Specific Responsibilities

Certain duties and responsibilities are provided in this section of the handbook for quick reference.

Department Chairperson, Associate Chairperson, and Director of Graduate Studies are Responsible for:

• Maintaining an atmosphere which fosters academic integrity.

• General supervision, counseling and coordination of graduate student programs.

• Recommending graduate candidates for admission.

• Maintaining a master file on all graduate students (an up-to-date collection of all official papers for each student in individual folders).

• Assigning office space and desks for graduate students.

• Allocation of assistantships

• Assisting faculty in recruitment of graduate students.

• Handling and processing of official forms

• Distributing a Graduate Student Handbook to each incoming student.

• Developing a scholarly spirit among the graduate students and graduate staff.

• Acquainting major professors with necessary procedures.

• Ensuring that Graduate Student Semester Reports from all graduate students are completed.

• Ensuring that a bound copy of thesis/dissertation has been turned into Department Office.

The Major Professor's Responsibilities Include:

• Monitoring the program, guidance and training of each graduate student assigned to him/her.

• Scheduling conferences with the student at least once every semester whether registered for research credit or not.

• Acquainting the student with departmental policies and providing personal counseling to help the student develop.

• Arranging space for the graduate student research project.

• Checking and approving all necessary graduate forms and requests for materials, travel and services.

• Assisting students in arranging for guidance committees

• Checking academic standing of the student at the end of each semester. If the student grade point average falls below 3.0 or a grade lower than 2.0 is obtained, a critical re-evaluation of the program should be made immediately with the Department Chairperson and Associate Chairperson.

• Making the initial acceptance of the thesis/dissertation, deciding when it is satisfactory for committee action, and scheduling the meeting of the guidance committee for the final oral examination.

• Seeing that an article based on the graduate thesis/dissertation is prepared and submitted for publication.

• Reporting on graduate student research as part of the Agricultural Experiment Station reports.

• Initiating the following forms for the M.S. student:

1. Appointment of Guidance Committee

2. M.S. Program Plan

3. Program Adjustment

4. Change of Status

5. Announcement form of Examinations in Departmental Newsletter

6. Report of Oral and Written Examination

7. Final Degree Certification

8. Checkout & Final Certification

• Initiating the following forms for the Ph.D. student:

1. Appointment of Guidance Committee

2. Ph.D. Program Plan

3. Report of Guidance Committee

4. Program Adjustment

5. Change of Status

6. Announcement of Final Examination in Departmental Newsletter

7. Report of Comprehensive Examination

8. Final Degree Certification

9. Record of Completion of Requirements

10. Checkout Sheet

Graduate Student's Responsibilities include:

• Formulating the objectives of the program and providing the initiative for the accomplishment of these objectives.

• Preparing a program proposal for courses to be taken in consultation with the major professor.

• Completing all courses satisfactorily which have been approved as part of the program by Ph.D. or M.S. Guidance Committee.

• Developing a research proposal in consultation with the major professor and completing the project satisfactorily.

• Submitting semester reports to Director of Graduate Studies and major professor.

• Conducting activities with the other students' welfare in mind.

• Preparing and submitting an acceptable bound thesis, dissertation and/or research report.

• Preparing a manuscript based on the thesis/dissertation research suitable for publication in a peer-review journal and submitting it to the major professor

• Submitting bound and unbound copies of the thesis, dissertation and abstract to the appropriate offices.

• Initiating the following forms:

1. The Semester Report

2. Master's Degree Program in consultation with major professor or Doctoral Degree Program in consultation with major professor

3. Approval animal-human research

4. Change of Program in consultation with major professor

5. Application for Graduation - fill out at registration last semester

6. Checkout sheet
   

• Candidates for the Master's or Ph.D. degree who have major professors or Guidance Committee members on academic year appointments should plan to accomplish the following during the academic year:

1. Take the general comprehensive and oral examinations for the Ph.D. degree

2. Complete the final writing and editing of the thesis/dissertation, if committee input is needed.

3.  Schedule the oral examination in defense of the dissertation.

4. Schedule the oral examination and fulfill other degree