Advising & Program Supervision
Advising
The director of graduate studies supervises the graduate program and may be consulted with regard to the completion of program requirements. Academic advising and supervision is the primary responsibility of the major professor. After determining a course of study in consultation with the major professor, the student will assemble a committee composed of at least 3 faculty members with the appropriate specializations. Faculty members who are not members of the University Graduate Faculty may serve on committees but cannot chair them. The student must file a program with the director of graduate studies by the end of the second semester of enrollment. The program and the committee require approval by the dean of the Graduate School. Subsequent to that, the major professor must approve any adjustments or changes in the program. Failure to file a program may result in the loss of financial eligibility or expulsion from the graduate program.
The committee will be chaired by the major professor and will be responsible for advising the candidate on all matters of form and content of the thesis. Such advice shall be binding upon the candidate. A student who wishes to change fields or committee members must file a change of program form with the director of graduate studies and the Graduate School.
Program Supervision
All faculty will submit to the director of graduate studies a written evaluation of each graduate student they have taught during the previous semester. Major professors must provide evaluations to the director of graduate studies for students under their direction who are completing master's or doctoral theses. These evaluations will be kept confidential; however, they will form the basis of the director's annual written evaluation of graduate students, as mandated by the Graduate School.
Should the situation appear to merit it, a major professor may note any apparently marginal or deficient performance by a student and request that the Graduate Studies Committee review the student's records and make appropriate recommendations to the entire faculty. If approved by majority vote of the faculty, that student may be barred from further enrollment effective at that time or be denied consideration for appointment as a teaching assistant in future years.
During the spring semester each year a student who so desires may make a written request for an evaluation of his or her overall performance by the Graduate Studies Committee. This will be conducted in consultation with the major professor and other appropriate faculty members. The Graduate Studies Committee will notify the student of the results of the evaluation by the end of the semester.
