Graduate Handbook

III. ADMINISTRATION OF GRADUATE STUDIES

The Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) is a committee of faculty and graduate students responsible to the Department for oversight of the graduate program. The GSC also acts on student requests and petitions and proposes changes in the graduate program. Generally, proposals for policy changes in the graduate curriculum must be approved by a vote of the faculty. Anyone may submit an agenda item for GSC consideration. Please submit them in writing to the Graduate Coordinator. The committee consists of the Graduate Coordinator (Chair), the Director of the Criminal Justice Program, the Graduate Secretary, three faculty representatives, one from each Ph.D. course field, three graduate student representatives, the Chair of the Department (ex officio) and the Director of the Division of Governmental Studies & Services (DGSS) (ex officio).

The Graduate Coordinator (Dr. Andrew Appleton) interprets University and Departmental rules and regulations; advises Political Science students until they have advanced to form a program committee; acts as a counsel and an advocate for graduate students when individuals come forward with issues; organizes the first-year student orientation; organizes the orientation for Teaching Assistants and Graduate Instructors; updates the graduate handbook each year; coordinates the admissions process; coordinates the allocation of teaching assistantships; facilitates the distribution of soft-funding to graduate students; coordinates the assignment of T.A.s to classes; coordinates faculty supervision of graduate students teaching independent sections; and evaluates, with committee chair approval, and informs students who are academically deficient.

The Director of Criminal Justice (Dr. Otwin Marenin) fulfills the same functions as the Graduate Coordinator, for all Criminal Justice M.A. students and is in charge of the undergraduate Criminal Justice program.

The Placement Coordinator assists the Graduate Studies Coordinator, Ph.D. committees and departmental support staff, in preparing graduate student application files for professional placement. This includes developing a cover letter for job applicants, reviewing their letters of application, ensuring that the candidate has adequate letters of recommendation on file, and distributing information to faculty regarding candidate applicants whenever possible.

The Graduate Secretary (Diane Berger) is responsible for the administrative details of the graduate program, maintaining graduate files and providing students with information concerning the program, fields, forms, examinations on file, placement information, access to handbooks and generating official letters to graduate students.

The Administrative Manager (Cynthia Avery) is the direct assistant to the department Chair; processes all payroll documents (academic and temporary appointments); maintains personnel files; handles all confidential materials; supervises staff; is responsible for all departmental and grant budgets; is responsible for all planning, coordinating, organizing and controlling of administrative services to the department and college; provides assistance to the Chair for all organizational and managerial services in relation to branch campus activities, DGSS activities, the Criminal Justice Program and Director; assists with all scholarship awards; assists with departmental honorary activities; and, perhaps most importantly, maintains and directs professional representation of the Department to all walk-ins and callers on and off campus.

The Department Chair (Dr. Steven Stehr) is assigned the administrative responsibility for the department and serves as the direct supervisor of departmental faculty and staff. The Chair acts as the liaison between the department and other parts of the University, most particularly the Dean.

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