A. Overview

The Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program represents a community of scholars training highly qualified graduate students to conduct research within various disciplines under the umbrella of Cellular and Molecular Biology. This collaborative effort enables the CMB Program to remain successful in its endeavors.

Faculty are expected to be actively involved in the CMB Program:

• Participate on CMB Program Committees (Admissions, Advising & Orientation, Coordinating, Curriculum, and Recruiting)

• Serve on student Thesis Committees

• Actively participate in the functions of the affiliated Focus Groups

• Support student sponsored activities, which may include occasional solicitations for financial support

B. Yearly Responsibility to the Program

Recruiting of Prospective Graduate Students:

• Recruiting new students in the spring semester of each year

• Meeting with visiting prospective students who have expressed an interest in their research areas

• Participating in recruitment social activities, luncheons, receptions, and/or dinners

Orientation: Fall Rotation Talks and Lab Rotations:

• If a faculty member will be accepting a student(s) in their lab it is expected that they will present information regarding their lab to incoming CMB students during Advising & Orientation week faculty rotation talks

• The presentation or rotation talk implies the professor has funding and space to accept a student after rotations are completed

• After the talks, first year rotating students will likely make appointments with faculty in order for the student to identify appropriate rotation labs

• Faculty members may not make commitments to students as a Thesis Advisor until the final day of lab rotations in December of each year

Updating Preferred URL for Program Publications:

• Periodically faculty are asked to update their preferred URL, research description, contact information, and focus group affiliation to adequately keep the CMB Program website and promotional materials up to date

C. Advising Responsibility to the Student

The Thesis Advisor will:

• Monitor and guide the student’s progress toward the PhD degree

• Provide the student with advice about how and when to meet the degree requirements of the Program

Important dates to note for obtaining the PhD are outlined below:

Thesis Committee:

• The Thesis Committee must be formed by the student by March 15 of the first year

• For detailed information, see the Thesis Committee section of the CMB Handbook

Curriculum Certification Meeting:

• The Curriculum Certification meeting must be scheduled by May 17 of the student's first year and completed by August 31

• For detailed information, see the Curriculum Certification section in the CMB Handbook

Preliminary Exam:

• The Preliminary Exam is taken 1.5-2 years after entering the Program

• The Preliminary Exam must be scheduled by May 17 and completed by August 31 of the second year

• For detailed information, see the Preliminary Exam section in the CMB Handbook

Seminar Requirement:

• Beginning the second year of the program and each year there after, students are required to give an oral presentation

• 2nd and 3rd year students give either a Journal Club Presentation or Formal Research Seminar

• 4th, 5th, 6th year students must give a Formal Research Seminar
  

• For detailed information, see the Seminar Requirements section of the CMB Handbook

Annual Progress Report:

• All students are required to conduct a Progress Report meeting with their Thesis Committee on a yearly basis after passing their Preliminary Exam

• The Progress Report meeting must be scheduled by May 17 and completed by August 31

• For detailed information, see the Progress Report section of the CMB Handbook

PhD Defense:

• Students are required by the Graduate School to defend their thesis within five years of the completion of the Preliminary Exam

• If the thesis is not completed within five years, the student must retake the Preliminary Exam or request an extension from the Graduate School and notify the CMB Office of this request

• For detailed information, see the PhD Defense section of the CMB Handbook

Inadequate Progress in the Lab (Counseling & Documentation):

• If for some reason a student is not making satisfactory progress in the lab and/or his/her behavior is not conducive to lab research, the following steps are recommended:

• Communicate the concerns to the student
  
  
• Request changes within a specified period of time
  
  
• Note concerns on the yearly Progress Report Form
  
  
• Reiterate the concerns to the student
  
  
• Follow up with a letter to the student identifying the concerns
  
  
• Send a copy to the CMB Office
  
  

• If the matter is still not resolved satisfactorily:
  
  
• Seek the recommendation of the student’s Thesis Committee
  
  
• Document the results of the meeting
  
  
• Send a copy to the CMB Office

• If problems persist contact the Program Chair for a recommendation for the appropriate course of action

• If performance remains unsatisfactory, the student may be asked to seek another lab or leave the CMB Program

• If the student was a regular rotator (not a Direct Admit), the CMB Program may be able to provide “bridging” support to allow the student a chance to identify a different Thesis Lab

D. Trainer Review

The CMB Program reviews 1/5 of the affiliated trainers each year at the May Coordinating Committe meeting. With this ongoing process, trainers will be reviewed every five years.

Trainer Review Process:

• The faculty member submits a Trainer Review Form when requested by the CMB Office

• The Coordinating Committee will review the completed form and take into consideration the following:

• The appropriateness of the current research area of the faculty member in relation to the CMB Program

• Research quality, as judged by a continuing record of productivity and extramural funding relating to cellular and molecular biology

• The participation of the faculty trainer in various CMB Program functions

• Track record of training graduate students and the training environment provided in the lab
  

• Faculty trainers whose research focus, research quality, or CMB Program participation is determined to be unsuitable for the CMB Program will receive a letter from the Coordinating Committee stating they have been removed from the CMB Program as a faculty trainer
  

• Faculty may request to not be removed by submitting a timely appeal to the Coordinating Committee

• A removed faculty member may also apply for reappointment at any time following removal

• The reappointment process is similar to the original review process. However, the Coordinating Committee may request supplemental information if necessary
  

• The Coordinating Committee will apply somewhat more rigorous standards for reappointment than for the initial appointment of new faculty