Quick Reference Chart for Membership on Dissertation Committees

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Role

Sole Chair

Co-chair

Cognate*

Member

Full, Associate, or Assistant Professor with earned Doctorate and Rackham affiliation*

Yes

Research Professors or Research Associate Professors with earned Doctorate and Rackham affiliation*

With Special Membership Form

Yes

Full, Associate, or Assistant Professor without earned Doctorate but with Rackham affiliation**

With Special Membership Form

Clinical Professor with earned Doctorate

With Regular Member

Yes

Instructor or Lecturer with earned Doctorate***

With Regular Member

Yes

Adjunct Professor with earned Doctorate

With Special Membership Form

Research Scientists, Associate Research Scientists, Assistant Research Scientists, Research Assistant Professors or Research Investigators, all with earned Doctorate

With Special Membership Form

Retired/Emeritus Professor

With Special Membership Form

Yes

With Special Membership Form

Yes

Non-University of Michigan with or without earned Doctorate

With Special Membership Form

University of Michigan Non-Regular Faculty with or without earned Doctorate

With Special Membership Form

Committee Member no longer employed at University of Michigan

With Regular Member

Yes

In cases where the Chair is not employed by the University of Michigan, it is necessary to have a Co-Chair that is at University of Michigan.

* Professors with less than a 50% appointment must have special approval from the Director of OARD or designee to serve as cognate.

** Must be approved on a case by case basis by the Director of OARD or designee.

*** No Rackham affiliation required.

A committee must have a minimum of four members.

Of the four, three members must be from a Rackham Doctoral Program.

Of the four, two members must be from the student's home department or program.

Of the four, one member must have a 50% appointment in a Rackham doctoral program, other than the student's home department/program (except IDP programs).

Three members must have an appointment as professor, associate professor, or assistant professor with an earned Doctorate.

University faculty who were approved to serve as sole Chair or Cognate member but who are no longer affiliated with the University may not continue to serve as the sole Chair or Cognate member. The faculty member may serve as a Co-Chair or as a regular member based upon the eligibility guidelines for dissertation committee service.

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Article ID: 79
Created On: 23 Apr 2009 11:20 AM

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Rackham Graduate School, University of Michigan

Quick Reference Chart for Membership on Dissertation Committees

Article Details