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Committee Composition
A student who has been advanced to the thesis or dissertation
stage is responsible for forming a thesis or dissertation
committee. Members of the committee must review the
student's research proposal and indicate their approval
by signing Form II. The student must
keep the committee informed of the scope, plan, and
progress of the thesis or dissertation research and
manuscript.
Note the following policies:
| Chair |
The chair is responsible for directing and guiding the student's research and
writing activities. He or she should possess expertise
in the student's chosen research topic.
It is the responsibility of the student to
select an appropriate topic and to ensure that
a faculty member with expertise in the topic
is available and willing to serve as chair.
- Thesis — Chair must be a full or associate
faculty member (regular or cooperative) in
the student's graduate program. With approval
from the Graduate Division, a full affiliate
graduate faculty or an emeritus faculty may serve as chair.
- Dissertation — Chair must be a full
faculty member (regular or cooperative) in
the student's graduate program. With approval
from the Graduate Division, a full affiliate
graduate faculty or an emeritus faculty may serve as chair.
It is possible to have co-chairs on a committee.
If there are co-chairs, both chairs must attend
the final defense. In order for the student to
pass, both co-chairs must indicate their approval
on the signature page and Form
III. On each of the forms, the word “co-chair”
must follow the name of each co-chair. For administrative
purposes only, the Graduate Division will treat
the first co-chair listed as the chair. |
| Committee Size |
- Thesis — three members or more
- Dissertation — five members or more
The majority of the committee should be from the
student's graduate program. However, exceptions
are possible. |
| Committee Member |
Emeriti faculty may serve on a committee at the request of the student and the graduate program.
Non-graduate faculty
may serve on a committee under special circumstances.
If choosing a non-graduate faculty to serve on
the committee, attach justification and the faculty's
current CV to Form II.
Graduate chairs have the privilege of being ex-officio
members of all committees in their program. |
| Outside Member |
- Thesis — optional
- Dissertation — required
In consultation with his or her committee chair,
the student should identify a faculty from a
different graduate program to serve as the outside
member. In the case of a dissertation committee,
the outside member must be a full regular graduate
faculty.
The outside member should possess sufficient
familiarity with the student's research topic
to be able to review and comment on the manuscript.
The committee chair must ascertain that the outside
member is indeed an individual who is at "arm's
length" from the faculty in the student's graduate
program.
The outside member fulfills the following functions:
- Represents the Graduate Division on the committee,
ensuring administration of proper procedures
and fair treatment of the student;
- Ensures that the level of research is indeed
appropriate to the student's degree objective;
and
- Provides disciplinary expertise and an academic
perspective that may not be possessed by the
faculty of the student's graduate program.
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