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 Graduate Student Handbook - Part II

Part II: General Information for All Graduate Students

Advisors

When admitted, a student is assigned a temporary academic advisor. The advisor will help the students with academic matters. The advisor must be consulted at the time of first enrollment to plan a program of study for the entire year. Each spring semester the student must meet with the advisor to plan a program for the following year. All changes must have the approval of the advisor. Students can request the change of advisors when a more suitable advisor or the dissertation advisor is found.

Academic Standards

The minimum grade level at which course credit is awarded is 2.0. The minimum standard for a degree is a 3.0 grade point average. The accumulation of grades below 3.0 in more than three courses (of three or more credits each) or deferred grades in more than three courses (of three or more credits each) automatically removes the student from candidacy for the degree. An accumulation, in excess of four courses, of a combination of grades below 3.0 and deferred grades will also remove the student from candidacy for the degree. A student who fails to meet the standards for any program may be required by the graduate director or the dean to withdraw at the end of the semester.

The Graduate Studies Committee

The Graduate Studies Committee consists of three faculty members and two graduate student members and is chaired by the Director of Graduate Studies, who is appointed by the chairperson of the department. The two student members are elected by the graduate students and serve one-year terms. The election is held at the end of spring semester and is conducted by the outgoing student members. The Committee is responsible for, among other things, admission of students to the various graduate programs, appointment and reappointment of graduate assistants, and the hearing of grievances involving graduate students.

Integrity in Research and Creative Activities

MSU is committed to creating an environment that promotes ethical conduct and integrity in research and creativity. Every student and his/her faculty advisor must read and understand the document Guidelines for Integrity in Research and Creative Activities (http://www.grad.msu.edu/all/riso4activities.pdf). This document will be distributed to every incoming graduate student and will be discussed in the orientation program at the beginning of each fall semester. Every student is encouraged to participate in the workshop series given by the graduate school: Responsible Conduct of Research.

The University views misconduct in research as the most serious violation of University policy. Criteria for dismissal from the graduate program due to unethical or dishonest behavior is described in Guidelines for Integrity in Research and Creative Activities .

Judicial Structure

  1. When there are conflicts between a graduate student and his or her faculty advisor or Guidance Committee, including those that may require a change in the student’s Major Professor, the following procedure should be followed.
  2. The departmental Graduate Director should be consulted, and hopefully an informal resolution is possible.
  3. If such a resolution is not possible, a meeting should be set up with the conflicting parties and the Graduate Studies Committee. The Committee will attempt to resolve the conflict in keeping with the policies of the Department and University including the Guidelines for Graduate Student Advising and Mentoring Relationshipshttp://grad.msu.edu/staff/mentoreport.pdf
  4. If a student remains unsatisfied with the outcome of those conversations, the student may submit a written request for a Grievance Hearing to the Department Chairperson. The letter must state the specific nature of the complaint or remedy, that the student seeks as an outcome of the hearing
  5. Upon receiving a request for a grievance hearing, the department Chair forwards the letter to the department Hearing Board. The Hearing Board for cases involving graduate students is chaired by the Department Chair and is made up of an equal number of faculty and students.
  6. After receiving the written complaint, the Hearing Board can request a response from the faculty member(s) involved with the grievance and then decide if the request for a hearing has merit. If so, the Department Chairperson will schedule a hearing; if not, the Hearing Board can dismiss the case—a decision that the student can appeal to the College of Natural Science hearing board.
  7. If a hearing is held, both the student and the faculty member(s) are allowed to call on witnesses to appear at the hearing on their behalf, and they can seek an adviser to help them throughout the process. The advisers must be members of the MSU community – faculty, staff or students.
  8. If the student prevails at the hearing, the Department Chair will implement an appropriate remedy to accommodate the student. If the faculty member(s) prevails at the hearing, the student may file a request to appeal the department Hearing Board’s decision to the College of Natural Science hearing board (see Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities document at www.ups.msu.edu/SpLife/gradrights.htm).

The University Ombudsman is available to assist students, instructors and hearing boards through every stage of the grievance process. The Office of the Ombudsman can be consulted to determine the process for resolution at the Departmental, College or Univeersity level (http://www.msu.edu/unit/ombud/.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Michigan State University is committed to maintaining a learning and working environment for all students, faculty, and staff that is fair, humane, and responsible – an environment that supports career and educational advancement on the basis of job and academic performance.

The University is a community of scholars and all graduate students are expected to conduct themselves in a civilized and scholarly manner.

The principles of truth and honesty are fundamental in a community of scholars. The University expects students to honor these principles and to protect the integrity of the University grading system.

No student shall knowingly, without proper authorization, procure, provide, or accept any materials which contain questions or answers to any examination or assignment to be given on a subsequent date.

No student shall, without proper authorization, complete, in part or in total, any examination or assignment for another person.

No student shall, without proper authorization, knowingly allow any examination or assignment to be completed, in part or in total, for the student by another person. No student shall plagiarize or copy the work of another person and submit it as his or her own.

It is the responsibility of each student in each course to scrupulously follow the policy on external assistance in examinations and in problem sets that is described by the instructor at the beginning of the semester.

Specifics of students’ rights and responsibilities are contained in the Graduate Students Rights and Responsibilities document (see Appendix).

Annual Evaluation

When a student is admitted into our graduate program, it is expected that he/she will progress towards the degree requirements in a timely fashion.

To assist in the evaluation progress, each student is required to file an annual progress report in early March. The chair of the guidance committee, the dissertation advisor, or the academic advisor must sign the progress report and may wish to supply written comments at that time. The student can then add a written response to the profressor's comments. A copy of the progress report and evaluation will be kept in the student's departmental file and can be accessed by the student or any member of the faculty. The student will meet annually with the Director of Graduate Studies to discuss his/her annual report and his/her progress towards the advanced degree before the end of March.

If a student is not making timely and reasonable progress towards his/her degree in terms of completing coursework or taking the necessary exams, within fifteen days following their annual meeting with the Director of Graduate Studies, the student should recieve a letter from the Director specifying the deficiencies and describing the expected steps, with a timetable, to get back in good standing. The student may wish to respond in writing if he/she disagrees with the deficiencies listed or with the steps and timetable for remediation. Any repsonses will become part of the student's file.

It is a disservice to permit a student to continue towards the advanced degree without necessary qualifications, a high level of motivation, commitment, and aptitude. Judgement regarding retention is made by the student's guidance committee. The committees may consult the Director of Graduate Studies and the department chairperson. If a majority of the guidance commiitee decides that a student lacks such standards, he/she may be asked to withdraw from the program according to the procedures as defined in the Graduate Students Rights and Responsibilities (http://vps.msu.edu/SpLife/grr1.htm).

Enrollment

The University stipulates that a minimum of five students is needed before a graduate level course can be offered. Therefore, all graduate students are asked to enroll for each subsequent semester they plan to be in attendance according to the dates on their Notification of Enrollment letters. Courses with fewer than five students enrolled may be canceled.

Seminars and Colloquia

Throughout the academic year, the department issues a weekly bulletin announcing seminars and colloquia being held that week. These bulletins are e-mailed to faculty and students and a copy is posted on the web. Participation in seminars and regular attendance at colloquia are strongly recommended. Announcements of seminars, colloquia, faculty actions, and other items of interest are posted on the bulletin board near the Graduate Office, Room A-213 Wells Hall.

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