the time of purchase until August 31, 2026.

Current permits for 2024-25 will expire on August 31.

Faculty and staff who wish to use their new 2025-26 parking permit to access the North End Center Garage or any of the gated lots on the Blacksburg campus before September 1 will need to email Parking Services or call 540-231-3200. Only one parking permit can be active at a time, so the 2024-25 permit will be deactivated before the new permit is activated.

Purchase permits online or in person at 505 Beamer Way on the Blacksburg campus. For online, login with your PID and password using 2-Factor Authentication.

For more information including a list of FAQs, read this campus notice or visit the Virginia Tech Parking Services website.

ICYMI: Summary of key changes to the 2025-26 Faculty Handbook

Each academic year, Faculty Affairs updates and publishes the Faculty Handbook on behalf of the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost and the Faculty Senate. The handbook serves as a guide for faculty in relation to their responsibilities and to other university policies, procedures, and resources that pertain to them.

In addition to several administrative updates, the 2025-26 Faculty Handbook includes substantive changes that were approved through the governance process and by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors. The revised sections are as follows:

Section 1.1.12 Faculty Organizations (CFA 2024-25K)
Section 2.2.4 Non-Discrimination, Harassment Prevention, Sexual Assault (CFA 2024-25D)
Section 2.3.2 (and throughout) Faculty Reconciliation (CFA 2024-25H)
Section 3.2.2 University Distinguished Professors (CFA 2024-25B)
Section 5.1.4 Clinical Faculty Series (CFA 2024-25A)
Section 6.1.2 Postdoctoral Associate (COR 2024-25A)
Chapter 12: Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (CFA 2024-25J)

This year’s handbook also includes an overview, and a letter from the provost and the president of the Faculty Senate and chair of the Commission on Faculty Affairs.

For more information and details on the approved revisions, read the summary of changes memo or email Faculty Affairs.

Additional Resources and Updates

Newsletter Spotlight: Focus on Research (Research and Innovation)

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.