Hello Department Chairs and Graduate Coordinators,

I hope your preparations for the fall semester are going well. As we all focus on what’s sure to be the most unique semester of our careers, we’re reaching out today with a few important pieces of information.

The Office of Information Technology has about 50 refurbished desktops to loan to graduate assistants. The devices, which include webcams and Wi-Fi connectivity, can be taken home. OIT and the borrowers will coordinate the return of the desktops at a later time. Graduate assistants interested in borrowing a desktop can send an email to susan.niehoff@unlv.edu . UNLV is continuing to offer the Technology Loan Program, which includes laptops, cameras/microphones, and a limited number of hotspots. Devices for students are available for extended checkout for the fall semester. Students can make a technology request by submitting the Technology Loan Program survey. After completing the survey, students will be contacted and provided available pickup dates through Lied Library. Students should return items to the Lied Library at the end of the semester.

This is a friendly reminder that the final day to enroll and pay for fall courses in person without late penalties is Friday, Aug. 21. The final day to enroll and pay for fall courses online without paying late penalties is Sunday, Aug. 23. Please encourage students to enroll as soon as possible to finalize their schedule and avoid paying late penalties. Please review the 2020-21 academic calendar for additional important dates.

Please note that UNLV's travel policy has been updated. Anyone who has traveled domestically or internationally is no longer required to self-quarantine for 14 days after returning, unless they have had known exposure to COVID-19 or are experiencing any symptoms.

We’ve been hearing from students, some seeking advisement on enrollment, this week that they’re unable to reach graduate coordinators by phone. We respectfully ask that, if you haven’t already, to please consider updating your voicemail greeting to include alternate ways for students to contact you. Thank you for doing all you are to support our students, particularly with the flurry of enrollment and preparation for the semester.

We are pleased to announce the call for nominations for the following graduate student and graduate faculty awards. Please accept our invitation to participate in recognizing outstanding graduate students and faculty by beginning the selection process and nominating deserving members of your unit. Please note that the nomination period begins now for the 2021 Nevada Regents' Scholar Award with an Oct. 5, 2020 deadline. All other awards have an Oct. 1 to Dec. 1 nomination period. Please follow the links below for additional information about each award and nomination process. The submission forms are available on each award webpage linked below.

RECOGNITION AWARDS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS:
- Nevada Regents’ Scholar Award – Graduate Students
  Nominations due: Oct. 5, 2020 at 5 p.m.
  UNLV and the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents accept nominations of distinguished academic accomplishments, leadership ability, and service contributions of an active scholar at the graduate level. Nominations are due to the Graduate College by Oct. 5, 2020.
- Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award
  Nominations due: Dec. 1, 2020 at 5 p.m.
  The Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award recognizes graduate students who have demonstrated strong pedagogical skills and successfully taught at least two complete classes as the instructor of record in the last three years at UNLV. The Graduate College will accept one nominee from each College.
- Outstanding Thesis/Dissertation Award
  Nominations due: Dec. 1, 2020 at 5 p.m.
  The Outstanding Thesis and Outstanding Dissertation Award recognizes graduate students who have completed all requirements and successfully defended between Aug. 1 of last year and Aug. 1 of this year. Each academic college may nominate one outstanding thesis and one outstanding dissertation.
RECOGNITION AWARDS FOR GRADUATE FACULTY:
- Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentorship Award
  Nominations due: Dec. 1, 2020 at 5 p.m.
  The Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentorship Award recognizes tenured or tenure-track members of the Graduate Faculty who provide outstanding mentorship in support of their graduate students’ success. Nominees must have graduated at least one doctoral, specialist, or master’s student during the preceding year and must have graduated two additional graduate students in the past five years.
- Outstanding Graduate Faculty Leadership Award
  Nominations due Dec. 1, 2020 at 5 p.m.
  The Outstanding Graduate Faculty Leadership Award recognizes graduate faculty who demonstrate high quality and impactful leadership in their department, college and UNLV community. Nominees must be a full-time tenured or tenure-track member of the Graduate Faculty for a minimum of one year at the time of nomination and must successfully have taught at least two graduate courses during the preceding four years, as well as demonstrate strong leadership in graduate education. A faculty member may receive this award only once in five years.

As always, please let us know if we can answer any questions. We’re here in support of you and our students.

Wishing you a smooth semester,