Welcome to the Computer Science Department @ Va Tech. This page contains a list of resources for entering CS grad students.
Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) assist faculty in the department in the teaching mission, with assignments including laboratory teaching, grading of examinations, problem sets and/or lab assignments, setting up lectures/laboratory sections, and preparing/maintaining laboratory equipment. GTAs gain valuable professional experience for their future career.
Online Fall New CS GTA application, (closes August 17, 2018).
Students awarded a GTA position will receive an email message with the course GTA offer information. New entering CS graduate students needing funding should be aware that GTA positions are typically first awarded to continuing CS grad students.
GTAs are required to attend (and you will be enrolled in) the Grad School GTA Workshop in the first semester of their teaching appointment.
Attend CS Department Grad Student Orientation session: Thursday August 16 at 2:00PM in McBryde Hall room 113. (Only new CS grad students are required to attend.)
CS Grad orientation notes (old notes, will be updated soon)
Course Management Systems (CMS)
Canvas (the primary CMS @ VT)
Excel
Many instructors use Microsoft Excel for grade management. If you need to learn Excel, online training is available for free to VT students through Lynda.com whose tutorials are licensed by Va Tech. To obtain access log on using your VT email PID (without the "@vt.edu") and your VT email password and access the Lynda Excel tutorial.
Software
VT has site liscences for many software products and reduced pricing:
Academy for Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Excellence
Presentation Kiosk Access: If you need access for lab teaching or otherwise request your supervising CS faculty member to setup access for you through VT Classroom A/V Services.
Every employee/student must have a VT PID (Personal IDentification) account to access VT systems. Click this link and follow the instructions and obtain and activate your VT PID. After activation you will need to setup two-factor authentication.
To access the CS Dept intranet you will need a CS SLO (Single LogOn) account. Use this link to create your CS SLO account .
CS Department room reservations and equipment can be requested at the CS Dept intranet web site.
UPC (Undergrad Program Comm.) full course proposals/descriptions are available through the Course Descriptions link.
Departmental email account can be manged through the My Account link.
Course web page (http://courses.cs.vt.edu/csXXXX) access can be obtained through the My Account>Course Pages link. Click on a course link and use the Add User field to get FTP access: ap1.cs.vt.edu.
Techstaff: the CS techstaff can be emailed for help: techstaff@cs.vt.edu
The Techstaff maintains a wiki site with useful system documentation & HowTo guides.
All International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) who will be teaching in labs or classes may be required to pass the TEACH or SPEAK test.
Signup information for the TEACH test is available online.
All GTAs are required to complete and submit the FERPA form. The form can NOT be submitted electronically. You must print the form, complete it, sign it and physically turn it in to the secretary in McBryde Hall room 114. (If you have previously been a GTA and have already submitted a FERPA form you do NOT need to do so again.)
All Va Tech employees are required to complete Title IX and Retaliation training. The sexual harassment of students and sexual violence involving students are forms of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX and university policy. The training explains Title IX’s focus on sexual harassment, sexual violence and the prohibition against retaliation for participating in a discrimination investigation or complaint. Learn how to support students, satisfy your compliance responsibilities under Virginia Tech’s policy and ensure that actions are not taken to retaliate against someone for bringing or participating in an investigation. (If you have previously been a GTA and have already completed the Title IX Training follow the logon instructions below. If your prior Title IX training expites during the semester you will need to complete it again. The Title IX training must be renewed every two years.)
There is an online Title IX and Retaliation training course that all CS GTAsMUST complete before the end of the month in which they begin their employment. The online training takes approximately 90 minutes. Y
Logon to training.vt.edu using your VT email PID and password.
Select the "View by Category" option at the top of the page.
Select "Department of Human Resources (HR)" and click "Go!"
Select "Compliance Workshop: On-Demand Module"
Read the instructions provided on the left-hand side carefully. After you do that, select "Click Here to Register" on the right-hand side then click "Next Step".
Fill out the information (include "@vt.edu" in your e-mail address on this page) and click "Submit Registration"
You will receive an e-mail with further registration options, (VT HR is using an outside company to host this training). You will need to use your VT e-mail address and 9-0# when registering for at this training website so VT HR will get accurate information on when you completed the training.
Once you complete the training, VT HR will be informed and update your information to indication your completion. Be aware though, is that VT HR will also be informed of how many slides you completed and how fast you completed the training. If VT HR doesn't deem that you "put enough effort" into the training module, they will not mark it as complete and you won't get credit!
Be aware that in your duties as a GTA you may have access to other students' grades and academic work. Note that you will have a legal obligation, (as do all people who work for the university), to maintain the strict confidentiality of any students' grades and work. As policy, student data must NOT be downloaded for permanent storage. Only temporary download of student data is allowed as necessary for the entry/updating of students' grades. All student data will only be stored on the course servers or instructor's computer.
NEVER download student data to external data mediums, (USB flash drives, etc.)!
NEVER identify students by their full name and VT ID number via email or in documents.
Return all hardcopies of student data to supervisor(s) at the end of the semester for destruction.
When deleting temporarily downloaded students' data from your computer you must use file shredding software to ensure permanent deletion of the data:
MS Windows: File Shredder
Mac OSX: Shredder
Read the GTA Survival Guide written by Mr. McQuain.
Resources for Instructional GTAs
Reporting a Student Concern: First contaact the course instructor! The Student Advocacy Team, within the Dean of Students Office, serves as support for faculty and staff in working with students that may require intervention. Contact the Student Advocacy staff at 540-231-3787, dean.students@vt.edu or visit 109 East Eggleston Hall.
Identifying the Distressed Student: Faculty guidelines as prepared by Cook Counseling Center is available on their website, http://www.ucc.vt.edu/faculty_information/index.html
Emergency Preparedness: The Office of Emergency
Preparedness has provided a flyer. The information has been updated from last
year. Please review and maintain with your classroom resources. The flyer
provides information so you may make informed decisions in your classroom in
case of emergencies:
http://www.registrar.vt.edu/documents/Preparedness_Document.pdf
Classroom Locks
If you are teaching in a general assignment classroom you will notice corridor locks/handles on the classroom doors. A general assignment classroom is a centrally scheduled classroom (170 of the approximately 225 instructional spaces). These locks (known as "corridor locks") are designed so occupants can lock the door from the inside the room in times of emergency. Please be aware that this lock requires that the door be closed prior to locking. If you engage the lock while the door is open, the lock will disengage when you close the door. Simply moving the handle from the inside of the door will release the lock and allow exit. Also, please keep in mind that emergency and security personnel have key access to all the doors. There are some instructors who wish to lock their doors as standard procedure. We urge you to use caution for a very practical reason: you should consider the implication for students arriving late to class. Check with your coures instructor if you have questions.
Audio Visual Services
Classroom Support (AV) is a unit in Enrollment and Degree Management, http://www.classroomav.vt.edu. Card readers allow equipment access via your HOKIE PASSPORT. REGISTRATION is required. Visit this link to complete registration and receive access: https://register.classroomav.vt.edu/. Information on classrooms, including how to use the classroom equipment is available at this link: http://www.classroomav.vt.edu/equipment/index.html.
| © 2018 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | updated: 2018.07.10 barnette@vt.edu |