Faculty Committees

The Committee on Higher Degrees (CHD) is charged with immediate oversight of graduate training. The Committee acts on petitions for leaves of absence (e.g., medical, maternity, or study elsewhere); credit for prior graduate work; waivers of or extensions of deadlines for any requirements; fulfillment of the quantitative requirement; 3-course minors; and appointment pre-prospectus advising, thesis, and prospectus committees. The CHD approves first-year research projects and assigns readers and advisors for second-year projects. Each year the Committee reviews the academic standing of all students, considering grades, Incompletes, content of 3000-level courses, and any special problems. Students are notified directly of CHD action. The Committee also recommends changes in academic policy to the Department (e.g., orals procedure, criteria for the three-paper thesis option, financial aid policy, the five-year rule, and any other aspect of the graduate student program). The Psychology Graduate Student Organization (PGSO) elects two student representatives who join the CHD for discussion on items pertaining to general policy rather than to matters concerning individual students.

The Committee meets monthly during term time. The agenda is distributed to Committee members prior to each meeting; thus, students should give the Graduate Officer any material to be considered several days before each meeting. It is wise to talk to your advisor about any matter you are bringing to the CHD, and perhaps get a note of support for your petition. It is also a good idea to discuss your petition with the faculty representative to the CHD from your area.

Committee on the Use of Human Subjects. Most research involving the use of human subjects (or information about identifiable, living individuals) requires advance review and approval by the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences' institutional review board (IRB). The policies and procedures binding the Committee and all who do such research under the auspices of the Faculty are stated in a vote of the President and Fellows. Speak to Jane Calhoun, Research Officer, 495-5450, jcalhoun@fas, for a copy of the Committee's guidelines or if you have questions about review requirements for your proposed study. The Committee meets monthly, although some projects may be eligible for approval between scheduled meetings. Most ongoing projects in established labs have already been approved and don't require case-by-case approval unless significant new procedures are added. When in doubt, ask Jane.

Other committees. The Department maintains several other committees some are more active than others. There are: Committee on Undergraduate Instruction (CUI), Admissions, Library, Technology, Curriculum, Colloquium, Space, Animal, G. W. Allport, and Restricted Funds. The Department faculty as a whole meet once every month to be briefed on, and hold votes on, Department business. Motions affecting graduate students are usually made by the Committee on Higher Degrees. Student representatives will, when appropriate, be invited to meetings which involve discussion of graduate student affairs. The permanent members (tenured faculty) also meet once per month.