As stated in the Office of Graduate Studies materials, the advising system should provide, and students should acquire, a clear map of program requirements from the beginning, making clear the coursework requirements, and expected timelines for completion of all examinations and program requirements. The goal of this document is to ensure students understand the role of Graduate Advisors in providing advising across the stages of the Ph.D. and assistance in response to specific student needs.
1.Advising contacts and roles: Graduate students receive advising support from a number of people throughout their PhD. These include faculty and staff that work together to provide student support the graduate student experience.
a. Graduate Program Coordinator: staff member that supports the graduate group and can advise on administrative details of the program.
b. Graduate Advisors: NGG faculty appointed by the Executive Committee to serve on the Graduate Advising Committee and support assigned graduate students. Meet with students to advise regarding research and training progress and elective course selection and are eligible to chair the Qualifying Exam (QE) Committee. Neuroscience graduate students are assigned a specific Graduate Advisor (which is the Lead Advisor for Year 1). Graduate Advisors serve two-year terms, with the possibility of serving two consecutive terms.
c. Lead Advisor: Faculty appointed to chair the Graduate Advisory Committee and lead graduate advising for a three-year term. The Lead Advisor serves on the Neuroscience Graduate Group Executive Committee. The Lead Advisor is the Graduate Advisor and primary advising resource across academic and research areas during the first year, and will continue in that role until a Major Professor is identified. The Lead Advisor is also the instructor of record and primary contact for the rotation course and quarterly rotation talks for first year students.
d. Major Professor: NGG faculty that serves as the primary research and academic supervisor. Typically, students rotate with faculty in the first two quarters of Year 1 and then identify a Major Professor and lab to join starting in Spring quarter (though this may happen later in some cases). When a student joins a lab, the Major Professor takes over much of research and training advising role from the Lead Advisor.
e. Qualifying Exam Committee Chair: While not a general source of advising, students should meet with their QE Chair early in the preparation process to establish structure and get any questions answered.
f. Dissertation Committee: After passing the QE, students form a Dissertation Committee and meet at least once annually. The Major Professor serves as Chair. The Dissertation Committee monitors degree and research progress and signs the dissertation.
g. Graduate Group Chair: The Chair of the Graduate Group may be involved in graduate student advising in certain circumstances and consults with the Lead Advisor over general advising matters.
h. Office of Graduate Studies and other UC Davis Resources: For UC Davis wide information of graduate advising and support, see the Office of Graduate Studies site (https://grad.ucdavis.edu/). In addition to information on a variety of useful topics, there are also links to UC Davis resources such as Student Health and Counseling Services, Ombuds Office, Sexual Violence Prevention and Response, Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program, Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs, and other links.
2. Graduate Advisor responsibilities: Graduate Advisors are faculty-held advising positions approved by the Office of Graduate Studies, with standard duties across graduate programs. Graduate Advisors have attended Office of Graduate Studies training specific to the position. The Graduate Advisor addresses academic matters affecting graduate students and their academic programs. The Graduate Advisor is distinct from Major Professor in that they are focused on student progress, success, and well-being independent of specific research topics or training goals, with primary role regarding administrative issues and academic and programmatic progress. Graduate Advisors are not generally expected to offer guidance on specific research plans or outcomes. The role of a Graduate Advisor is also distinct from that of the Major Professor, in having official authority through Graduate Studies. In all programs, a graduate advisor’s signature is the only signature (other than the Chair’s) that Graduate Studies recognizes as an official signature. In general, a Graduate Advisor acts as a student’s first source of academic information and provides assistance with details of each student’s plan of study in the graduate program. Graduate Advisor official duties include (list not exhaustive):
a. Review and approve the program of study for each graduate student who has not advanced to candidacy.
b. Review and take action on each petition submitted by a graduate student to drop/add courses, or to take courses on an S/U basis, as well as make recommendations on petitions from graduate students who want to drop or add courses beyond the fifth week of classes.
c. Review and approve student petitions for Planned Educational Leave (PELP) and then forward such petitions to Graduate Studies for approval.
d. Provide general course advising.
e. Advise on policy.
f. Provide referrals to campus resources.
g. Advise students and faculty on mentoring best practices.
h. Oversee release of academic holds, leaves, grade extensions, and change of degree objectives.
i. Review advancement to candidacy, thesis, dissertation, and QE committees.
j. Review interim and annual progress reports.
k. Advise on disqualification procedures and appeal processes.
l. Oversee petitions for exception.
3. Graduate Advisor assignment to students: The Graduate Advisor for first year students is the Lead Advisor. From the start of Year 2 on, the Graduate Advisor is assigned to a cohort (e.g. all students that entered the program same year) and will continue advising until students graduate or Graduate Advisor term ends. Students may have alternate official Graduate Advisors due to various reasons, e.g. faculty should not serve as both Graduate Advisor and Major Professor to a student. Students can initiate change in Graduate Advisor for justifiable reasons.
4. Graduate Advisors have mandatory reporting obligations: Graduate Advisors (like all UC Davis faculty and many staff members) are “Responsible Employees” and “Mandatory Reporters” (https://hdapp.ucdavis.edu/responsible-employee) and are required by policy to report concerns that come to their attention related to sexual harassment, sexual violence, discrimination, or harassment involving students. Please know that students are still free to discuss these concerns with Graduate Advisors, but they are required to pass along relevant information to the Harassment and Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program (HDAPP) so they can reach out to the student to talk about resources and possible resolution options. If you would prefer to speak to a confidential resource, Graduate Advisors or the Graduate Coordinator can help you get connected. Alternatively, below are links to information about available resources on campus (including confidential resources) and reporting directly to HDAPP:
5. Scheduled meetings with Graduate Advisors and advising objectives:
Year 1:
Incoming students are advised by the Lead Advisor until they join a thesis lab and have a Major Professor. There will be three scheduled individual meetings with the Lead Advisor that include:
i. Program entry meeting – Fall: Students will have an initial individual advising meeting with the Lead Advisor in early Fall quarter to discuss student background and interests, program structure, academic and coursework expectations, and rotations. The goal of this meeting is to ensure students understand the structure of the first year and to provide assistance with planning rotations and strategies for success.
ii. Rotation and coursework check in – Fall/Winter/Spring: Students are expected to check in with the Lead Advisor to review academic performance and rotation outcome and scheduling.
If there are no issues with coursework or rotations, students should meet at least once during Winter Quarter to check in with the Lead Advisor. The goal is to make sure students are achieving success in coursework and on track to identify a Major Professor, as well as an opportunity for general check in on graduate student experience.
If a student has any academic or rotation issues during Fall, Winter, or Spring, the student should schedule a meeting with the Lead Advisor ASAP. The goal for these meetings are to provide student support and develop a plan to address any issues or challenges promptly.
If a student has not identified a Major Professor by the end of Winter Quarter, students meet with the Lead Advisor. The goal for this meeting is to make a plan for added rotations and identification of a Major Professor
iii. Rotation talks – Fall and Winter: Students present to the graduate group each quarter. Each student will give a ~10 minute talk describing work performed in their rotation(s). The Lead Advisor is the primary contact for these talks and will provide information and guidance.
iv. Annual Advisor meeting – Spring: Towards the end of the year (generally Spring quarter before the annual graduate group meeting), students meet with their Graduate Advisor (the Lead Advisor for first year students) to review program progress, go over the Individual Development Plan (IDP), and complete out the Student Progress Assessment (SPA, https://grad.ucdavis.edu/student-progress-assessment). The SPA includes questions to guide graduate students and faculty discussions on professional development plans, coursework requirements, exam or thesis/dissertation progress, goals and expectations, and meeting/communication expectations. For students that have identified Major Professors, they will first meet with the Major Professor and complete the relevant SPA sections. Note the student will fill out the SPA sections with relevant details in advance of these meetings. The goal of this meeting is to fulfil the Office of Graduate Studies progress assessment and provide opportunity to advising on general topics.b. Year 2: i. Second year overview meeting – Fall: Students will meet with their cohort-appointed Graduate Advisor in Fall of Year 2 to meet with their new Advisor, discuss program requirements and the QE, check in on progress since joining lab of the Major Professor. The goal of this meeting is to ensure students have opportunity to interact with the Graduate Advisor to discuss transition to second year and understand the QE and other program requirements.ii. Annual Advisor meeting – Spring: See Year 1 Annual Advisor meeting for details. This meeting will be with the assigned Graduate Advisor.
Year 2:
i. Second year overview meeting – Fall: Students will meet with their cohort-appointed Graduate Advisor in Fall of Year 2 to meet with their new Advisor, discuss program requirements and the QE, check in on progress since joining lab of the Major Professor. The goal of this meeting is to ensure students have opportunity to interact with the Graduate Advisor to discuss transition to second year and understand the QE and other program requirements.
ii. Annual Advisor meeting – Spring: See Year 1 Annual Advisor meeting for details. This meeting will be with the assigned Graduate Advisor.
Year 3:
i. Post-QE advising meeting – as needed (initiated by student):The goal of this meeting is to discuss success in dissertation work following advancement to candidacy and to provide opportunity to discuss overall training and dissertation plans. Students are encouraged to reach out to their Advisor to set up this meeting, as it is not currently a mandatory meeting.
ii. Annual Advisor meeting – Spring: See Year 1 Annual Advisor meeting.
Years 4 and after:
i. Annual Advisor meeting – Spring: See Year 1 Annual Advisor meeting. For students in their sixth year and above, there should be discussions regarding expectations and timeline for dissertation completion and Ph.D. conference.
6. As needed Graduate Advisor meetings to deal with issue during Ph.D.: In addition to scheduled meetings, students should contact their assigned Graduate Advisor as needed for guidance dealing with any issues that arise during the Ph.D. The earlier students reach out, the more the Advisor can do. Examples:
a. Academic probation or academic/coursework issues at any point in the program
b. Sensitive issues with Major Professor, potential change of Major Professor
c. Consideration of leave (i.e. PELP) or stopping PhD program/mastering out
d. Issues with funding or identifying TAships
e. Issues with personal or family member health or well-being