The university offers many services to provide academic and personal support to students. The following list provides links and descriptions to those services to which the ombudsperson most commonly refers graduate students.
Academics
Graduate School: The Graduate School is responsible for the development, administration, and evaluation of graduate education throughout the University. Graduate School personnel work in partnership with the faculty, program chairs and department heads, the deans, graduate students (particularly through the Graduate Student Association), and the Commission on Graduate Studies & Policies (CGS&P) to further Graduate education at Virginia Tech.
Advocacy
Dean of Students: The Dean of Student supports and empowers students and families in crisis and/or challenging situations and nurtures a welcoming campus climate through proactive programming, oversight for bias incident protocol, and ongoing discussion.
Career
Career Services: Career and Professional Development provides advice, services, programs, resources, and opportunities to prepare Virginia Tech students to make optimal use of their knowledge, skills and abilities in order to successfully explore and chose academic majors and career options, obtain career-related experience, and develop and pursue post-graduation career plans, including graduate/professional school and employment.
Counseling
Cook Counseling Center: The counseling center offers individual and group counseling for graduate students enrolled on the Blacksburg campus. During the academic year, the center holds walk-in hours in the Graduate Life Center (consult the center for more information).
Women's Center: The center serves as an on-campus (Blacksburg) focal point for services for survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, cyberstalking and harassment, as well as their friends and families. Trained professionals are available to provide individual and group counseling, advocacy and support. Additional services include help with academic relief and accompaniment to the hospital, law enforcement and judicial proceedings.
Disability Services
Services for Students with Disabilities: This office works to ensure that students with disabilities receive equal access to curricular and co-curricular opportunities in the academic community, in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Diversity, Culture, and Equity
Cranwell International Center: The International Center services students, scholars, faculty, spouses, and visitors from 120 countries in all regions of the world.
Inclusion and Diversity: The Office of Inclusion and Diversity seeks to promote, sustain, and advance an environment that supports principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and community.
International Graduate Student Services: The IGSS provides advice and technical support to international graduate students at Virginia Tech in obtaining and maintaining their non-immigrant visa status in the United States, including travel and work authorization procedures.
Equity and Access: Equity and Access (and in particular, its Office of Compliance and Conflict Resolution) oversees and enforces the university's anti-harassment and discrimination policy. Faculty, staff, and students who have concerns about situations involving possible discrimination or harassment can consult with the office to help resolve the issue through informal or formal means.
Graduate School Office of Recruitment and Diversity Initiatives: The Office of Recruitment and Diversity Initiatives (ORDI) assists virtually every graduate program on campus to recruit, retain, and graduate a diverse student body. Some of its goals include bringing attention to the cultural differences learners bring to the educational experience and that enhance discovery and dissemination of new knowledge and fostering a welcoming community that engages all of its diversity in the service of graduate students.
LGBTQ+ Resource Center: This website highlights the events, initiatives, programs, and services specifically aimed at or organized by the LGBTQ+ community.
Intercultural Engagement Center (IEC): The Intercultural Engagement Center (IEC) is an important component of Virginia Tech’s efforts to create a welcoming and inclusive campus community. The IEC helps to create this environment by providing students, faculty, and staff comfortable space for working, studying, lounging, and socializing. The IEC staff design events to bring folks together across difference in order to deepen understanding, develop the capacity for difficult dialogue, and create community.
Queer Grads and Allies: Queer Grads and Allies (QG&A) is a registered Graduate Student Organization that provides resources, support, events, and activities for graduate students at Virginia Tech; both queer and allied. Founded in the Fall of 2010 with just three members, this organization has grown to over forty five students and faculty from the Graduate School at Virginia Tech, medical students at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), and students at the Veterinary School (VMRCVM).
Safe Zone Program: The Safe Zone program exists to educate the Virginia Tech community on topics related to the LGBTQ community. Safe Zones are members of the program who are committed to providing a more inclusive and accepting environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning communities and their allies.
Legal
Student Legal Services: Student Legal Services (SLS) is a free, pre-paid legal service available to all Virginia Tech students who have paid the Blacksburg campus student activity fee. The SLS Attorney provides legal advice on a variety of matters such as, but not limited to, leasing issues, traffic tickets, immigration, consumer problems, and criminal charges. Also, the Attorney can prepare basic legal documents such as simple Wills, powers of attorney, and contracts. Limited advice and assistance is provided in tax, business, and divorce matters.
Mediation
Conflict Resolution: The Conflict Resolution program, through the Office of Equity and Accessibility, offers people the opportunity to address concerns in an informal setting where they maintain control of the decisions as to how a dispute or disagreement can be resolved in a way that meets their needs and interests as well as the needs and interests of the other person.
Safety
Virginia Tech Police: Call 911 for on-campus emergencies or immediate safety concerns, or call (540) 231-6411 to report non-emergency concerns.
Threat Assessment Team: The mission of the multi-disciplinary Threat Assessment Team is to determine if an individual poses, or may reasonably pose, a threat of violence to self, others, or the Virginia Tech community and to intervene to avert the threat and maintain the safety of the situation.
Women's Center: The center serves as an on-campus (Blacksburg) focal point for services for survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, cyberstalking and harrassment, as well as their friends and families. Trained professionals are available to provide individual and group counseling, advocacy and support. Additional services include help with academic relief and accompaniment to the hospital, law enforcement and judicial proceedings.
Environmental Health and Safety: Environmental Health and Safety provides necessary services to the university community to monitor and ensure a safe and healthy living, learning and working environment.
Veterans and Military
The university's website for veterans and members of the military (www.veterans.vt.edu) offers a one-stop shop for information of benefits, organizations, and resources for student and employee veterans.