CONTENTS:
5.1     GRADUATE STUDENT ADVISEMENT
5.2     INITIAL ADVISEMENT
5.3.    SUPERVISORY AND RESEARCH COMMITTEE
5.3.1  SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE
5.3.2  RESEARCH COMMITTEE
5.3.3  COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
5.3.4  CHANGE OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS

5.1. GRADUATE STUDENT ADVISEMENT

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Each graduate program is expected to provide a system of academic advisement and this must be explained in its graduate policies and procedures manual. While each degree program may differ in the specifics of the advisement procedure, each one must have mechanisms for initial advisement and appointment of appropriate committees as outlined below.

5.2. INITIAL ADVISEMENT

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Upon entry to a graduate degree program, each student will be assigned an advisor by the department chair or program director. Initial advisement will focus on determining deficiencies, requesting transfer credit where applicable and establishing a proposed program of study. The advisor must be succeeded by a supervisory committee, as defined below, as soon as possible but no later than upon completion of the second semester of enrollment.

5.3. SUPERVISORY AND RESEARCH COMMITTEES
5.3.1. SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

The primary function of a supervisory committee is to oversee the preparation and completion of the program of study. In masters degree programs the supervisory committee administers comprehensive exams, if any are required. The supervisory committee consists of one or more persons, as required by the program or department.

5.3.2. RESEARCH COMMITTEE

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

In a doctoral program or in a masters program where a thesis is required, a research committee guides development of the thesis or dissertation. The research committee may or may not have the same composition as the supervisory committee but must have a minimum of three faculty members.

Members of the research committee must be selected so that relevant emphases of the dissertation or thesis topic are fully represented. The chairperson must have specialized academic competence in the student's major field, as determined by the faculty.

The research committee shall include:

    ·     a committee chairperson who holds a regular faculty appointment at FIU in the program  in which the degree is offered and o is eligible to chair a research committee as specified in section 11.

    ·    at least one member, in addition to the chair, who holds a regular faculty appointment at FIU or at a university which has an affiliated program with FIU.

     ·    The third committee member may be a professional from an external agency or another university whose appointment has been approved by both the chair of the committee and the chair of the department or the director of the program.

5.3.3. COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

Committee formation is initiated by mutual agreement between the student and the faculty. The Committee appointments are approved by the academic dean on the recommendation of the department chair or program director and with the approval of the Dean of the University Graduate School.

5.3.4. CHANGE OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Effective: March 28, 1989

AUTHORITY/SOURCE

Provost and Executive Vice President

POLICY

If a committee vacancy should occur or if, for legitimate reasons, the student wishes to change the composition of the committee, the student should discuss the changes with the committee chair. If the committee chair agrees, the changes are forwarded to the department chair or program director, to the academic dean and then to the Dean of the University Graduate School.