Graduate education needs to be relevant, timely and up-to-date with the conventions of the discipline. Accordingly, the Graduate School sets time limits for the completion of each degree at the graduate level. It is the responsibility of students and faculty in each program to ensure that students make adequate progress toward the completion of their degree.
To aid in that effort, the Graduate School outlines expectations for graduate students and graduate program faculty. This document is available to all programs and will be made available to graduate students through the new student orientation process. It lays out the expected timeline for each degree and the roles and responsibilities of students and faculty to meet those deadlines.
Definitions
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Graduate students include both part-time and full-time students, whether on main campus or in distance programs, who are matriculating in a degree program.
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Graduate program faculty includes faculty who are associated with the department in which the degree is offered.
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Affiliated graduate faculty refers to faculty in one department who hold a formal affiliation with another department.
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Graduate faculty representatives are faculty from a different program who serve on doctoral committees to protect the student and the process during a proposal and dissertation defense.
Progress Toward Degree
Graduate education frequently requires active research. Increasingly the climate around research and funding is competitive. This can lead to behaviors that counter the collegial and civil relationships we seek to build at Charlotte. Clear and early communication may prevent some of these behaviors. The Graduate School expects the following-
Graduate program faculty will:
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Work to make program expectations clear and transparent through written communication
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Align expectations between faculty and students using a compact or written agreement
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Abide by University and Graduate School policies
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Adhere to reasonable response time for the review of student work. For example, students should expect feedback on a dissertation chapter within three weeks. These expectations should be clear and consistent across the department.
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Provide annual feedback to graduate students about their progress in the program. No student should be surprised to find out that they are not progressing as expected.
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Respect students’ requests for time off, when appropriate and within reason, according to University policy. This includes advanced requests for parental leave.
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Ensure that a student receives due process and notice when they are not meeting expectations
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Discuss authorship order and expectations at the beginning of a project
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Ensure that faculty who chair a dissertation or thesis has first served on a committee as a member
Graduate students will:
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Work to identify an appropriate advisor early in their matriculation
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Commit to working hard and devoting energy to the assigned research
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Understand and commit to working 20 hours per week if in a full-time assistantship
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Understand and abide by the academic integrity expectations for all students
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Take initiative and ownership of their own learning
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Ask questions to clarify their understanding of processes and policies
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Communicate regularly with their advisor
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Meet agreed-upon deadlines in order to make adequate progress
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Be cognizant of the demands on faculty time. Come prepared for meetings in order to make the most of the time allotted.
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Seek out multiple mentors who can support their professional development
The Graduate School recognizes that these lists are not comprehensive, but that these are the minimum expectations for students to succeed. When conflicts occur between a student and an advisor or faculty member, consider these avenues for resolution:
1. An informal resolution is in everyone’s interest, so a discussion with the advisor and student should be the first attempt at resolution. If that does not resolve the conflict, the program director or department chair should be engaged to discuss the matter.
2. When a student is unsure or feels that there is a threat of retaliation, they may contact the Graduate Student Ombudsman and request a confidential meeting.
3. The Graduate School is also a resource for both students and faculty. Assistant and Associate Deans, as well as the Graduate Dean, may be appropriate contacts for discussing concerns when other informal efforts have not resolved an issue.
4. Formal complaints may be filed when a policy has been violated. There are different complaint processes for different scenarios. Consultation with the Graduate School can help to determine which process is most appropriate.
The University has policies that prohibit retaliation in research, or in other situations. If research misconduct is alleged, the Research Integrity Officer should be notified. In other cases, the University’s Standards of Ethical Conduct may guide students and faculty through the appropriate process.
These guidelines are intended to prevent conflicts between students and faculty while providing standard expectations for all graduate students and faculty. The Graduate School, as the administrative home for graduate education, provides the baseline to support the timely completion of graduate degrees. Programs are always free to develop additional processes and support for students.