1. AETNA STUDENT MEDICAL INSURANCE ENROLLMENT FAIR
This week and next week the Student Medical Insurance Office will have a temporary office in the main lobby of the GLC to assist graduate students with questions and enrollment for the 2011-2012 Aetna student health insurance plans. The stations will be staffed as follows:
- Tue, Aug 16: 1-5pm
- Wed, Aug 17: 8-5
- Thu, Aug 18: 8-5
- Fri, Aug 19: 1-5
- Tue, Aug 23: 8-12
- Wed, Aug 24: 1-5
- Thu, Aug 25: 8-12
2. GSA WELCOME BACK BBQ!
Wednesday, Aug 17, 4:00-7:00pm, University Club Lawn
Start the semester off right with the Welcome Back BBQ sponsored by the Graduate Student Assembly! Meet new and returning students while enjoying some yard games and music with free BBQ (vegetarian options available) from Log Cabin BBQ. Questions: Contact Amanda Shea. Please note that you may have received a pink flyer earlier that erroneously listed the BBQ for Tuesday. The correct date is Wednesday, Aug 17.
3. HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATION SESSION
Wednesday, Aug 17, 6:15pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
Aetna Student Health is the new health insurance carrier for the 2011-2012 academic year. Learn about the available plans, what they cover, and how you can enroll. Click here to enroll in the university-sponsored health insurance online. Graduate students (GA’s, GTA’s and GRA’s) eligible for the health insurance subsidy should choose a “subsidy plan” and should show a $0 balance when completing the enrollment process.
4. HEALTH SERVICES AND INFORMATION SESSION
Thursday, Aug 18, 1:00pm, GLC Room C
Representatives from Aetna Student Health and Schiffert Health Center will discuss how to enroll in the university-sponsored insurance, what the plan covers, and what services are offered at the health center. This session will be repeated on Wednesday, Aug 24, at 5:00pm, when free pizza will also be served.
5. MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME IN BLACKSBURG
Thursday, Aug 18, 4:30-6:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
This event replaces this week’s GLC Café: New and returning students are welcome to connect with faculty, staff, and community resources that can help you succeed in graduate school and maintain a healthy life balance. Food and fun (and practical) door prizes provided! Please sign up here if you plan to attend. Contact Dannette Beane with any questions.
6. GRADUATE STUDENT ORIENATION
August 19, 9:00-11:00am, GLC Auditorium
Our welcome event for new students filled with valuable information to help you get started in your graduate studies at Virginia Tech. Meet the Graduate School Dean, members of the Graduate School and Graduate Student Assembly. Learn what is expected from students and faculty and gain helpful tips for a successful graduate career. Light breakfast refreshments will be served from 8:30am in the Multipurpose Room.
7. FRESHER’S PARTY 2011: DHOOM MACHALE
Saturday, Aug 20, 5:30pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
The Indian Student Association invites you to its fresher’s party: get ready to rock and roll on the Bollywood-Hollywood dance floor as the freshers make their way through to the Mr. & Miss ISA contest. Indian snacks will be provided. The menu for the event includes Tandoori Chicken, Paneer Pakora, Dhokla, Dahi Vada and Mango Lassi. Dress code: Any western Party Dress. Purchase tickets here.
8. DRAGON’S TOOTH HIKE AND HOMEPLACE VISIT WITH OCVT
Sunday, Aug 21, 2:00pm, meet in Squires Parking Lot (next to GLC)
The Outdoors Club of VT (OCVT) will lead a small group up the nearby Dragon’s Tooth peak on the Appalachian Trail, about a 40 min drive from campus. Following this 5mi (9km) round-trip hike, the group will head to the Homeplace Restaurant for some all-you-can-eat Southern style buffet dinner. This hike is one of the most-traveled in the area and is accessible to anyone who can walk 5 miles and climb up two ladder rungs. The restaurant is also a “must-see” for any Tech student with Southern cuisine: fried chicken, ham, roast beef, apple-butter biscuits, mashed potatoes, etc (not vegetarian friendly). Join the group to meet some fellow grads and find out about other hikes, camping trips, and events planned for the coming year by the Outdoors Club. The group will carpool as much as possible, so let Ben Freedman know if you can drive or if you have questions or want to participate. Wear sturdy tennis shoes, light hikers, or good walking shoes and carry 1-2 l of water (required) and a light lunch to keep you energized on the hike up; $15 for the Homeplace, and $1-2 for the drivers to help with gas.
9. PARKING PERMIT PAYROLL DEDUCTION NOW AVAILABLE FOR GRAD ASSISTANTS
Graduate assistants (GAs, GTAs and GRAs) are now able to purchase the parking permits using payroll deduction. This new program allows qualified students* to purchase permits with pre-tax dollars and spread the cost over the duration of their assistantship appointment (maximum 17 pay periods). The amount deducted from each payroll will be determined by the time frame of the appointment set in Banner by the hiring department. To purchase this permit, students must go in person to the main Parking Services Office at 455 Tech Center Drive. This option is not available online. *The hiring department must enter the position into Banner prior to being able to enroll in the pre-tax permit deduction program. *This program is only available to graduate assistants whose appointment begins in the fall semester. For more information please contact Parking Services.
10. PAYROLL DEDUCTION OF COMP FEES FOR GRADUATE ASSISTANTS
It is not too late to enroll in payroll deduction of your comp fees if you are on a graduate assistantship! Graduate students on assistantship appointment may pay their comprehensive and capital fees through payroll deduction during the fall and spring semesters. To be eligible for this program, students must commit to paying the full-time comprehensive and capital fees through payroll deduction. Enrollment is managed through Hokie SPA and students must sign up _each_ semester in which they wish to take advantage of this opportunity. Learn more>>.
11. VERIFY YOUR IN-STATE CLASSIFICATION STATUS NOW!
Please review your student status in HokieSPA and your e-bill from the Bursar to make sure that you in-state or out-of-state status appears properly. If you believe that you are eligible for in-state classification but are not listed as an in-state student, please review our website about eligibility requirements, and submit an application for in-state residency.
12. WAGE JOB OPPORTUNITY: TUTORS FOR ENGINEERING COURSES – 1st posting
The office of Student Athlete Academic Support Services seeks tutors for fall 2011 for all engineering courses. Competitive pay, flexible hours, great learning experience. Apply online at www.saass.vt.edu/tutoring.php, or contact Erica Hampton for more information.
13. 2012 GSA RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM — BECOME A COMMITTEE MEMBER! – 2nd posting
The GSA Research Symposium, to be held Mar 28, 2012, is an opportunity for graduate students to showcase their research. GSA invites you to become a member of the 2012 Graduate Research Symposium Committee. You may serve on one of the following subcommittees: website, sponsorship, judging, publicity, event organization, and keynote speaker. Interested in getting involved? Fill out this short survey. Questions: Contact Alireza Salmanzadeh, Research Symposium Chair.
14. PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR RESEARCH PROJECT – 1st posting
VT researchers seek volunteers for a project on the “Benefits of immersion for analysis of micro-CT datasets,” to help gather quantitative and qualitative insights into immersion benefits while exploring a complex scientific dataset like that of microscopic computed tomography data. The study consists of carrying out few tasks (answering few questions) related to two selected micro-CT datasets, which will be volume visualized on a state-of-the-art spatially immersive stereo display system, in the Visionarium at 3050 Torgersen. The experiment lasts for about 1.5 hrs. This study has been IRB approved. The researchers need 17 more participants who are selected on a first come first served basis. Participants must be more than 18 years old with no or minimal background in micro-CT imaging to participate in this experiment. The available time slots for participation are available here. Please email to Bireswar Laha at blaha@vt.edu, with your preferred time slot from the above page to sign up for your participation.
15. PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR STUDY OF SITTING EFFECTS – 1st posting
You are invited to participate in a study aimed at testing muscle activities in a seated posture. Participants must be in no current or recent history (1 year) of physical disorders affecting the shoulder, knee, or lower back; exercise on a regular basis (2-3 times/wk); and be between ages 18-64. Participants will be required to perform several computer-based typing tasks in a laboratory setting. Each experiment session will last 2 to 3 hours and participants will be compensated $10/hour. For more information, please email to sjayvt@gmail.com.
16. PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE STUDY – 3rd posting
Do you like to drive in nice, clear weather? What about in thick fog, or heavy rain? Don’t you wish you just had a way to see through all that weather? VT researchers are testing a system for doing just this, and you could be one of the lucky people to experience it! Your task, should you choose to accept it, will be to test-drive a simulated "car of the future"! If you’re interested in participating, please contact Dan Tilden. Participants must have a driver’s license.
17. UPCOMING EVENTS:
AETNA STUDENT MEDICAL INSURANCE ENROLLMENT FAIR
Next week the Student Medical Insurance Office will have a temporary office set up in the main lobby of the GLC to assist graduate students with questions and enrollment for the 2011-2012 Aetna Student Health Insurance Plans. The stations will be staffed as follows:
- Tue, Aug 23: 8-12
- Wed, Aug 24: 1-5
- Thu, Aug 25: 8-12
RENTING? WHAT TO KNOW AND EXPECT
August 23, 5:30pm, GLC Room C
Learn about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant and how to maintain good credit while you are renting. Refreshments will be provided. Sponsored by New River Community Action.
HEALTH SERVICES AND INFORMATION SESSION
Wednesday, Aug 24, 5:00pm, GLC Room C
Representatives from Aetna Student Health and Schiffert Health Center will discuss how to enroll in the university-sponsored insurance, what the plan covers, and what services are offered at the health center. Free pizza will be served.