New ETD Web Site Dedication

        The West Virginia University Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Task Force is pleased to announce the launch of newly organized Web site.  The WVU ETD Web pages now offer a fresh look and simplified navigation.  You can visit the site at www.wvu.edu/~thesis/.

        For students, the site offers the "Prepare & Submit" portal, featuring the WVU Libraries' Guide to the Preparation of Master's Theses & Doctoral Dissertations. This site contains everything the student needs to complete an ETD submission.  The documentation has been thoroughly revised to reflect separate electronic and print requirements.  Headings and sub-pages have been color coordinated for ease of navigation.  Online checklists,  forms and samples are provided for quick access.  In addition, students can receive computer support from the Office of Academic Computing.

        For everyone, the site offers WVU ETD information portals for Program Overview, ETD Collection Access, Program Facts, (FAQs, news, publicity, presentations, statistics), as well as Other Campus Resources & ETD Sites.

        The new logo, bearing an image of a compass, brings to mind ideas of exploring, navigation and ground-breaking new paths, which, together with the new motto, "WVU ETDs - Transforming graduate education & research" evokes the pioneering mountaineer spirit to aspire to new heights.  The University community has indeed risen to this challenge!  WVU was the second institution in the world to have implemented a required electronic thesis and dissertation submission policy.  Now entering our third year, WVU continues in its outreach efforts to promote ETD implementation programs within the state, throughout the nation, and internationally in coordinated efforts with the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) consortium .

        And of course, we cannot forget our students and faculty, who, through their hard work and patience have embraced this technological revolution and made invaluable contributions to the realm of digital libraries.  WVU research is now being accessed by thousands worldwide, helping to overcome traditional barriers to technological and cultural transfer.  New forms of multimedia expression are yielding novel approaches to research.  Web distribution of ETDs is contributing to collaborative efforts among academia, government and industry.

        We hope you will be pleased with the site revisions, and will find the information more convenient to use.  Please direct any comments or questions to John Hagen at jhagen2@wvu.edu.

Revised 27 September 2004
jhagen2@wvu.edu