Virginia Tech has a variety of policies and procedures that provide constructive options for managing difficult situations. This section offers links to those policies commonly accessed by graduate students seeking guidance on handling conflict or other concerns.
Academic
Graduate Student Catalog
The Graduate Student Catalog provides information about graduate academic policies, degree and certificate programs, and graduate course listings.
Graduate Honor System
The Graduate Honor System establishes a standard of academic integrity for graduate education at Virginia Tech.
Expectations for Graduate Study
The Expectations for Graduate Study outlines expectations for the roles that faculty, graduate students, departments/programs, and the Graduate School should play in graduate education.
Graduate-student Appeal/Complaint Procedures
The formal appeal/complaint procedures, outlined in the Graduate Catalog, are in place for graduate students who believe that their work has been improperly evaluated or that they have been treated unfairly.
Student Life
University Policies for Student Life
The University Policies for Student Life (UPSL), which is part of the Hokie Handbook, outlines general university policies for student life and behavior. All Virginia Tech students (undergraduate, graduate and professional) and student organizations are required to know and to comply with these policies. Violations are handled by the governing department and/or the Office of Student Conduct, when appropriate.
Student Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct, which is part of the Hokie Handbook, outlines behaviors that are prohibited for all students and student organizations. The conduct system is overseen and enforced by the Office of Student Conduct.
Equity and Civility
Principles of Community
The Principles of Community emphasize the university's commitment to diversity and a climate of civility, sensitivity, and mutual respect.
The purpose of this resource is to educate the Virginia Tech community about bullying, to promote civility throughout our community, and to provide strategies and support to limit the power of bullying behavior when it is experienced and observed.
Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
The University's statement on equal opportunity and affirmative action, and information on where to direct inquiries regarding non-discrimination.
The Office for Equity and Accessibility provides information on university processes and services related to concerns about discrimination or harassment and investigates complaints filed with the office.
Research and Intellectual Property
Research Compliance
The Office of Research Compliance provides professional administrative and support staff to oversee university community compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines associated with research and teaching at Virginia Tech.
Research Integrity
The Research Integrity Office is responsible for assessing allegations to determine if they fall within the definition of research misconduct and if the allegation is sufficiently credible and specific to warrant an investigation. The research integrity officer (RIO) also oversees inquiries and investigations, including appointing expert members to inquiry and investigation committees.
Intellectual Property
Virginia Tech's intellectual property policy establishes ownership criteria and provides a process to determine ownership of intellectual properties created by university employees or with university resources. State law requires all university employees, as a condition of employment, to be bound by this policy. The policy applies to all permanent and visiting faculty, research faculty, classified staff, wage employees, and students.
Technology
Acceptable Use of Information Systems
Access to computer systems and networks owned or operated by Virginia Tech imposes certain responsibilities and obligations and is granted subject to university policies, and local, state, and federal laws. Acceptable use always is ethical, reflects academic honesty, and shows restraint in the consumption of shared resources. It demonstrates respect for intellectual property, ownership of data, system security mechanisms, and individuals' rights to privacy and to freedom from intimidation and harassment.