Changes in Graduate School Policy Announced

The Graduate Council met and endorsed revisions to some existing Graduate School policies. The first revised policy addresses married faculty members who may serve on a graduate student's committee. In the past, graduate student committees including advisory, thesis and dissertation committees could include faculty members who were spouses, but neither could serve as the committee chair. This policy has now been revised by the Graduate Council, so that married couples are allowed to direct and serve on graduate students' committees concurrently.

The policy change was initiated by the Graduate School's dean and the university's provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. As Provost Gaber points out, "The former rule was meant to protect graduate students from potential conflicts of interest, but the effect was that some faculty were not permitted to serve on graduate committees. This new policy will expand the pool of talented faculty from which graduate students can choose their committee members."

The second Graduate Council policy change provides graduate students an option if intractable conflicts of interest do occur on their committees. According to the new policy, the Graduate School can serve as the deciding authority when a graduate student's committee has an unresolved membership conflict. In the past, the Graduate School could investigate student complaints but did not have the authority to make changes to the committee if substantial conflicts were identified. Under the new policies, the Graduate School will work in consultation with the student's department chair/head or program director to investigate a complaint. If a substantial conflict is found, the Graduate School has the authority to intervene on behalf of the student. The decision could include reconstituting the committee.

"While we always hope and expect that thesis and dissertation committees will be productive and synergistic, sometimes the committee members simply cannot resolve their differences," said Todd Shields, interim dean of the Graduate School. "In these cases, if the student wishes to reconstitute their committee, we will be able to assist them in order to ensure successful progress toward graduation. This is in the best interest of the student and the University."