chair of thesis committee

Thesis Committee

The Ph.D. Thesis Committee has the responsibility of advising a student on all aspects of the thesis experience, from the proposal process through the preparation and defense of the final document.

The Committee should be comprised of

• the Thesis Advisor(s),
• the Thesis Committee Chair who presides at all committee meetings (must be a BE faculty member), and
• at least one additional member (unrestricted).

The student and research supervisor should agree upon members of a Thesis Committee, and the student is responsible for inviting faculty to sit on their committee. Beyond administration of the Oral Exam, the Thesis Committee is meant to provide guidance on the various aspects of the student’s project; Thesis Committee members should therefore be selected with this goal in mind.

Forming the Committee

During the summer of the second year, the student must submit the BE PhD Thesis Committee form  to the BE Academic Office ) to request approval of the Thesis Committee membership.

Changing the Committee

The Thesis Committee constituted for the Oral Exam/Thesis Proposal may change over the course of the student’s research, as determined by the student and advisor with approval by the Graduate Program Chair. Students should submit a new PhD Thesis Committee form (above) to the BE Academic Office.

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Building your thesis committee

Choosing a faculty member for your thesis committee.

Thesis committees are typically composed of a Thesis Advisor from your major department, an Honors Council Representative from your major department, and a third committee member from outside your major department, usually referred to as the Outside Reader . Your thesis advisor is different from your Academic Advisor, and is always a faculty member.  While Academic Advisors are your best resource for planning out your course schedules and making sure you're on track to graduate with all the credits you need, when it comes to working on your thesis, you should direct your questions to your thesis advisor, Honors Council Representative, other members of your committee, or the Honors Program staff.

Thesis committee makeup can vary, but committees must always include at least three eligible members of the CU Boulder faculty (see Thesis Committee Policy below) in the roles of thesis advisor, Honors Council representative, and outside/third reader.  You are welcome to have additional members on your committee, provided they meet the eligibility requirements.  We recommend that you have no more than 5 members, as it becomes quite difficult to coordinate that many schedules when it's time for you to schedule your defense.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to serve on a thesis committee, one must be a regular full-time faculty member or a multi-year contract instructor involved in an instructional program at the University of Colorado Boulder. In terms of rank, this means Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Teaching Associate Professor (Senior Instructor), or Teaching Assistant Professor (Instructor). Additionally, faculty must hold a terminal degree in their field (usually a Ph.D.), and should have experience teaching or mentoring undergraduate students.  Graduate students are not eligible to serve.

Faculty Eligible to Serve

To find a list of Honors Council Representatives, please click here

To see a searchable PDF of faculty members that have been verified as eligible to serve, please click here *

To see a searchable and sortable Excel file of faculty members that have been verified as eligible to serve, please click here *

*This is NOT a complete list of faculty who are eligible to serve; this is simply a list of faculty who have served previously and were verified as eligible at that time.  Please note that eligibility can change as circumstances with faculty change (for example, a faculty member changes rostered departments or leaves the university).  

If you do not see a faculty member in this list and would like them to serve on your committee, you will need to verify their eligibility to serve.  Please see the information outlined in the "Eligibility Requirements" paragraph above to get a feel for the criteria, and then look up information on your faculty member.   A great resource to check eligibility is experts.colorado.edu .  You can also check the People page of most departments to learn more.  If you think they meet the criteria, email us at [email protected] with their name and we will verify it for you.   The Honors Program makes the final determination on the eligibility of faculty members to serve.   Departmental approval of a committee member will still require verification by the Honors Program.

More about the different committee roles

Thesis advisor.

There are three positive signs that a professor might make a good thesis advisor for you: They are well-versed in the particular field of study you wish to investigate, you’ve taken or are taking a class or lab with them and are doing well, and you like them as a person and would be excited to work with them.  You will be working closely with them throughout the project, so a good working relationship is very beneficial.

When you meet with prospective thesis advisors, don’t be afraid to ask for what you need. Be direct - ask how often they'd be willing to meet with you, how many drafts they'd be able to read and critique, and what kinds of expectations they would have of you. They will probably also have questions for you about why you'd like to write a thesis, what you hope to get from the process, and why you'd like to work with them.

If you're having trouble finding a thesis advisor, talk to your Honors Council representative.

Honors Council Representative

The Honors Council is a body of faculty made up of representatives from each Honors Program-participating department within the College of Arts and Sciences. Honors Council Representatives are responsible for making sure students follow the policies, procedures, and deadlines set forth by the Honors Program, as well as any additional policies and procedures the department has enacted, such as thesis format, research methods, and thesis class requirements. When planning to write a thesis, you should always start by contacting one of the Honors Council Representatives for your major to talk with them about your proposed project and to learn what policies and procedures you must follow.    In some departments, there is only one Honors Council Representative, and in that case, they will be serving on your committee.  In other departments, there may be several that you could work with, or there may be specific representatives for different major tracks. 

To see who the Honors Council Representatives are for your major department, and to learn more about any departmental requirements on top of what the Honors Program has set, please click here.

The Honors Council meets in April and November to award honors designations, first in divisional subcommittees and then as a full council.  Please note that, since the Council does not meet in the summer, you cannot defend a thesis and be eligible to be awarded Latin honors for a summer graduation.  You either need to defend in the fall or spring before you graduate.  

Outside Reader

If you are writing a departmental thesis (in other words, a thesis in your major), you will need an Outside Reader.  The primary role of an Outside Reader is to make sure that your thesis is held to the same high standards as theses in other departments.  So, the faculty member you choose as your Outside Reader needs to be from outside your major department.  This way they can provide that checks-and-balances piece of the puzzle so that we can confidently say that a Sociology thesis is held to the same standard as a Physics thesis, and Ethnic Studies, and Economics and so on.

At a minimum, the faculty member should be prepared to read and provide feedback on later drafts of your thesis and attend the defense.  However, if the Outside Reader's field of study touches on your topic or needs, they may be able to provide more support.  For example, if you feel that you could use some extra help in your writing, you could look for an Outside Reader from the Program for Writing and Rhetoric.  Or, if you were an Art major working on a project analyzing historic art pieces, it might be beneficial to ask a faculty member from the History department who specializes in the period of history you're studying to serve as your Outside Reader.

Additional Committee Member

If you're writing a General Honors thesis, you will select an additional committee member instead of an Outside Reader.  Since your topic is interdisciplinary, it is common for you to have a thesis advisor from one of the disciplines and an additional committee member from the other, but this is not required.  Due to the nature of your project, you are welcome to select any eligible faculty member, including faculty from the Honors Program, the Program for Writing and Rhetoric, or any other major department at CU Boulder.  To determine eligibility, please see the "Eligibility Requirements" section above.  Some suggestions on how to choose your Additional Committee Member:  You may choose someone that you feel would be a key contributor to either the content, structure/writing, or process of your project that you work well with, or you could select someone that will step in towards the end of your project to read your final draft(s) and participate in the defense, or any other criteria you feel would most benefit your project.  Please see the section above titled, "Faculty Eligible to Serve" for more details on verifying a potential committee member's eligibility.

If you're writing a departmental thesis, you may also wish to add additional committee member(s).  These members must meet the same eligibility criteria as all your other members.  Keep in mind that the more members that you add, the more people you'll have to coordinate with when it comes time to schedule your defense.

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What to Consider for a Thesis Chair/Committee

Because I knew for certain I was going to pursue an advanced degree, I decided to write a thesis near the end of my undergraduate career. It was not an easy feat I will admit, however I chose a thesis committee that consisted of professors I have taken classes with before, and who knew my style of writing fairly well. Thanks to this experience, I learned how important it is to think carefully about the professors you want for your thesis committee/chair. I have provided a few points to take into consideration when deciding on who to include in your thesis committee. Writing a thesis is no easy task, so it is important to consider who would be the best fit for your committee to provide you feedback and understand your topic clearly.

Thesis Chair:

Does the professor have experience with the topic you are writing about?

Theses can be based off of papers you have already written for a class, the goal is to expand on your ideas and add new sources and information. That was the case with my undergraduate thesis. I wrote a paper for a class I took near the end of my undergraduate career. I exceeded the length requirement and learned that I still had a lot to say about my topic and more sources to include. Finding a chair was easy, the professor I had for that class eagerly agreed to direct my thesis and serve as the chair.  

That is one way to find a thesis chair. Another is to consider the area of study that the professor specializes in. You wouldn’t want to have a communications professor serve as the chair for your thesis on the works of Edgar Allan Poe for example. The professor you choose must have experience with your topic of interest. You also wouldn’t ask a professor who specializes in American literature from the eighteenth century to serve as chair to your thesis on nineteenth to twentieth century British literature. This is not only important to your credibility as a writer but to the feedback you will receive to strengthen your paper as well.  

Does the professor specialize in your topic?

It’s important that the professor you ask to be your thesis chair has a massive amount of experience with the topic you are choosing to write about. It would be even better if you choose a professor that specializes in that area of study. It can provide a lot of help to you as a writer as well because the professor can provide very specific feedback and questions that other professors who are not very familiar with your topic may not.

Has the professor served as a thesis chair before?

Experience is important and something you should seriously consider when finding a professor that is right for your work and will best serve your thesis. It is okay to ask a professor to serve as your thesis chair if they have not done so before, but be sure that they are the best fit for the position. A professor with loads of experience will serve you better however, as they know what to expect from a thesis and a thesis defense and can help you better prepare for such a tall task.  

Thesis Committee:

Have you worked with the professor before? Are they familiar with your work?

It’s important that you find professors to make up your committee that understand your writing style and strategy. This is your paper, the way you format the paper is entirely up to you. However, if a professor is not familiar with the way in which you write or if they prefer one specific style of writing, it will cause difficulty when editing as well as finalizing your thesis. That was my main area of concern when finding two other professors to make up my thesis committee. The professors I ended up choosing where very familiar with my writing style and understood the format with which I wrote my thesis. Their feedback helped me develop a paper that I was very proud of and helped me improve as a writer.  

You also want to find professors who will push you to do better, even if you have a decent draft. I learned in my sophomore year of undergraduate school that writers, no matter what they are writing and no matter how old they are, never stop writing or revising. It wasn’t until my senior year of undergraduate school, and working on my own thesis, that I found out how true this statement is. I had the pleasure of working with professors who have suggested many things for my papers that turned out to be great advice or just what I needed to hear to complete my work. It is important that you recruit professors who push you to be all that you can be. My own writing is improving and is far superior from the papers I have previously written in undergraduate school, but it is far from perfect. Finding a professor that understands this and wants to help you succeed is crucial to you as a student and writer. Also having a thesis committee full of professors that you know support you helps to keep you calm when fixing your thesis and preparing to defend it. It certainly relieves unnecessary stress.

Has the professor worked in thesis committees before?

This relates to has the professor served as a thesis chair before, but both areas of consideration are extremely vital to forming your committee. You’ll want professors who have previously served in thesis committees because they will have the knowledge and skills necessary to assist you in your own thesis process of revision and debate.  

Can they offer you helpful feedback and/or the help you need?

As well as wanting professors who will push you to be a better writer, you want to make sure that the professors in your committee will provide you with useful feedback, or the kind of feedback you believe will best serve your thesis. You want to be sure that the professors in your committee understand your topic and where you want to go with it so they can provide constructive feedback that you agree with. This type of feedback will act as a missing piece to your paper, sometimes those serving on your thesis committee will look at your paper differently but provide you with the direction that you felt has been missing from your paper. A great feeling this is, which is why it is important to make sure you find professors who see your topic the way you do and agree with the points you will be making. As a result of this, their constructive feedback will be the most helpful to you.

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Forming Your Committee

Students should not schedule the proposal defense prior to their committee being finalized and their appointment form being approved by the Graduate School.

It is necessary to have the form approved in advance of the proposal defense, as there are instances in which committee members are not approved (for example, if someone is listed as the Graduate Faculty Representative who the Graduate School does not deem  qualified to serve in this capacity).

The Graduate School's requirements for everything from committee formation to graduation clearance can be found under the Current Students tab on the Graduate School website. 

Composition of the Doctoral Committee: Roles and Responsibilities

The Graduate School requires that doctoral committees consist of no less than four members. These four members must be regular members of the Graduate Faculty or must be granted an exception by the Dean of the Graduate School.  All committees must include a chair and a Graduate Faculty Representative. Assistant Professors are usually not approved to serve as chair unless they have served as a committee member first. Exceptions are granted on a case-by-case basis. 

Graduate Faculty Representative

The primary role of the Graduate Faculty Representative is to ensure that the student is treated fairly and that Graduate School policies are upheld. Expertise in the student's area of research is not a requirement. The Graduate Faculty Representative's responsibilities are explained in greater detail here . Assistant Professors are not eligible to serve as Graduate Faculty Representative. 

The requirement to include an outside member on all dissertation committees is not uncommon among institutions of higher education and is in keeping with best practices in doctoral support. 

Committee Members

Committee members are often chosen to provide topic or methodological expertise. Even without contributing their expertise, committee members may be chosen based on faculty with whom the student has a good professional relationship or who could offer a helpful outside perspective. Committee members are generally not as involved as the committee chair in the everyday progression of the dissertation.  Typically, they read the dissertation only in its final form before the defense, although they should be available for consultation throughout the process and may be more closely involved in sections or chapters in which they have particular expertise. 

The committee members and Graduate Faculty Representative will:

• Approve of the subject matter and methodology of the thesis or dissertation research
• Review and comment on drafts of the thesis or dissertation prior to submission to The Graduate School
• Verify, to the best of their ability, the quality of the data collection and evidence, data analysis, and logical reasoning or interpretation in light of the proposal aims
• Evaluate whether the student’s thesis or dissertation fulfills the requirements of the degree

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The student and research supervisor should agree upon members of a Thesis Committee and propose a Committee to the appropriate Graduate Program Committee Chair. During the summer of the second year, the student must submit the PhD Thesis Committee form  to the Graduate Committee Chairs (Profs. Katharina Ribbeck and Alan Jasanoff, copy to the Academic Office) to request approval of the Thesis Committee membership. The Committee should be comprised of the thesis advisor(s) plus a minimum of two additional members, at least one of whom must be a member of the BE faculty. The Committee Chair (who presides at all Committee meetings, including the Oral Examination) must be a BE faculty member.

The Ph.D. Thesis Committee has the responsibility of advising a student on all aspects of the thesis experience, from the proposal process through the preparation and defense of the final document. The Thesis Committee must be approved prior to the scheduling of the thesis proposal/oral exam presentation, which must take place in the spring academic semester following the spring semester in which the General Written Exam is successfully completed.

It is expected that the student and supervisor will hold progress reviews with the entire Thesis Committee at least once a year. In addition to the Oral Exam/Thesis Proposal, the student must eventually present at least two Regular Thesis Committee Meeting Reports (one of which must be a Final Thesis Committee Meeting Report) and a Thesis Defense to the Thesis Committee. Progress Reports are required once a year or more frequently if the Thesis Committee so requests. More frequent one-on-one meetings are strongly recommended. Thesis Committee Member changes must be approved by submitting a petition to [email protected] .

The first Progress Report must be held within one year of the Thesis Proposal/Oral Exam presentation. One week before the Progress Report meeting, the student should deliver annotated Specific Aims to each of the Committee Members. The aims should be 2 pages long (at most/ 12pt font). After each up-to-date Specific Aim, please add a few sentences outlining the status of that aim.

At the Progress Report presentation, the student should hand out photocopies of slides to the Thesis Committee Members (generally, this will be a print out of a PowerPoint presentation). Also, the student should provide the Committee Chair with the Thesis Progress Report form to complete. The form should be emailed to [email protected] within two weeks of the committee meeting.

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An Individual Development Plan (IDP) is required annually after successful completion of the candidacy exam.  It should be filled out before each thesis committee meeting.  The goals of the IDP are to help the student develop skills, plan their career, and to facilitate open communication between the student and thesis advisor.   The form is available here with detailed instructions.

Thesis Committee

After successful completion of the Candidacy Exam, the student must select the members for their thesis committee.  

The thesis committee should consist of at least four voting members, three of whom must be from the Biology Graduate Group. The student's thesis advisor shall not be a voting member of the thesis committee. The chair of the thesis committee must be a member of the Biology Graduate Group and cannot be the student's thesis advisor. The names of the thesis committee members must be submitted to the Graduate Chair for approval. Any subsequent changes to this committee must be approved by the Graduate Chair. In addition, the department coordinator must be notified of the committee members and any future changes for notation in the student's file.

After formation and approval of the thesis committee, the Graduate Office will provide a copy of the Candidacy Exam Report to the thesis committee members.      

Thesis Committee Meetings

Third-year students must meet with their thesis committee within six months after successful completion of the Candidacy Exam.   Additional meetings must be held at least once a year or at the discretion of the thesis committee.   The purpose of the meetings is to ensure academic progress. Input from the committee members can be helpful to the student, especially when students encounter technical or other problems in their research.   The committee is there to help the student overcome problems.

Students must advise the department coordinator of committee meetings, including date, time, and location. The department coordinator will provide the committee chair a copy of the student’s file along with a committee meeting review form for completion.

In order to alleviate occasional scheduling difficulties, one committee member can be absent from meetings.   This committee member can attend through online video conferencing or the student can meet with the member at a later date for their input and advice.   Please note that the student's progress report must be submitted to all committee members in advance, even if one member does not attend the meeting.

At least one week prior to the thesis committee meeting, the student will submit the following items to the department coordinator for inclusion in file:

• CV - should be formatted in accordance with guidelines as staed by NIH, NSF or other appropriate agency.
• Research summary and progress report, 2 pages in length, stating thesis aims, progress and plans. 
• Parts B and C of the Individual Development Plan as stated on the form instructions. 

At the start of each meeting, the student will leave the room so that the committee may consult with the advisor regarding progress and any concerns. The student will return and the advisor will leave the room so that the committee may consult in a similar manner with the student.

After the thesis committee meeting, the committee chair will write an evaluation that will be given to the department coordinator for the student’s file. This form can be downloaded at the Forms  web page.   The student will also receive a copy of this report for review and comments. At these meetings, the student must show satisfactory progress towards completion of their dissertation research as judged by the thesis committee. If not, the thesis committee can recommend dismissal from the program. Under these circumstances, a Master of Science degree will be awarded.

Please note that thesis committee meetings, as stated in this policy, are a requirement of the Biology Graduate Group as well as a University policy.   Students must schedule their meeting as determined by the committee members.

Should the student fail to schedule a thesis committee meeting within the designated time frame stated at the previous committee meeting, the following actions will be taken:

If the meeting is 3 months past due, the student will be put on official academic probation. The University Registrar’s Office will be notified and a hold placed on the student’s account. The department coordinator and graduate chair will schedule a meeting with the student to discuss the reasons for the delay.

When the meeting is 6 months past due, the stipend will be discontinued, and the student will be dismissed from the program.    

Masters of Science Degree

The Biology Graduate Program is a doctoral degree program. However, occasionally extenuating circumstances arise which require that a student leave the program before completing their doctoral thesis. Under these circumstances, a Masters of Science degree can be awarded if the student has satisfied the following requirements:

• All courses must be graded, including lab rotation(s) and/or independent study work. Courses marked as “Incomplete (I)” or “No Grade Reported (NGR or NR)” must be completed before applying for graduation with a Masters degree.
• Grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.
• Completion of 14 course units, including lab rotation(s) and/or independent study work. (done after second year of study).
• Research paper (thesis proposal) and oral presentation submitted to exam committee.

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The Office of Student Research’s mission is executed at the departmental level by “departmental thesis chairs,” who comprise Yale School of Medicine’s (YSM) formal Departmental Thesis Chair Committee. These individuals serve a critical role in the cultivation and management of YSM’s student research enterprise and fulfill myriad roles related to medical student research at YSM.

If you would like to share input or are interested in the work of this committee, please contact co-chairs Erica Herzog or Sarwat Chaudhry . Please note, department chairs nominate members of this committee.

Co-Chair, Thesis Chair Committee

John Slade Ely Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary) and Professor of Pathology; Director, Yale Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Center of Excellence, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine; Associate Dean, Medical Student Research

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C.N.H. Long Professor of Immunobiology and of Medicine (Endocrinology)

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Selecting your master’s thesis committee members, by karyssa courey: selecting a thesis committee is like completing a puzzle every piece of this process is very valuable to have the right fit for your committee.

First off, congratulations on advancing to this stage in your academic career! Meeting the requirements for your thesis is not an easy task but you did it! You deserve to celebrate your achievements, both big and small. 

After you have finish celebrating, it’s now time for you to select committee members for your thesis. A thesis committee is a group of faculty members who provides mentorship for your entire thesis experience.

Before you begin randomly selecting members of your committee, there are a few steps and strategies that will help you pick the right members!

Where do I start?

• Review the requirements for thesis committees in your department

Rice provides requirements for thesis committees online . For example, a thesis committee for a graduate student in the psychological sciences must have three members (your advisor and two others). At least two committee members must be within your department. Reviewing the requirements will help you understand who can and cannot be on your committee!

• Breaking down your topic

If you are considering committee members, you likely have a draft of your master’s proposal or at least an idea of what your project will be about. Consider the keywords of your project (i.e., what are five terms that can be used to categorize your proposal?). These keywords are the core of your project and can help you identify faculty that align with your interests and research goals.

• Connect your topic to faculty research

Now that you have identified your keywords, think about faculty that you know in your department that are knowledgeable in the topics you are studying. You can also search faculty/lab websites or Google Scholar if you are unfamiliar with a faculty member’s research expertise. 

If there are aspects of your master’s proposal that are interdisciplinary, don’t be afraid to search for faculty outside of your department that can provide you with a valuable perspective on your research topic.

Who should I be in communication with?

• Talk with your advisor

Often, your advisor will have suggestions for potential committee members. Your advisor is one of the few people that will understand both the scope of your research project and know the faculty expertise in your department. Listen to your advisor’s recommendations and suggestions, note any faculty that may be a good fit, and share any ideas that you have based on your search in steps 2 and 3. Don’t feel constricted the recommendations from your advisor either, your peers could also be a resource.

• Talk with your peers

Older peers in your program often have a great perspective on selecting thesis committee members. Your peers may also have first hand experience with the same faculty members you are considering. E.g., Professor X provides more substantive feedback than Professor Y, so if you want substantive feedback, this is extremely helpful information!

• Talk with other faculty

Don’t be afraid to schedule meetings with potential faculty members if you want to discuss your thesis. Meeting with faculty is a great way to explain your project, hear their feedback, and gauge their interest.

I’ve talked to everyone on the list; what's next?

• Email potential committee members

Once you have selected your committee members, it is now time to email them! This might be scary or feel like a daunting step, but remember that the faculty at Rice are here to support you and help cultivate your skills as a researcher. Committee members are your team members, and are here to ideally provide constructive feedback to make your project even better!

When emailing faculty, make sure to use an appropriate tone, provide the title of your thesis, explain your project in a few sentences (or add your abstract), and note any specific reasons that that faculty is a good fit.

For example, if a faculty member has expertise relating to a theory you are applying in your research, make sure to name the theory in your email! The goal is for your potential committee members to have a clear understanding of the scope of your project and connect their expertise to your project.

What should I be mindful of during this process?

• Handling rejection

If a prospective committee member declines your offer, it’s okay! Do not take it personally or be discouraged! There may be many reasons why a faculty member might decline (e.g., tight on time, perceived lack of fit, or think another faculty member might be a better fit). Do, however, consider other faculty members and consider scheduling a meeting to discuss your thesis project. Meeting with potential committee members can help you understand if they would be a good fit, plus it’s a great opportunity to meet faculty members outside of your courses!

• Sticking to your timeline

Lastly, keep in mind your deadlines. Different departments have different requirements for scheduling your proposal and declaring your master’s candidacy. For example, in the Psychological Sciences department, a student can propose their master’s without declaring a master's candidacy. However, it is required that committee members are notified at least ten days prior to scheduling your proposal meeting.

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Division of Research and Graduate Studies

Thesis/Dissertation Committee Policy and Guidelines

It is the purpose of this document to set forth policies for the functioning of thesis and dissertation committees appointed at California State University, Fresno, in order to maintain high standards of quality in the conduct of graduate student research and writing and to provide guidelines for the orderly transfer of members' responsibilities if this should become necessary. Insofar as it is judged the academic obligation and expectation of all graduate faculty to serve on graduate thesis and dissertation committees, this work in turn is recognized by the Division of Graduate Studies and the university in support of tenure and promotion, and individual faculty mentorship is publicized through listings and published records of the abstracts and theses/dissertations at a national level.Where joint doctoral or master's degree programs are offered, policies and procedures of participating campuses may also apply. Additionally, joint requirements for approval of committee assignment and completion of the final document may add to or supersede this policy. The following policy and guidelines have been established for faculty members at California State University, Fresno who direct theses and dissertations.

Thesis/Dissertation Committees

Thesis/dissertation committees have an established place in the academic world and play a vital role in the guidance and direction of graduate student research. One member of the committee, the chair, has a more formal administrative relationship with the student because of the way the university recognizes the chair's responsibilities. On occasion, the roles of the chair and the committee members require clarification.

1.0 Thesis/Dissertation Committee Structure

1.1 Number of Members

1.11 Each master's thesis and doctoral dissertation committee shall be composed of a minimum of three members.

1.12. Under extenuating circumstances (e.g., member's death or sudden leave), to be noted by the graduate program coordinator in a letter to the graduate dean, an individual student in the final stages of the thesis/dissertation may request to have fewer than three members on the committee.

1.13 A fourth and/or fifth member may be added to the committee when deemed appropriate/necessary to provide required expertise.

1.2 Committee Membership

1.21 Two of the three required committee members, including the chair, shall be members of the Master's Graduate Faculty Group of the student's degree program.   Only members of this group are allowed to chair a thesis.   In order for a member to chair a thesis, he/she must have previously served as a second or third member of a thesis committee (per APM 226-2, III. Criteria for Membership in a Master's Graduate Faculty Group , par. 3 ). The Graduate Group in the program, with the approval of the department, may invite their Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP) faculty members to participate on thesis/dissertation committees as second or third readers, with the stipulation that they demonstrate a personal commitment to function in this capacity and that they have been appointed as members of the consultative body. Graduate faculty members whose status has been terminated due to retirement or who are in FERP status may complete outstanding examining committee, thesis committee, and advising assignments as chair if they wish to do so, but they may not accept new assignments to chair such committees (see APM 226-3, III. Criteria for Membership in a Master's Graduate Faculty Group , par. 8 ). Note: In order for the thesis/dissertation committee to function as required, the program must appoint FERP faculty serving on these committees as adjunct faculty during each of the academic terms in which they have inactive status.

1.22 An individual who possesses requisite expertise, but who is not a member of the Graduate Faculty Group in the student's program, may serve as a third reader on a thesis or dissertation committee with the approval of the department chair. This may include part-time and adjunct faculty, retired program faculty, faculty from other programs or universities, and community professionals. In such cases, a curriculum vita of the individual concerned must accompany the submitted Master's Thesis (299) Committee Assignment form .

1.23 Each graduate program committee may establish additional procedures for the appointment of thesis committee members. It is recommended that these procedures be published and be made available to incoming graduate students and new faculty members.

1.24 The committee chair shall be a faculty member of the graduate faculty from the student's program. A faculty member from another department may assume the role of committee chair only if eligible for and appropriately appointed as program graduate faculty (see APM 226 ) the student's degree program.

1.25 For the doctorate degree, the committee chair must be a member of the Doctoral Graduate Faculty Group will and possess requisite knowledge and experience in discipline-based research theory and methodologies at the doctoral level, knowledge of the requirements for doctoral dissertations in the discipline, and a demonstrated ability to successfully direct others in research activities. The first time an individual is being considered as a chair of a doctoral dissertation committee, supporting documentation must accompany the recommendation through all levels of review (per APM 227-2, III. Criteria for Membership in a Doctoral Graduate Faculty Group , par. 6c ).

1.26 Each graduate program's graduate group should establish a reasonable maximum for the number of theses an individual faculty member may supervise.

1.27 The department chair should ensure that work of the thesis or dissertation committee chair is calculated as part of the faculty's required regular workload. Interdisciplinary Studies (formerly Special Major): As representatives of the departments related to the student's fields of interest, the interdisciplinary studies student's program committee, approved by the graduate dean, will also serve as the thesis committee for the student.

2.0 Thesis Committee Responsibilities

2.1 the committee as a whole.

2.11 The initial responsibility of the committee is to meet and determine the feasibility of the topic and the thesis/dissertation plan or proposal, and to permit the student to proceed only after such determination has been made. The committee shall sign off on the student's plan or proposal and a copy should be kept in the student's file in the department. The signing of this document signifies that the student has permission to proceed with the study as outlined in the plan.

2.12 The committee is responsible for assuring that the student is familiar with and has received copies of appropriate university policies concerning the handling of dangerous materials, laboratory and fieldwork safety, and maintenance of standards of quality, ethics, and professional performance. The committee (chair) should inform the student regarding proprietary interests and ownership of data or research product as appropriate, and reach agreement about these issues. Formal written agreements may be desirable or even mandatory when patent-related issues may arise. This needs to be done as early in the process as possible, preferably at the time the proposal is accepted.

2.13 The committee shall determine whether the student's research is subject to the university policy on research on human or animal subjects and advise the student accordingly.

2.14 The committee shall determine the adequacy of the bibliography.

2.15 The committee shall review and approve the methodology and any instrument or questionnaire used in data collection.

2.16 Committee members are responsible for reviewing thesis and dissertation drafts, and providing feedback in a timely manner. Depending on circumstances, there should be no more than a four-week turnaround review time for each of the committee members to review the manuscript for a thesis or dissertation.

2.17 The responsibility of the committee as a whole is to examine the student's work and to meet and make a final determination of the acceptability of the thesis/dissertation, and to arrange for any oral defense of the thesis in accordance with written department policies.

2.18 It is the policy of this university to make all theses available to the public through the library and through established academic abstracting services. On rare occasions, committee members shall assist the graduate dean in determining the need for and recommending the withholding of material for publication for a specified period of time, not to exceed one calendar year.

2.19 It shall be the responsibility of the student to observe graduate deadlines for the submission of final and publication copies of the thesis/dissertation. A reasonable amount of time (not more than four weeks) should be allowed for each of the committee members to review the manuscript.

2.2 The Chair

2.21 The student and the committee chair, insofar as it is possible, should arrive at an agreement on an approximate time schedule, including meetings of the committee, for the accomplishment of thesis/dissertation-related work for each semester or term that the student is engaged in such work.

2.22 The chair shall have primary responsibility for the supervision of the student's work, setting deadlines, and guiding the student's progress.

2.23 The chair shall assume the role of "principal investigator" when the student's research involves human or animal subjects, and shall ensure that university policies in this area are carefully observed (The Policy and Procedures for Research and Human Subjects at California State University, Fresno, available from the Office of the Vice President for Administration; Policy and Procedures for Handling all Warm-Blooded Animals Used for Teaching, Experimentation, or Research at California State University, Fresno, see the ( Academic Policy Manual , 525 ).

2.24 The chair shall inform the student of university regulations regarding the need to maintain continuous enrollment while working on the thesis/dissertation, and the zero-unit policy requiring enrollment in a zero-unit "C" (thesis continuation) course.  (For full policy, see /gradstudies/requirements/enrollment.html).*

2.25 The chair shall inform the student of the university's Guidelines for Thesis Preparation and shall encourage attendance at a thesis workshop as early as possible in the student's thesis process. The Guidelines for Thesis Preparation are available at the Kennel Bookstore or from the Thesis Office Web site.

2.26 In consultation with the other members of the committee, the chair shall determine the final grade on the thesis/dissertation and see that it is properly reported on the Graduate Degree Clearance form.

2.27 The chair is responsible for evaluating the student's progress before assigning an "RP" (formerly "SP") grade for thesis/dissertation units. (The "RP" grade is automatically assigned unless a student is not making significant progress, in which case an "I" grade may be assigned.)

2.28 The chair shall inform the student of the style manual or journal style required by the department for formatting the reference list or bibliography.

3.0 Vacancies and Replacements

3.1 If any committee member anticipates an extended but temporary absence during the time the student is working on the thesis/dissertation, he or she should arrange for means of communicating during this leave, or designate an appropriate temporary/permanent substitute.

3.2 The determination to make a change in committee chair or membership must be reported on a Change in Master's Thesis (299) Committee and/or Topic form, submitted to the Graduate Division, and must be approved by the graduate program coordinator and department chair. A change in the committee chair requires a letter of justification from the department chair at the time the Change in Master's Thesis (299) Committee form is submitted, as stated on the form. Faculty members who are replaced must be so informed by the department chair.

3.3 If the chair is unexpectedly absent or absent due to planned sabbatical/retirement at the time the student completes the thesis/dissertation, the department chair may act for the thesis chair, in consultation with the absent chair or other committee members.

4.0 Disputes

4.1 In the event that a dispute or disagreement arises between a student and a member of the committee or between members of the committee, the committee chair shall call a meeting of the committee and the student for the purpose of resolving the problem.

4.2 If the dispute cannot be resolved through this process, or if the proposed solution is unacceptable to the student or one of the committee members, the disagreeing party or the department chair may request that the graduate committee of the student's department/program review the problem and recommend a solution.

4.3 If the problem cannot be resolved at the department level, the dispute should be appealed to the college or school dean. This will be the final level of appeal.

5.0 Termination of the Committee

5.1 The committee shall have discharged its obligations when the final manuscript has been approved by the Graduate Dean, each member has signed the approval page for the publication copy of the thesis/dissertation, and the thesis/dissertation grade is recorded on the clearance sheet.

5.2 In the event a student does not register for thesis/dissertation or fails to maintain an active status within one semester or term after official acceptance by a thesis committee, the committee chair has the option of dissolving the committee, in which case a new committee must be secured and approved before registration can be authorized.

5.3 If a student must suspend work on the thesis/dissertation for educational reasons acceptable to the committee chair, the student should obtain a planned educational leave of absence. These leaves may be approved for two to four semesters. If the leave is approved, the committee shall continue its existence until the student returns.

• Last Updated Nov 29, 2022

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Choosing a thesis committee, published by dr. david banner on may 21, 2022 may 21, 2022.

Last Updated on: 3rd June 2022, 04:17 am

One of the most critical decisions you will make as a PhD candidate is selecting your thesis committee. These people will be with you (we hope) throughout your journey, and there are some key issues to consider as you make these selections. In this article, I will explore some of the things to look out for in this process.

Choose Thesis Committee Members Who Are Strong in the Methodology You Will Use

Once you have a good research question, the appropriate methodology will be obvious. Remember, the methodology flows from the question, not the other way around. Once a methodology becomes obvious, get at least one person on the thesis committee who is strong in that methodology. The choices are qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method. 

Qualitative methodology is now quite popular. It is useful to explore a phenomenon, if you just want to learn more about it. There are specific strategies to employ in this methodology. I urge you to get a used copy of Leedy and Ormrod Practical Research (8th edition or later) for more details.

Quantitative methodology is for hypothesis testing. It uses quantitative techniques, such as chi square, T-test, F-test, analysis of variance, and so on. If quantitative is the appropriate methodology for your thesis, we have a mentor on staff who specializes in it and can guide you through the process.

Mixed-method methodology is appropriate when you want to explore a topic and then do some hypothesis testing. This is often seen as a more difficult methodology to implement but, when appropriate, can be quite powerful.

The important thing to remember is that the methodology must follow the question , not the other way around. Many first-time researchers pick a methodology that they think will be easy to implement, but this should not be your criterion. 

So, after you discern which methodology best suits your thesis question, pick at least one committee member strong in that methodology.  

Be Aware of the Politics of Thesis Committee Work

There are political factors to consider as well. Stay focused on your goal. Your job is to get done with a PhD in hand. Avoid any behavior that will put you at a disadvantage politically with the thesis committee. Be sure to get a committee that can work together; talk to other doctoral students about combining certain faculty, who, for example, are known to “butt heads”

Also, don’t be a know-it-all. You can assert your position, but be willing to change your mind if one of your thesis committee member s makes a strong point for you to consider. Keep an open mind as you traverse this journey. 

Try to avoid reactivity in the process. You are relying on your thesis committee for their expertise. Seek to listen to all voices and not choose sides in your thesis deliberations. You are quite vulnerable as a doctoral candidate, so you need to avoid rigid positions and dogmatic viewpoints.

Choosing the Right Chair

Another consideration is asking for someone to chair the thesis committee . Do not pick a junior faculty member (assistant or associate professor), since other thesis committee members are likely to be full professors. Also, do not pick someone as chair who is a “lightning rod” for controversy and a junior faculty member to boot; I did this and it proved to be challenging to get through. 

The thesis committee chair is supposed to be helping you navigate the process of doing the research and writing the five chapters when you are done. So, get a chair who is well-respected , a senior faculty member , tenured , and very knowledgeable in your chosen topic area .

Avoid Thesis Committee Members Nearing Retirement or About to Change Jobs

Another consideration to investigate is whether the thesis committee members have tenure (most will) and whether or not they’re about to retire or move to another university. Many PhD programs have been sabotaged by committee membership upheaval. 

So, if you can discreetly discern this, find out if a potential member might retire soon and move to another job. If a key member moves or retires, it can really slow down the process. 

Remember, the thesis committee is there to support you. However, dissertation approval is a rite of passage and it seems that most committees will really make you work at the defense to make sure you are prepared to join the PhD “club.” 

If you cannot find the “ideal” committee, then go for the following qualities, if possible: Choose committee members who are tenured , are genuinely interested in your topic , and are likely to stay at your university and/or are not nearing retirement .

Making It a Rewarding Experience

All in all, the PhD journey is a rich experience, and both “stick-to-it-ive-ness” and resilience are needed. Consult your thesis committee members often to show your interest and your need for their counsel. Also, pick a topic area that you are really interested in. This work will be your major life focus for quite a while, so pick an area of real interest for you. 

Remember: The PhD journey is arduous, and persistence and resilience are needed. Pick a topic you are really interested in and thesis committee members who can support you, so you will stick it out until completion. 

Dr. David Banner

David Banner is the author of 6 books, 40 journal articles, and 35 conference papers on transformational leadership, Dr. David Banner received his PhD in Policy and Organizational Behavior from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University in Illinois. He worked for the DePaul College of Commerce, The University of the Pacific School of Business, and the University of New Brunswick (Canada) School of Management; he was tenured at all 3 universities and was voted “Outstanding Professor” at all three. He also worked at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wi, where he was the Director of the values-based MBA program, which he designed, recruited students, mentored faculty, set up an Advisory Board and got the program accredited (2003-07). He also worked for 16 years as a faculty mentor for the Leadership and Organizational Change PhD students (2005-21); in his 16 years, he graduated 82 PhDs in his roles as Committee Chair, Committee Member and URR (University Research Reviewer). Mentoring PhD students gives him the most joy and satisfaction. He offers his services to help people complete their PhDs, find good academic jobs, get published in peer-reviewed journals and find their place in the academic environment. Book a Free Consultation with Branford McAllister

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Henley-Putnam's Dissertation or Thesis Committees

• Getting Started on Finding Your Research Committee

Committee Members Roles and Responsibilities

• Subject Matter Expert
• Committee Member

Committee Chair.   The chair schedules the comprehensive exams, delivers feedback and results of the comprehensive exams, acts as an instructor, oversees the production of the thesis/dissertation, communicates feedback from the subject matter expert and committee member, schedules the dissertation defense, meets monthly via Zoom with the student/candidate throughout the research courses, and reviews work for publication quality.  The chair deals directly with the student on the quality of the paper, the presentation, the flow, the sequence, and the conclusions.  

The role of the committee chair includes the following responsibilities:

• scheduling the comprehensive exams,
• communicating the grades and feedback from the doctoral comprehensive exam,
• overseeing the production of the dissertation,
• managing the timeline and schedule for completion of each phase of the dissertation in the courses.
• acting as an instructor in the courses,
• contacting the student/candidate regarding setting and meeting deadlines in the dissertation process,
• directing the timely and successful completion of each assignment,
• working directly with the SME and committee member to garner added perspective, feedback, and constructive criticism to strengthen the dissertation,
• communicating with the student/candidate to convey feedback, insights, added perspective, and constructive commentary provided by the committee member and SME,
• confirming with the SME that the content of the dissertation is factual and accurate,
• advising the student on formatting, sequencing, and organizing the thesis/dissertation,
• ensuring the academic quality of the thesis/dissertation, including each of the assignments in courses.
• facilitating final approval of the thesis/dissertation by making sure that all committee members sign the approval form, and
• scheduling and leading the thesis/dissertation oral defense and publication.

Subject Matter Expert (SME).   All members of the committee are subject matter experts (SMEs). The title of this particular member of the committee emphasizes and highlights specific responsibilities within the committee dynamic.  The SME should be in constant contact with the student regarding  content  of the dissertation.  This is the person the student turns to in order to test ideas and conclusions and to ensure the appropriateness, relevance, significance, and accuracy of the dissertation’s content in order to meet university and academic standards.

The SME also certifies the accurate reporting of that material to the chair and determines the factual nature of the work.  The SME knows the subject closely and acts as the student’s sounding board.  The SME does not establish timelines, length of the thesis/dissertation, etc.  The role of SME includes the following responsibilities:

• consistently consulting with the student/candidate regarding the relevance and significance of the research content,
• regularly discussing content with the student/candidate to test ideas and conclusions,
• updating the committee chair about discussions with the student/candidate and about any suggestions or recommendations resulting from those discussions, and
• confirming the accuracy, appropriateness, relevance, and significance of the research focus and content with the committee chair.

Committee Member.   One additional committee member works for the committee chair.  The committee member advises and assists the committee chair in every aspect of the project.  The committee member interacts directly with the chair, not the student.  This prevents conflicting information from being sent to the student and presents a unified stance during the process.  The chair and the committee member work out all responses presented to the student and resolve any conflicting guidance before the student is contacted.  If conflicts cannot be resolved, the chair makes the ultimate decision.  The chair and the committee member work together constantly, but the chair is the face of the university to the student.  The role of the committee member includes the following responsibilities:

• interacting with the chair to provide added insight, perspective, and feedback to be shared with the student, and
• determining responses, suggestions, and constructive criticism that will be shared with the student through the chair.
• << Previous: Getting Started on Finding Your Research Committee
• Last Updated: Jan 2, 2024 12:06 PM
• URL: https://national.libguides.com/dissertations_Committee

Molecular and Cell Biology

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Thesis Committee Meetings

TCM To-Do List

• Fill out this Google Form to let the GAO know the date of your thesis committee meeting.
• Submit your online academic progress report prior to your meeting.
• Have the present committee members sign your completed TCM form and leave it in 299 Weill Hall (you can slip it under the door if no one is in).
• Have your committee digitally sign your completed form and email it to the GAO.
• Forward the GAO an email thread that shows your committee members agree with the outcome of your meeting; still must send the GAO the TCM form but no signatures are required.

Important Information

• It is fine if not all your committee members are available for the meeting. So long as your  mentor/advisor  and  at least two other committee members  are present, you have a quorum.
• If you are a 3rd or 5th year , your must also schedule a time to discuss your individual development plan (IDP) with your advisor and sign the appropriate space on the TCM form.

Table of Contents

General Information

Suggested Topics for Discussion

Purpose of Thesis Committee Meetings

Meeting Schedule and Attendance

Prior to the meeting

Conducting the Meeting

Record of the Meeting

Following the Meeting

Sixth Year Extensions

COVID-19 Considerations

Students are required to hold annual thesis committee meetings to discuss the dissertation project, to review results, and to chart research directions and timelines for the following year up to the completion of the dissertation.

The average time to complete the Ph.D. degree is 5.5 academic years. If a student is unable to complete their degree by the end of 5.5 years the thesis committee can grant a one-semester extension. Funding and continuation in the Graduate Program beyond the May filing deadline in the spring of the sixth-year will be considered on a case by case basis by the GAC upon petition by the Thesis Committee and the student. (MCB Handbook, p. 12) 

For students who matriculated in 2019 or before, there is a two-year extension to normative time due to interruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. These students should add two years to the timings listed below (i.e. 7.5 years instead of 5.5).

After students advance to candidacy, they meet annually with their Thesis Committee. Please adhere to the following guidelines and timeline. 

Suggested Topics for Discussion: 

In general, students may want to discuss any or all of the following with their committees 

• Progress they have made
• Setbacks they have encountered
• Places where they need advice or have questions 
• Dissertation outlines
• Figures for publication
• Graduation timelines
• Career goals and advice for achieving their desired post-graduation position

The purpose of committee meetings is for students to receive regular guidance from the committee on selecting and implementing research strategies, publishing research papers, and moving towards their career goals. Thesis committees will also play a central role in implementing and ensuring the success of the MCB publication policy, which states:

The goal of Ph.D. is to prepare students to become independent researchers and to master the scientific process. An important step in this training is the publication of scientific findings, which marks a milestone in completing a project and teaches valuable skills in communicating these results to other scientists and the public. The process of preparing manuscripts also serves as an important step in ensuring that scientific conclusions are placed into a broader context and are based on rigorous and reproducible experiments. Moreover, the process of submitting manuscripts introduces students to the system of peer review and teaches them how to respond to reviewer requests and questions.

Students are expected to publish at least one 1st-author (or co-1st-author) peer-reviewed research paper prior to graduation. Submission of a manuscript to an online archive (such as bioRxiv) or submission to a peer-reviewed journal prior to graduation, will satisfy this requirement. In the case of extenuating circumstances (serious illness, change of mentor, non-renewal of a visa) that may preclude publication prior to graduation, a written waiver from the thesis advisor and signed by the thesis committee will be necessary for the student to graduate.

To encourage productive interactions between the student, their mentor, and the Thesis Committee, the GAC recommends the following guidelines for conducting the annual meeting.

Meeting scheduling and attendance :

It is the responsibility of the student to work with the GAO to organize their Committee meetings within the time windows indicated in the table below. The mentor and two of the three other members will constitute a quorum. If a committee member cannot be present, a one-on-one meeting is acceptable, provided that the faculty member fills out a report that is countersigned by the student.

Prior to the meeting :

Prior to the meeting, the student will write an Annual Progress Report in consultation with the Thesis Committee Chair and email report to the committee. The student will also submit the Annual Progress Report Information to the webform: https://mcb.berkeley.edu/internal/grad/progress-reports/student.php

The report sent to the committee should have the following elements:

• What progress did you make towards your degree in the past year? Compare this with your previous goals (if applicable). If you were unable to attain them, what were your obstacles?
• Please describe your current plans for the dissertation, providing a timetable for completion.
• In which year and term do you plan to file for your degree?

Conducting the meeting:

The GAC recommends the following guidelines for conducting thesis committee meetings: 

• Once all committee members are present, the student will briefly leave the room so that the dissertation chair can provide other members of the committee with a verbal evaluation of the student's progress to date, identifying both the student's strengths and any areas in which the student can improve. This information will help the committee members  more effectively provide advice to the student.
• The student will then provide a focused summary of research progress. They should also discuss technical difficulties that have been encountered. The committee will evaluate the student’s progress, provide advice, set goals/expectations for publication, and set goals for the coming year as well as for the timely completion of the dissertation within the normal 5.5 year period.
• Toward the end of the meeting, the dissertation chair will leave the room and any remaining issues will be discussed with the student in the absence of the mentor. This phase of the Thesis Committee meeting is intended to facilitate interactions with the other committee members by allowing the student to establish a closer relationship with the other committee members. It is intended to provide the student with an opportunity to identify any issues that might have been difficult to discuss in front of the mentor, which can include lab culture, mentorship needs, and other sensitive topics.

Record of the Meeting: 

At the conclusion of the meeting, all faculty will sign the MCB Annual Academic Progress Form attesting to their attendance at the meeting, confirming that plans for a first-author publication were discussed, providing the semester of anticipated completion, and indicating the level of progress achieved (very good, satisfactory, or inadequate). Third and fifth-year students are also required to discuss their IDP with their PI and use the form to provide confirmation that the discussion took place.  This form will be returned to the GAO within one day of the meeting date. For students who matriculated in 2021 or later, records of the thesis committee meetings will be added to their Academic Progress Report in Cal Central. Students must have at least three meetings in order to graduate, including one meeting at least six months prior to filing (for students filing sooner than in 5.5 years exceptions can be made). 

Following the meeting - the Annual Progress Evaluation :

The Committee Chair/Dissertation Advisor will write a report to be circulated to the entire committee for comments and approval. This report should be submitted to the webform within one week of the meeting date . Filing such reports is required for demonstrating compliance with departmental policy. Webform:   https://mcb.berkeley.edu/internal/grad/progress-reports/faculty.php

If a problem arises that cannot be resolved by the committee, they may recommend that the student should not continue in the program. The recommendation is then forwarded to the GAC and the Graduate Division for a final decision.

Sixth Year Extensions 

If a student is unable to complete their degree by the end of 5.5 years the financial support provided by the mentor may be extended five months to the University’s dissertation filing date in May of their sixth year.  The decision to grant extensions is the responsibility of the student's Thesis Committee and requires appropriate and documented special circumstances.  Examples would include illnesses, change of mentor, a fourth rotation, and scientific problems unforeseen at the annual fourth or fifth-year Thesis Committee meetings.  In order for such extensions to be granted, reports of all previous Thesis Committee meetings must have been filed with the GAO, and the Thesis Committee and the student must unanimously agree with the extension.  If there is disagreement on the extension within the Thesis Committee or if the student disagrees with the Thesis Committee decision, the case will be referred to the GAC.  Funding and continuation in the Graduate Program beyond the May filing deadline in Spring of the 6th year will be considered on a case by case basis by the GAC upon petition by the Thesis Committee and the student .  If such a petition is not filed by the end of January in the Spring semester of the 6th year, a recommendation will be made to the Graduate Division to terminate graduate standing. Anyone seeking an extension to file in the summer after their sixth year must submit a statement signed by both the student and the PI that they are aware SHIP insurance coverage ends on July 31 st .

Any food at meetings of students with faculty mentors, including qualifying exams and thesis committee meetings, shall be provided by faculty,  not  students.

Information above can also be downloaded as a document from here .

The Graduate Division and Graduate Council have approved a two-year increase in normative time for doctoral students (a two year increase for MCB students is until 7.5 years / December of the eighth year). Accordingly, the MCB Graduate Affairs Unit will continue to grant extensions for the affected students beyond 7.5 years whenever necessary, as they approach graduation. The one year increase as well as any further extensions should only be used for students in cases where there is still work directly related to dissertation research; the student’s thesis committee should be in agreement that an extension would be beneficial to the student and not only to the PI. 

Any student seeking the two year extension in normative time (to fall of the eighth year) must communicate this to the GAO for record-keeping and funding purposes only; these extensions do not need to be formally requested or approved by the GAC however the GAO will reach out to the PI of the student to confirm any extension beyond 6 years. Any extensions beyond 7.5 years will go through the normal extension process (memo addressed to the GAC signed by both the PI and student). 

The two year increase of normative time applies to students who began graduate school in 2019 or earlier; this may be extended to later years depending on how the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions progress. The extension only applies to the graduation timeline and not to other Departmental milestones, such as the Qualifying Exam. 

The GAC is asking both faculty and students to incorporate a discussion of how the pandemic has impacted the trajectory of the student’s graduate career and timeline. GAC recommends a general discussion at the end of the thesis committee meeting among all committee members and the student. The conversation can continue afterwards in the absence of the thesis advisor.  This discussion should not stop at the level of academic progress, but should also be an opportunity to check in with the student about their wellbeing. Some questions to consider are below. This is by no means an exhaustive list, so please take time to discuss any additional COVID-related concerns you may have.

• Overall, how has the pandemic affected your personal well-being, current research, and future plans?
• How has the shift-based schedule impacted what you can accomplish in a given day, week, or month?
• Are you able to accomplish any of your work remotely?
• If you are working remotely, do you feel that you have adequate resources to do so?
• If you are not working remotely, what is your comfort level with returning to working in the lab? Do you have any safety concerns?

The GAC also understands that the pandemic has not and will not impact everyone in the same way. Because of this, we are asking the committee members to work with students to help them  develop clear, realistic and measurable plans towards achieving academic goals without compromising wellbeing . In particular, the committee is encouraged to provide input in terms of prioritizing experiments, recalibrating objectives given the current limitations, setting realistic timelines with specific objectives, while considering individual needs for each student.

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Two CBE professors named finalists for 2024 Innovator of the Year awards

At the annual Ohio State University Research and Innovation Showcase , ten finalists were recognized for their research innovations that improve lives. The Ohio State University Innovator of the Year awards celebrate researchers who are actively working to promote the commercialization of university intellectual property through invention disclosures filed, patents applied for and/or received, technologies licensed, or spin-off companies formed.

Two professors from the William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering were named finalists in the competition, Shang-Tian Yang and Eduardo Reategui. The competition has three award levels: Innovator of the Year, Early Career Innovator of the Year, and Next Generation Innovator of the Year (student category).

Innovator of the Year Finalist

Shang-tian yang.

Meet the Co-Chairs of the ENT Picnic Day Committee

Grace Horne, Bob Kimsey gearing up for the 110th annual UC Davis Picnic Day

• by Kathy Keatley Garvey
• April 11, 2024

Meet the co-chairs of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology Picnic Day Committee.

The doctoral student co-chair is Grace Horne of the Entomology Graduate Student Association (EGSA).

The faculty co-chair is Robert "Bob" Kimsey , forensic entomologist.

The 110th annual campuswide UC Davis Picnic Day takes place on Saturday, April 20. This year, all of the ENT exhibits, including those at the Bohart Museum of Entomology ,  will be at Briggs Hall.  Most displays and activities are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Bohart Museum's pop-up tent will be open from noon to 4 p.m.

Grace Horne, Co-Chair of Picnic Day Committee  Horne, who joined the graduate program in 2021, studies with urban landscape entomologist Emily Meineke, assistant professor. She is a 2021 graduate of Colby College, Waterville, ME, where she received her bachelor's degree in biology and environmental science, magna cum laude. Her thesis: "Reduced Performance of Ash-Specialist Caterpillars on Non-Native, Cultivated Oleaceous Plants.”

"I study plant-insect interactions using long-term data—primarily expert-collected observations and natural history collections," Horne said. "Currently, I am investigating how moth populations in Davis and Stebbins Cold Canyon have changed over the past 30 or so years using data collected by John de Benedictis of the Bohart Museum of Entomology." 

Skilled in exhibit and outreach programs, Horne is an alumna of The Caterpillar Lab in Marlborough, NH.  "At The Caterpillar Lab, we brought together caterpillars and their host plants to teach about species interactions, conservation, and ecology," Horne said. "Our work brought us to museums, libraries, 4th grade classrooms, farmers' markets, etc. This provided a throughline for me to organize the UC Davis entomology exhibits at Picnic Day. I cherish the opportunity to participate in an event that is enjoyed by so many Davis residents and beyond!"

Bob Kimsey, Co-Chair of Picnic Day Committee

Kimsey wears a number of hats. He's an assistant adjunct professor and master advisor of the Animal Biology major as well as the faculty chair of the department's Picnic Day. He's also the advisor to the UC Davis Entomology Club and that has included guiding students to such venues as Alcatraz Island to see the flies and other insects. (See The Fly Man of Alcatraz )

Known as an outstanding teacher, advisor and mentor, Kimsey won the 2020 top faculty academic advising award from the international  NACADA , the “global community for academic advising.”  Kimsey is also a 2019 winner of a faculty advising award from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the  Eleanor and Harry Walker Advising Awards . He previously won the  UC Davis Outstanding Faculty Advising Award , and the  Distinction in Student Mentoring Award  from the Pacific Branch, Entomological Society of America.  Kimsey plans to retire in June.

3000 Attendees The ENT exhibits at the UC Davis Picnic Day usually draw some 3000 attendees. "This year, we have about 25 student and junior specialist volunteers running our events from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.," Horne said. "Our popular events—maggot art and cockroach racing—will return this year, although maggot art will take our last artist at 3 p.m. rather than the usual 5 p.m."  

'Glowing Bugs' New to the exhibit line-up is the “I IUV Bugs," an exhibit about plant-insect interactions under ultraviolet light. The "glowing bugs exhibit" is the brainchild of Horne and primarily designed by the Meineke lab, "especially (doctoral student) Marielle Hansel Friedman," Horne said.  "We will have plants from the UC Davis Arboretum Teaching Nursery and local/pet-trade arthropods which glow under ultraviolet light. With this exhibit, we seek to highlight the interplay between light, color, and species interactions." Other contributors to this exhibit are doctoral students Gary Ge of the Louie Yang lab and Emma Jochim of the Jason Bond lab.

Doctoral student Veronica Casey of the Shahid Siddique lab designed the new nematode exhibit. Carla-Cristina "CC" Melo Edwards of the Geoffrey Attardo lab is coordinating the new medical entomology display. "The bumble bee observation hive is unfortunately not ready for the spotlight this year," Horne said.

"I also want to highlight all the efforts that Em Jochim (Bond Lab), Iris Quayle (Bond Lab), and Nicole Rodrigues (Attardo Lab) have contributed to make Picnic Day a success. Without them, there’s no way we could pull this off."

List of Events and Activities

The list of events and activities in and around Briggs Hall will include:

Bug Doctor Briggs Hall Entryway Graduate students will answer questions about insects. What's that bug? Attendees are encouraged to bring an insect or photo for identification.

Cockroach Races Front of Briggs Hall  American cockroaches,  Periplaneta americana , from Bob Kimsey's forensic lab, race on a specially made track, while roach fans cheer for their favorites. (Sometimes the athletes are named for faculty, friends or bystanders.)

Medical Entomology 122 Briggs Hall Carla-Cristina " CC " Melo Edwards of the Geoffrey Attardo lab is coordinating the medical entomology display. Her research focuses on investigating the physiological mechanisms underlying pyrethroid resistance in Aedes aegypti (the yellow fever mosquito). 

Diversity of Arachnids 122 Briggs Hall Doctoral student Emma Jochim of the Jason Bond lab is coordinating an exhibit she created last year to display the diversity of arachnids, such as vinegaroons, whip spiders, tarantulas, and scorpions. "We’ll have live animals and fact sheets that will give a general overview of their diversity, behavior, and habitat," Jochim said. "I’ll also bring some curated specimens to show what goes into creating a scientific collection and talk about why collections are important for understanding biodiversity. "

Maggot Art Briggs Courtyard   Artists--children and adults alike--create maggot art by dipping a live maggot into water-based, non-toxic paint. It's suitable for framing (or at least a spot on the refrigerator door). Rebecca O'Flaherty, a former graduate student of Bob Kimsey's, coined the educational teaching curriculum,  "Maggot Art," back in 2001 when she was studying at the University of Hawaii. She was rearing blowflies for her forensic research and wanted an activity to draw the interest of elementary school students.  She also wanted to generate interest and respect for forensic entomology. Her Maggot Art quickly drew national interest. The CSI television show featured one of her works, “Ancient Offering,”  which hung on the permanent set in Gil Grissom's office. O'Flaherty also exhibited her work at art shows, including a two-month exhibition at the Capital Athletic Club, Sacramento, in 2007.

Dr. Death 122 Briggs Hall Forensic entomologist Robert Kimsey will display and discuss his work in his "Dr. Death" booth. Last year Kimsey pin-mounted and identified flies from various cases and research efforts, and displayed studies on the sequence of development of individual maggots, calling attention to the development and sequence of communities of insect maggots.  "By these means, approximations about how long a person has been dead can be made," he told the crowd. He also discussed recently adjudicated cases. 

Entomology at UC Davis 122 Briggs Hall Displays of insects, including bees, ants and more. Graduate students, faculty and emeriti will staff the tables. 

Bohart Museum of Entomology Front of Briggs Hall A pop-up tent, staffed by the Bohart Museum, will include stick insects (walking sticks) and Madagascar hissing cockroaches. "We are excited to be part of the bigger department's offerings," said Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator.  Give-aways are also planned.

Fly-Tying Briggs Hall courtyard Fly Fishers of Davis  will show attendees how to tie a fly. The recipients take home the flies. 

Insect-Themed T-Shirt Sales Briggs Hall entryway Members of the Entomology Graduate Student Association (EGSA), led by president Mia Lippey, will be selling their popular insect-themed t-shirts, including The Beetles.   The T-shirt, EGSA's all-time best seller, is a take-off of the cover of The Beetles' Abbey Road alum. However, instead of the Beatles--John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Star-- crossing the road in a single file, four beetles (family names Phengogidae, Curculionidae, Cerambycidae and Scarabaeidae) do so.  Other popular T-shirts include Entomo Gothic (a play on the American Gothic), Whip Scorpion , Bee Haw , and They See Me Rollin' (dung beetles).

Mosquito Control Booth Entrance to Briggs (below front steps) Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District  will be providing information on mosquitoes, answering questions, and offering give-a-ways.  UC  Statewide Integrated Pest Management (UC IPM)   Briggs Hall Courtyard “We plan to have many of our usual materials on display and will be giving out the live lady beetles (aka ladybugs) again,” said urban and community IPM educator Lauren Fordyce. “We purchase them from a local garden center. In addition to that, we plan to have a prize wheel that adults and kids can spin, answer a question, and win a prize if they answer correctly. We may also have temporary insect tattoos to give away.”

Ranked Third in the Country. The UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology is ranked third among  “The Best Entomology Colleges in the United States for 2024" by universities.com .  The department includes 24 active and 19 retired faculty;  28 graduate students (five in the master’s degree program and 23 in the doctoral degree program); 47 undergraduate entomology majors (based on the Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services (OASIS)  Student Reports); and a staff comprised of 27 academics (non-faculty), 24 career, and 56 student assistants. 

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Rep. Tom Cole poised to become first Oklahoman to chair House Appropriations Committee

WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Tom Cole will likely become the next chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee — and the first Oklahoman to ever serve in the post — after gaining the approval of the GOP Steering Committee on Tuesday evening.

The closed-door vote, confirmed by Cole and members of the committee, was something of a formality since he didn’t have any official challengers in the bid for the gavel and is expected to gain approval of the full House Republican Conference.

Cole joked after the vote that “it’s kind of hard to lose a race when you’re the only guy” running and said he plans to get to work immediately.

“I think we’ll be in awfully good shape, honestly, in getting the bills through the committee. I’m pretty hopeful,” Cole said of the upcoming process. “I’m a lot more fortunate than Tom Emmer. I’ve got a bigger majority in Approps committee than he’s got on the floor.” Emmer, of Minnesota, is the House majority whip.

Cole said he expects that Congress will need to rely on a stopgap spending bill in September to keep the federal government running through Election Day and that whoever wins those contests will decide when lawmakers wrap up their annual process.

“The winner will probably decide — Do we want to finish business this calendar year, which is always the best thing to do, win or lose, or do you want to kick it into next year?” Cole said.

More: Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole says government shutdowns are a really bad idea

“I hope we don’t do that, but that’s the way I see the year unfolding right now,” he added.

Cole told States Newsroom in an interview prior to the vote that preserving Republican priorities while striking bipartisan deals within the divided Congress will be a hallmark of his tenure in the role. A failure to do so would lead to a partial government shutdown.

“If you don’t know how to compromise you can’t be an appropriator. And honestly, I don’t think you’re going to be very good at governing,” Cole said.

“It’s a big, diverse country, very polarized, very evenly divided now. And sadly, we live in a period of time when people are generally condemned if they come to an agreement, as a sell out. You used to be a statesman, if you came to an agreement.”

Cole said he “understands the limits of the possible given the size of the majority we have and the nature of our institutions,” but emphasized he didn’t plan on letting GOP priorities get rolled under his leadership.

“That comes from being around the place for a long time and trying to take my work seriously,” Cole said.

Rep. Tom Cole will be directing $1.7 trillion in spending

Becoming Appropriations chairman will make Cole one of the more important members of Congress, deciding spending levels and policy throughout the dozen annual government funding bills.

Those bills totaled about $1.7 trillion for the current fiscal year and determined everything from troop pay to spending on immigration enforcement to investment in medical research to public lands funding, and much more.

Cole will take the helm of the committee just as it begins work on the bills for fiscal 2025, which are due Oct. 1.

Cole, at the moment, plans to stick to the funding levels for defense and nondefense discretionary accounts that were included in the debt limit deal that former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden struck last year, though if GOP leaders decide on a different set of numbers, the committee will write its bills to that amount.

“Broadly speaking, yes, we have an agreement,” Cole said. “Now, side deals, that’s been difficult. And it would be a lot easier if people put everything in the deal that was in the deal. Side deals complicate things quite a bit and they put this speaker in a challenging position.”

Thousands of federal employees in Cole's home district

Cole noted during the interview that his  4th Congressional District  in Oklahoma ranks 16th in terms of federal employees, putting it up with Virginia and Maryland districts that are just outside the nation’s capital as well as a few others.

The district includes nearly 25,000 federal employees, according to a  report  from the Congressional Research Service. Cole’s congressional website says “the largest employers in the district include Fort Sill Army Post, Tinker Air Force Base and the University of Oklahoma.”

Cole said that as well as his lifelong experiences will affect his thinking and actions as Appropriations chairman.

“We’ve never had an Appropriations chair from Oklahoma and obviously you are shaped by your own political environment,” Cole said. “I happen to represent a federal-heavy state. We have five major military installations. But my district in particular, is federal heavy.”

More: Republicans asked for a border security bill. Do they still want it?

Cole said that he and the state’s residents have an interest in Native American issues and that he plans to focus on that as chairman. He is an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation.

“We don’t have that many Native members (in Congress) and obviously there are many districts that don’t have too much of a tribal presence,” Cole said. “But a lot of the West does, and certainly a lot of the Upper Midwest, or the Plains states.”

“I think having somebody that actually knows and cares about those issues will be a little bit unusual,” he added.

Native American communities are a “very neglected part of our population,” Cole said, though he hopes to change that in some ways.

“A lot of people don’t understand tribal sovereignty and what it is, nor do they understand the trust and responsibility the United States government has assumed in exchange for all of these lands that were not given, they were usually bargained away in exchange for some commitments that were made,” Cole said.

“And sadly I think most Americans would acknowledge over the course of our history a lot of those commitments haven’t been kept,” Cole said. “That’s something I’ll bring a special emphasis to.”

Cole said he also planned to focus on agriculture issues, defense and natural disaster response and recovery.

This is Rep. Tom Cole's second attempt at chairmanship

Cole succeeds Texas Rep. Kay Granger, who  announced  in late March she would step aside from the leadership role and take on the title of Chair Emeritus until she retires at the end of this Congress.

This was Cole’s second bid for the top Republican slot on the committee after  throwing his hat in the ring  alongside Granger and several other Republicans in 2018, following the retirement of then-Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, a New Jersey Republican.

During his interview, Cole said becoming chairman of the Appropriations Committee has “been a long-term ambition” and that those plans moved to the forefront after Granger “surprised us all by making the decision to leave a little bit early.”

Cole has a long tenure on the spending panel, first joining in 2009, and has negotiated numerous full-year spending bills with Democrats, including one of the more daunting appropriations bills, the massive Labor-HHS-Education measure.

Connecticut Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro, ranking member of the full committee, served with Cole on that subcommittee for years, giving the two a footing to work off of as they lead their respective parties through the fiscal 2025 process.

Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, a Washington state Democrat, was the leader of that same subcommittee in her chamber, working with Cole and DeLauro to negotiate that spending bill.

“I know how to work with my colleagues in a constructive way across the line,” Cole said. “I think we all know our respective red lines.”

Cole noted during his interview he’s also worked for years with Maine Sen. Susan Collins, the top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Together — Cole if elected by the full GOP conference, DeLauro, Murray and Collins — will make up what’s referred to as the “four corners” of the committee and are responsible for making final decisions on all dozen of the full-year spending bills once the House and Senate begin their conference process, typically in the fall.

Cole currently holds the role of subcommittee chairman on the Transportation-HUD panel, but is expected to give up that position once officially full committee chairman.

Cole will also step aside from chairing the House Rules Committee, the leadership panel that typically reviews substantial bills and approves amendments before the legislation moves to the House floor.

Cole was first elected to Congress in 2002. Before then, he held numerous positions, including chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party from 1985 to 1989, state senator from 1988 to 1991, executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee from 1991 to 1993, Oklahoma secretary of state from 1995 to 1999 and chief of staff for the Republican National Committee from 1999 to 2001.

Cole was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on April 28, 1949. He graduated from Moore High School in Oklahoma in 1967 and Grinnell College in Iowa in 1971. He received a master’s degree from Yale University in 1974 and a PhD from the University of Oklahoma in 1984.

Alabama congressman wanted vote postponed

While Cole didn’t have any competition for the role of chairman, one of the senior GOP lawmakers on the committee publicly expressed frustration with the process in the days ahead of the Steering Committee vote.

Alabama Republican Rep. Robert Aderholt released a letter last week calling on House GOP leaders to postpone the vote, though they did not agree to that request.

“Instead of hastily selecting a new Appropriations Chair, I believe that now is the time to focus on correcting the process and developing our theory of government on how we will manage our responsibilities,” Aderholt wrote. “Our Conference must work together to define a clear direction forward before choosing a Chairman to lead us there.”

A House Republican aide, speaking on background to discuss Aderholt’s deliberations,  told States Newsroom in November  the congressman was deliberating whether to officially enter the race and said they expected it to be a “new ballgame” under Johnson’s leadership.

Aderholt told reporters on Tuesday evening that he wasn’t expecting Granger to step down as chairwoman mid-session.

“I had not planned to run so quickly,” he said.

Aderholt never publicly entered the race for the Appropriations Committee chairman as of Tuesday’s vote, though he did express frustrations with the annual process in his letter.

Aderholt also  wrote an op-ed  that was published in the Capitol Hill-focused newspaper Roll Call on Tuesday morning that includes some of his proposed changes to the process.

“As we now operate with one of the smallest majorities in history, without comprehensive reform as I’ve begun to outline, the appropriations process will continue to fail. It seems everyone is staring at the iceberg but unwilling to change course,” Aderholt wrote. “This is not news to anyone, yet some of my colleagues seem willing to stick with and build upon the status quo.”

Aderholt currently holds the gavel as the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee chairman.

House Speaker Mike Johnson advocates changes in process

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, has said repeatedly he hopes to make changes to how lawmakers approach the annual government funding process to make it more palatable for conservative lawmakers, who have aired grievances with it for years.

Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was so angry that Johnson  allowed a floor vote  on a bipartisan $1.2 trillion spending package late last month that she filed a motion to remove Johnson from the speaker’s office.

Greene hasn’t said when or even if she may force the full House to take a vote on ousting Johnson, but so far has used the motion to vacate as a public rebuke of how he’s handled government funding bills.

Congress is tasked with approving 12 appropriations bills every year before the start of the upcoming fiscal year on Oct. 1, though members haven’t completed all of their work on time since 1996.

During the most recent process, fiscal 2024, House Republicans were able to report 10 of those bills out of the Appropriations Committee on party-line votes and approve seven on the House floor.

The Senate approved all dozen of the bills in committee on broadly bipartisan votes and approved three on the floor, also with bipartisan backing.

The two chambers, one held by Republicans and the other held by Democrats, used a series of stopgap spending bills to avoid a partial government shutdown until they completed work on the bills nearly six months late, in March.

Congress  approved  a $468 billion six-bill spending package in early March before  wrapping up work  on the $1.2 trillion spending package encompassing the other six bills in late March.

Biden has already  submitted his budget request for fiscal 2025,  which is slated to begin in less than six months, starting off the next process.

The House Appropriations Committee’s dozen subcommittees have begun holding hearings with Cabinet secretaries and agency leaders to review their latest round of funding requests before they begin drafting the next batch of bills, likely in late spring or early summer.

Cole moving into the role of chairman will provide the panel with one leader throughout that process, which will likely not wrap up until at least the lame-duck session of Congress following the November elections.

Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.