Many individuals contribute to the success and well-being of each graduate student on campus. The intention of this page is to provide a clear definition of the roles those individuals hold, and the duties they typically fulfill within those roles, to ensure that our community can discuss graduate education using the same terminology. Through providing these definitions, however, we do not intend to proscribe the boundaries of each individual's contribution to the community and the students with whom they work.
Faculty Roles
All of the faculty roles on this page require a mentor-eligible payroll title reflected in the payroll system (see the section on Mentor Eligibility at the bottom of this page). If you are a coordinator and believe that a particular mentor has a mentor-eligible payroll title but is not recognized as such in SPA or PRM, contact the Graduate Studies Project/Policy Analyst. Note that the term "program" refers to any graduate degree program, regardless of whether it is departmentally based or a graduate group, SSDP, PDST, or state-supported.
- Graduate Program Chair
Responsibilities
The chair is the academic leader and administrative head of a graduate program. The chair automatically has signature authority on all forms and petitions related to the program. In a departmentally based program, the department chair is responsible for the graduate program, even if day-to-day operations of the program are delegated to another individual deemed to be the Graduate Program Chair. See below for appointment of a Graduate Group Chair.
The official duties of any Graduate Program Chair (whether a department chair, a graduate group chair, or a program chair delegated by a department chair) are equivalent in departmental or group-based programs, and these duties are outlined in Appendix A of the UC-wide APM 245, and in the UC Davis APM 245B Exhibit A.Graduate Program Chairs advise program members and students on:
• Policies that govern graduate education
• Student records and student progress and advising
• Funding, tuition remission policies
• Options and processes for student educational leaves
• Student disqualification procedures
• Campus resources and student services
• Mentoring guidelines and best practices
• Course curriculum and degree requirementsThe Graduate Program Chair is responsible for overseeing the work of the Graduate Advisors. Please see responsibilities of Graduate Program Advisors below.
Appointment
In department-based graduate programs, the department chair is also the graduate program chair. The dean of a college nominates the department chair to the Chancellor, who then appoints the chair of the department (APM 245A). The department chair can delegate the day-to-day operations of the program to another individual, but cannot abdicate responsibility for the program. In group-based graduate programs, the Dean of Graduate Studies nominates the graduate group chair (based on procedures endorsed by the Graduate Council) to the Provost, who then appoints the chair (APM Section UCD-245B).
- Graduate Advisor
- Graduate Faculty Advisors are faculty who act as primary sources for students regarding academic information and their plans of study. They play a crucial role in each student’s web of mentors and advisors, complementing the role of Major Professor. In addition, the cohesive group of Advisors work collaboratively with the graduate program Chair to provide a unified advising vision for the program or group, and they review and take action on the forms and petitions students submit.
This description is primarily intended to serve as a definition of the role and a reference for the graduate education community. If you are a Graduate Advisor seeking guidance, we encourage you to check out the Faculty and Staff Resource page, which contains a variety of quick links and resources to help you.
Graduate Advisor Responsibilities
Graduate Advisors address academic matters involving graduate students and their degree programs with a perspective that is by necessity more broad than Major Professors, who mentor students on their research. Graduate Advisors have signature authority on forms and processes affecting students, but the role is not solely administrative. Each form and process is part of a larger conversation with students about their progress and success in the program. Generally, Advisors’ duties include:
• Reviewing and approving the program of study for each graduate student who has not advanced to candidacy
• Reviewing, discussing, and taking 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
• Reviewing student petitions for Planned Educational Leave (PELP), discussing the different options for leave, and then, if appropriate, approving the request
• Providing general course advising
• Advising on the applicability of campus and UC-wide policies to student situations
• Providing referrals to campus resources
• Assisting students in challenging circumstances, such as those concerning mentoring conflicts
• Advising students and fellow faculty on mentoring best practices
• Overseeing release of academic holds, leaves, grade extensions, and change of degree objectives
• Reviewing advancement to candidacy, thesis, dissertation, and QE committees
• Reviewing interim and annual progress reports and following up on matters of concern
• Advising on disqualification procedures and appeal processes
• Overseeing petitions for exception to policy
Some of these processes involve interaction with Graduate Studies forms via PDFs or GradSphere. Only Advisors and Chairs have the signature authority recognized by Graduate Studies necessary for submitting certain forms, petitions, and nominations of student committees.
Advisors apply and interpret campus policies and procedures. To ensure equity across each graduate program, we recommend that each grad program’s or grad group’s Advisors meet together at least quarterly to review applicable policies and degree requirements, and establish protocols for providing consistent advice.
How are Advisors Appointed?
Formally, Advisor appointments are made by the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies, after the nomination has been submitted to Graduate Studies by the program Chair or GPC.
The Associate Dean for Graduate Programs sends out a call for nominations in July each year to the Chair of the department or graduate group, soliciting nominations. Nominations are then submitted using the Graduate Advisor appointment nomination form, and sent back to Graduate Studies for review and appointment. We recommend a mix of both experienced and first-time Advisors to ensure continuity, consistency, and mutual guidance.
Any requested change in Graduate Advisors during the academic year must be approved through the same process.
How are Nominations Evaluated?
It is recommended that each graduate program/group should have a sufficient number of Graduate Advisors to establish a student to Advisor ratio of approximately 15 students per Advisor, without exceeding this number. This is not a firm rule – the needs of your program (or field!) may dictate a variance from the ratio – but generally speaking Graduate Studies will work with you to ensure that there are not too few Advisors for your student population, and not so many Advisors for your student population that the consistency of the program/group advising might be at risk.
There is no formal compliance check performed for Graduate Advisor appointments, but all nominations are reviewed prior to appointments being conferred. Completion of the UC’s FERPA and Student Privacy eCourse is a prerequisite for appointment to the Graduate Advisor role.
Graduate Advisors' Orientation and Workshops
Each year, Graduate Studies hosts an orientation for new and returning Graduate Advisors. At this orientation, Graduate Studies leadership provides Advisors with information about campus-level graduate education responsibilities, academic milestones, mentoring, student professional development, and more.
Attendance is mandatory for new Advisors, but we strongly encourage returning Advisors to attend so as to learn more about changes over the last year and get the latest points of contact in Graduate Studies.
In addition, Graduate Studies hosts quarterly Advisor workshops on topics such as supporting international students, helping students in crisis, and use of the Student Progress Assessment tool. Workshops are interactive and involve collective working through scenarios. All Advisors and Coordinators are strongly encouraged to attend.
You can learn more about the orientation, and other forums and workshops Graduate Studies hosts, at our Faculty and Staff Resources page. Additionally, Advisors with active appointments will receive an emailed invitation.. - Major Professor
- The major professor is the faculty mentor with whom the graduate student works most closely (often their primary investigator). The major professor guides the graduate student through the process of identifying a desired area of focus, pursuing a course of study that builds skills in that area, honing in on a research topic, completing the research, and preparing for a career after graduate school. All PhD students are required to identify a major professor in their third year, whether or not the student is ready to embark on a research topic at that time. It is important that each student have a faculty mentor who is guiding them through their graduate school journey. If a student has no major professor, then it is appropriate for the graduate advisor to serve as that student's major professor.
The major professor is not formally appointed by Graduate Studies. However, when the student declares their thesis/dissertation committee (by submitting a form to Graduate Studies), the major professor usually serves as Chair of the Thesis/Dissertation Committee.
For guidance on how to change a Major Professor, please click here. - Program Member
- Eligibility
In any departmentally based program, all departmental faculty have automatic membership eligibility in the degree program. In a graduate group, individuals must apply to the group for membership. In both cases, an individual can only be a member if they hold a mentor-eligible title, and a member of a graduate program can be relieved of their membership under certain circumstances. Election of faculty to graduate program membership is also governed by the bylaws of the specific program. See the Policy on Membership in Graduate Programs and each program's bylaws.
Rights and Privileges
Please see Policy on Quorum and Voting Rights & Responsibility (GC2011-04).
Expectations
Graduate program members are expected to contribute to the program in order to maintain their membership status. Acceptable membership contributions may include:
-- Teaching graduate courses in the program (educators without salary may not participate in classroom instruction or be Instructor of Record, unless they hold a concurrent instructional title)
-- Effective mentoring of graduate students (see Mentoring Guidelines)
-- Serving as a major professor
-- Serving on administrative committees of the program
-- Serving as Graduate Program Chair
-- Serving as a graduate advisor
-- Serving on advanced degree committees. - Mentor
- Eligibility
In the UC system, only faculty can mentor graduate students. At other campuses, this typically means the Academic Senate. However, UC Davis defines faculty (for the purpose of mentoring graduate students) more broadly than the Academic Senate. The categories of mentor eligibility are outlined in the Service on Advanced Degree Committees policy:
-- Members of the Academic Senate of the University of California (including professors, lecturers, senior lecturers with security of employment, professors in residence, professors of clinical “__,” acting professor series);
-- Professors emeritus/a, if not excluded from membership by the program's bylaws;
-- Research professors;
-- Visiting professors;
-- Certain members of the Academic Federation (clinical professors in Health Sciences [not volunteer series], adjunct professors, supervisors of physical education, Unit 18 lecturers, academic administrators [not academic coordinators]);
-- Specialists in the Cooperative Extension who also hold a concurrent appointment as educator without salary;
-- Academic researchers in the professional research series (including associate research ___ [not research associate or project scientist]) who also hold a concurrent appointment as educator without salary.
That is, by order of Graduate Council, meeting one of these requirements is necessary in order to serve as a Major Professor (i.e. Chair of a thesis or dissertation committee). As a practice, Graduate Studies also uses the same eligibility criteria for Faculty Advisors and Graduate Group Chairs. - Guidance for new and departing faculty and their graduate students
- When a faculty member joins UC Davis from another institution, their graduate students either stay enrolled at their original institution and get their degree from there or transfer to UCD and, ultimately, have UC Davis award their degree. The deciding factor is generally how far along a student is in their studies. For more information about this process and how to determine the best course of action, please click here.
Staff Roles
- Graduate Program Coordinator
- Responsibilities
Graduate Program Coordinators are staff members who often serve as the primary point of contact for graduate students at the program level. They can provide advising on admission requirements, degree requirements, campus policies/procedures, campus services, and funding opportunities. Graduate Program Coordinators can be found by visiting the graduate program page and scrolling down to the contacts listed.
Appointment
Graduate Program Coordinators are hired as staff members through a standard employment search and recruitment process.
New graduate program coordinators should review the onboarding processes and resources available through Graduate Studies. - Senior Academic Advisor
- Responsibilities
Senior Academic Advisors (SAA) reside in Graduate Studies and advise on degree milestones, Graduate Council and campus policies, graduation requirements, and mentorship issues. A graduate program's assigned SAA also supports graduate students, Graduate Program Coordinators, and faculty with any escalated issues related to academic performance and/or progress. Find your assigned SAA here.
Appointment
Senior Academic Advisors are hired as staff members through a standard employment and recruitment process.