Anthropology graduate student advisories

January 28, 2010 memo from Dean Joseph Travis to Anthropology graduate students

We are now in the last semester of the two-year window allocated for the Teach Out of the Anthropology graduate degree programs. In the April 15, 2010 memo [posted below] to faculty and students from this office, the specific details were summarized of the procedures specified by the Office of Academic Affairs as reported to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The purpose of this memo is to remind faculty and students of what must be completed by the end of the Spring 2011 semester.

Master's students

• A plan, developed jointly by the student, the major professor and committee, should have been recorded as part of the annual review conducted last year and posted to the Graduate Student Tracking Database with both accomplished benchmarks, and those to be achieved.
• All students should either be completing a thesis this semester [Spring 2011] or the final courses for a non-thesis degree. In both cases the student must have enough hours to meet the minimum credit hours for the degree and, if a thesis student, the thesis committee composition must meet university requirements.

Doctoral students

• Each student will be considered as a unique case.
• A plan developed jointly by the student, the major professor and committee, should have been posted to the Graduate Student Tracking Database as part of the annual review conducted last year with both accomplished benchmarks and those to be achieved, including the number and timing of regularly scheduled meetings of the student, major professor, and committee.
• If the student is [all but dissertation] ABD, and it is not feasible to defend and submit a final approved dissertation to the Graduate School by the last day of the Spring 2011 semester, then an exception to this deadline may be possible. To be considered for an exception, the student should prepare, in consultation with the major professor, a formal request with justification of why the extension is requested. The “Time Extension” form on the Dean of the Graduate School website should be used to prepare the request. It is not necessary to attach a transcript or copies of annual reviews to this, unless the 5-year limit since passing the preliminary exams has been exceeded. Attach to the request the time line previously prepared, with associated benchmarks. If benchmarks have not been attained, include an explanation of why not with the request. The formal request must be approved by the student’s committee, the Chair of Anthropology, the Dean of Arts and Sciences, and the Dean of the Graduate School. It is due [to Associate Dean Lois Hawkes] in Arts & Sciences by March 15, 2011.
• Each student must have enough hours to meet minimum credit hours for the degree and the dissertation committee composition must meet university requirements.

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August 24, 2010
Update

Please review the dean's April 15, 2010 memo below. All graduate students should contact their major professor during the drop/add period to confirm that their academic plan is in keeping with the requirements outlined in the memo.

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April 15, 2010 memo from Dean Joseph Travis to Anthropology graduate students

We are nearly to the end of the first academic year of the two-year window allocated for the closing of the Anthropology graduate degree programs. The purpose of this memo is to remind each of you of the procedures specified by the Office of Academic Affairs as reported to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Below is a summary of the information approved by SACS regarding these guidelines.

Master's students

• A plan should be in place for each student to complete his or her degree by the end of Spring 2011. This plan, developed jointly by the student, the major professor and committee, should be recorded as part of the annual review. Annual reviews must be posted to the Graduate Student Tracking Database by the last day of the Spring 2010 semester, with both accomplished benchmarks, and those to be achieved.
• If impossible to complete a thesis master's degree in this time frame, the student should switch to the non-thesis track.
• If absolutely necessary, the student may be approved to take more than the currently allowed number of courses at another institution. Exception requests should go through the normal channels.
• The plan for degree completion must include enough hours to meet the minimum credit hours for the degree and the thesis committee composition must meet university requirements.

Doctoral students

• Each student will be considered as a unique case.
• A plan should be in place for each student to complete his or her degree by the end of Spring 2011. This plan, developed jointly by the student, the major professor and committee, must be posted to the Graduate Student Tracking Database as part of the annual review. Annual reviews must be in place by the last day of the Spring 2010 semester and contain both accomplished benchmarks and those to be achieved, including the number and timing of regularly scheduled meetings of the student, major professor, and committee.
• If the student was not admitted to candidacy as of Fall 2009, he or she should switch programs or, if appropriate, complete an MS degree.
• If the student is ABD (all but dissertation), and it is not feasible to defend and submit a final approved dissertation to the Graduate School by the last day of the Spring 2011 semester, then an exception to this deadline may be possible. To be considered for an exception, the student should prepare, in consultation with the major professor, a formal request with justification for why the extension is required and strict benchmarks for completion of the degree. Once prepared, this formal request must be approved by the student’s committee, the Chair of Anthropology, the Dean of Arts and Sciences, and the Dean of the Graduate School.
• The plan for degree completion must include enough hours to meet minimum credit hours for the degree, and the dissertation committee composition must meet university requirements.