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PROV-014: Submission of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date: 06/21/2019 Status: Final
Last Revised: 01/23/2023
Policy Type: Executive Vice President & Provost
Oversight Executive: Executive Vice President and Provost
Applies To:

Academic Division.

Table of Contents:
Reason for Policy:

Defines a common set of access levels for electronic thesis or dissertation (ETD) deposits and the process by which they can be requested.

Definition of Terms in Statement:
  • Embargo:Metadata, including the electronic thesis or dissertation (ETD) author, title, and abstract, that is publicly available through the University Library but the content of the ETD is not visible to any user at the University or otherwise.
  • Limited Access:Metadata, including the electronic thesis or dissertation (ETD) author, title, and abstract, that is publicly available through the University Library but the full content of the ETD is restricted to UVA users who possess valid network access, as well as any member of the public accessing the UVA network on Grounds.
  • Public Access:Full electronic thesis or dissertation (ETD) content that is publicly available online through the University Library.
Policy Statement:

All graduate students who are required to submit a thesis or dissertation as a condition of their degree program will do so electronically through Libra, the permanent digital repository of the University Library. Because the broad dissemination of knowledge is central to the University’s mission, electronic thesis or dissertation (ETD) deposits are normally publicly available upon degree conferral. In limited circumstances, however, access to the ETD in Libra may be restricted or placed under an embargo.

Upon consultation with their thesis or dissertation committee, students may choose either a public access or limited access option upon depositing an ETD in Libra. Schools should verify that such consultation has taken place (such as an addition to the graduation form). Limited Access may only be requested for periods of less than five years.

Upon consultation with their thesis or dissertation committee and approval from their dean’s office, students may also choose to place an embargo on an ETD deposited in Libra. Requests for ETD embargo must be transmitted to the Library by the dean’s office in the school awarding the degree. The limited circumstances warranting an embargo may include efforts to protect intellectual property during a patent application process, maintain confidentiality agreements protecting third-party proprietary information, or provide sufficient time to publish a dissertation in book form or as journal articles. If a student’s request to embargo their ETD is denied, a dean’s office representative will share in writing with the student and their committee chair the justification for denying the request. Initial embargos may be requested for periods of up to five years and may be renewed at the discretion of the dean’s office of the student’s school. In limited circumstances, and at the request of the student, a dean’s office may petition the provost’s office to extend an initial embargo period beyond five years.

At the time a student applies for graduation, schools will share this policy with graduate students who are required to submit a thesis or dissertation as a condition of their degree program.

Procedures:

The dean’s office should submit the embargo request via email to [email protected]. Student name and exact length of embargo (not to exceed 5 years) should be included in the email. The Library will acknowledge and confirm implementation of the embargo to the student, advisor, and dean by email.

Major Category:
Executive Vice President & Provost Policies
Next Scheduled Review:
01/23/2026
Approved By, Date:
Executive Vice President and Provost, 06/21/2019
Revision History:
Revised 1/23/23; Updated 3/31/20.