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Organization of Graduate Study at the University of PittsburghOBJECTIVES The second objective is to provide a means of establishing and maintaining basic standards and requirements for graduate work throughout the University. It is believed that the advanced degree programs developed and administered by the various schools and faculties, though differing in details, should conform to certain fundamental principles of good practice. The third objective is to create effective channels of communication within the graduate community and thus to ensure that all segments of the University are represented in the policy making process.
DEFINITIONS Graduate
programs: all
programs of study leading to a master's degree, an advanced doctoral degree
(PhD, EdD, DPH), or a graduate certificate. Advanced degrees: all master's and doctoral
degrees awarded upon completion of graduate degree programs as defined above.
Schools and the Faculty of
Arts and Sciences: academic units of the University headed by deans, having their own
teaching staffs, and offering instructional programs leading to degrees. Interschool programs: programs of graduate
instruction and research offered cooperatively by Graduate Faculty members
from two or more of the academic units defined above. Graduate Faculty: members of the various schools and the
Faculty of Arts and Sciences who have been recognized and approved as
qualified: (1) to teach courses carrying graduate credit, (2) to serve on
examining committees for advanced degrees, and (3) to advise graduate
students and direct their research. For more on Graduate Faculty, click here for their
role within the structure of graduate study at the University. Graduate student: a student who is enrolled in a
graduate program as defined above. STRUCTURE I. Administration of Graduate Programs A.
Although the University
Council on Graduate Study, acting for the Graduate Faculty,
establishes minimum standards for graduate work throughout the University
(III.B.1), the immediate responsibility for developing and administering
graduate programs is assigned to the deans and Graduate Faculty members of
the several schools and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. This responsibility
applies both to the traditional MA, MS, and PhD programs and to programs
leading to advanced professional degrees. Specifically, the deans and
Graduate Faculty members shall be responsible in their areas for graduate
admission standards and requirements and the admission of graduate students;
for advanced certificate and degree requirements; for selecting and
maintaining a distinguished graduate faculty; and for recommending the
awarding of advanced certificates and degrees. B. The Provost shall have
responsibility for the general supervision of graduate programs throughout
the University, giving leadership to the deans and faculties in maintaining
high standards of graduate instruction and research. C. The Provost or a Vice Provost
as may be designated shall serve as the administrative officer of the
Graduate Faculty (see V.B., below). A.
Membership in the Graduate Faculty shall be of two classes,
"Regular" and "Adjunct." Regular membership shall be
recommended for full-time or tenure stream part-time members of the
University faculty who are approved to direct graduate study and research at
all levels. Adjunct membership shall be recommended for persons whose primary
responsibility is outside the University but who hold a part-time faculty appointment
and are approved to direct graduate study and research at all levels. Only
Regular members shall be eligible for election to the University Council on
Graduate Study, and only Regular members may cast votes in such
elections. B. Members shall be appointed to
the Graduate Faculty by the Provost. When a person is recommended for initial
appointment to a faculty position, the dean who makes the recommendation will
indicate whether, on the basis of an appraisal by a departmental or other
appropriate faculty group, the individual should be given Graduate Faculty
status. A recommendation for Graduate Faculty membership will carry the
implication that the prospective appointee is judged to be: (1) competent in
graduate instruction and the supervision of student research and (2) active
in advancing knowledge through his or her own research. If approved for
Graduate Faculty status, a full-time appointee will become a "Regular"
member. A highly qualified part-time appointee whose main employment is
outside the University will become an "Adjunct" member. The
official contract letter from the Provost to the new faculty member will
specify the class of Graduate Faculty membership, if any, that has been
awarded. C. Members shall perform the
following functions: 1. Provide instruction, conduct
examinations, and direct student research in graduate programs; and 2. Serve on faculty committees
and councils charged with the development of graduate programs and policies. D. Prior to Council's taking
final action, all legislation must be sent to the deans and the chairs of
schools' graduate councils, who will distribute it to appropriate councils
and to Graduate Faculty and forward comments back to Council. All members of
the Graduate Council shall receive from the chair of the University Council
on Graduate Study an annual report of actions taken by Council. On the
recommendation of the Council or the Provost or on receipt by the Provost of
a request signed by 30 Regular members of the Graduate Faculty, legislation
approved by Council which reflects a major change in policy shall be
submitted for approval by a mail ballot to all members of the Graduate
Faculty. If the proposed legislation is approved by a majority of the members
responding within a 30-day period following the mailing of ballots, it will
be considered to be approved for recommendation to the Chancellor. E. All members shall be given
notice of meetings of the University Council
on Graduate Study through the University Times or other appropriate
announcements. They shall be entitled to attend such meetings and to speak,
but shall not be permitted to vote unless they are members of the Council. III. The University Council on Graduate Study 1. Provost, 2. Vice Provosts as
designated by the Provost, and 3. Twenty-one Regular members of
the Graduate
Faculty, distributed according to a formula based on the number of
Regular Graduate Faculty members in the several schools of the Faculty of
Arts and Sciences (one representative for each 100 members and/or fraction of
100). The representation is as follows: · Faculty
of Arts and Sciences
· Joseph
M. Katz Graduate School of Business--one representative · School of Education--two
representatives · School
of Engineering--two representatives · School
of Information Sciences--one representative
· School
of Law--one representative ·
Graduate School of Public and
International Affairs--one representative · School
of Social Work--one representative
· School
of Dental Medicine--one representative · School of Health and
Rehabilitation Sciences--one representative · School
of Medicine--one representative
· School of Nursing--one
representative
· School
of Pharmacy--one representative
· Graduate
School of Public Health--one representative · Interschool programs--one
representative Faculty
representatives shall be selected, and their terms of office determined, in
accordance with procedures established for this purpose within their
respective schools and
the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. No representative shall serve for more
than four consecutive years, except when a school chooses to designate a
representative by reason of the official role of that individual in relation
to graduate study within that school. 4. A maximum of six graduate
students shall be chosen as representatives in accordance with procedures
established for that purpose by the
Graduate and Professional Student Association. Academic units which are
not directly represented by a student with voting rights on the University Council on
Graduate Study may choose one student observer to attend Council meetings
with the privilege of speaking but not voting. Functions 1. To
develop basic standards, regulations, and policies applicable to all fields
for graduate instruction and research; 2. To transmit to the Chancellor
legislation originating in the Council after such legislation has been
reviewed by the subordinate faculty councils or committees (see IV.A.), and has
been submitted to the Graduate Faculty,
or has been approved by a majority of those members responding by a mail
ballot (see II.D.);
3. To review, evaluate, and make
recommendations to the Chancellor
concerning proposals for new postbaccalaureate
degree and certificate programs throughout the University after such
proposals have had prior review and approval by the faculty councils or
committees in which the proposals originated, or in the case of interschool
proposals, by the councils or committees of all the areas involved (see IV.A., B.); 4. To keep informed regarding
the quality of graduate work throughout the University by receiving annual
reports from the faculty
councils and committees on the current status of all graduate degree and
certificate programs within their respective areas, and, when necessary, to
conduct its own review of such programs; and 5. To identify and promote creative
new approaches to graduate education, whether in defining fields of study,
program structure, course content, behavioral objectives, research goals, or
other aspects. 1. The
Council shall hold eight monthly meetings during the academic year.
Additional special meetings may be called by the Provost or a
designated Vice Provost. 2. The Council may appoint ad
hoc committees from its own membership or from the Graduate Faculty
as a whole to review proposals for new postbaccalaureate
degree programs, to evaluate existing programs, or to make such other studies
as the Council considers desirable. Each such committee shall include at most
two graduate student representatives. The committees may also, at the option
of the Council, make use of consultants from outside the University. When
formed to evaluate new programs which require substantial library holdings,
or computer usage, the review committees shall include one or more
representatives of the University
Libraries or Computing and
Information Services. 3. Prior to Council's taking
final action, all legislation must be sent to the deans and chairs of
schools' graduate councils, who will distribute it to appropriate councils
and to Graduate
Faculty and forward comments back to Council. 4. All decisions made by the
Council shall be communicated to the faculty, students, and administrative
officers of the University. IV. Faculty Councils and Committees on Graduate Study A.
Faculty councils and committees on graduate study in the various schools and the
Faculty of Arts and Sciences shall be responsible for standards and requirements
in their respective areas and for reporting on programs and policies to the University Council
on Graduate Study. B. Committees may be formed to
supervise interdepartmental and interschool graduate programs. If an
interdepartmental program is established within a particular school or the
Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the committee in charge of that program will
perform those functions normally performed by a department. If the program
has broader scope than that of a single school or the Faculty of Arts and
Sciences, the committee structure and administrative relationships will be
those agreed upon by the cooperating units. Graduate programs will be
reviewed by the
University Council on Graduate Study and by the Provost. C. The basic standards,
regulations, and policies approved by the University Council on
Graduate Study shall be regarded as minimal standards by the various
councils, committees, and faculties. V. Functions of Administrative Officers in Relation to Graduate
Study A. Deans of Schools and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences
B. Provost or a Vice Provost as Designated
Amendments
to this plan of organization may be proposed by the University Council on
Graduate Study, by joint action of two or more of the faculty councils or
committees, or by petition of 50 Regular members of the Graduate Faculty
drawn from two or more schools or from one or more schools and the Faculty of
Arts and Sciences. A proposed amendment shall be regarded as new legislation and
shall be handled in accordance with the procedures outlined in Section II.D.
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