This contingency procedure is meant to address circumstances when a student seeks to change the makeup of their graduate advisory committee, but a member or advisor is either unable or unwilling to provide the required authorization. One example is when a student unilaterally seeks disassociation from their thesis or dissertation advisor.
Proposed solution: We propose a contingency procedure through which unilateral removal of an advisor or member of a graduate advisory committee can be authorized after due diligence is carried out to ensure that the circumstances warrant the removal
Department level - Each department with a graduate program is responsible for designating a committee of at least three department faculty members for adjudicating unilateral removal requests that are not resolved at the graduate advisory committee level. These individuals should be designated at the start of each academic year, prior to initiation of any contingency removal procedures. Any member of the committee who has a conflict of interest with a particular contingency removal case should recuse themselves from that case and a replacement should be designated by the department.
College level - Each college is responsible for designating a committee of at least two college faculty members for adjudicating unilateral removal requests that are not resolved at the department level. These individuals should be designated at the start of each academic year, prior to initiation of any contingency removal procedures. Any member of this committee who has a conflict of interest with a particular contingency removal case should recuse themselves from that case and a replacement should be designated by the college. At the time of initiation of a case, a third member will be added from the degree-granting department.
The following requirements need to be met before the contingency procedure can be initiated:
1) The student is required to provide evidence of seeking authorization from the committee member or advisor to be removed. At least two independent attempts should be documented, with at least three business days allowed for a response after each attempt. It is recommended that two different methods be used, for example phone and email. Additional time (up to five business days) should be allowed for known circumstances that could delay the response. For example, if the individual is known by the university to be traveling, at a conference, out of touch for university business, or unable to respond due to illness; but is expected to return in a reasonable time.
2) Allegations of academic misconduct must be adjudicated prior to starting the contingency removal procedure.
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