Purpose

The purpose of the Ph.D. student reviews are to evaluate the student’s overall work during the first and second years in the Ph.D. program, and assess the student’s progress in the completion of the Ph D. program.

Specifically the reviews:

• Give the student an opportunity to reflect on and identify his or her positioning in the field as well as to articulate goals for research and scholarship;
• Give the student an opportunity to reflect on work and accomplishments over the past year and how they have contributed to achieving identified goals for research and scholarship;
• Provide a venue for the student to receive feedback and advice from Advisory Committee and other Information School faculty members;
• Serve as a means for the Advisory Committee to assess the performance and development of the student

Eligibility

Students must pass the First Year Review in the quarter following the completion of 20 quarter hours of study in the Ph.D. program. This typically occurs during the 3rd quarter of enrollment. The Second Year Review occurs during the Spring Quarter of the student’s second year of enrollment unless the student has taken or is scheduled to take the General Examination by the end of the Summer Quarter.

Recommendations

Following each review (First Year Review and Second Year Review), the Advisory/Supervisory Committee makes one of four recommendations:

1) The student’s work meets high standards of performance. The student is making satisfactory progress in preparing to meet the future challenges in the program.

2) The student’s work generates some concerns regarding performance. The student needs to improve his/her progress in specified areas to meet the future challenges in the program.

3) The student’s work does not meet minimum standards of performance in numerous areas. The student’s progress is unsatisfactory with little promise for improvement, and the student should discontinue enrollment in the program.

If the student is not meeting satisfactory progress after the 2nd year Review, the student should complete a Final Examination, as a pre-doctoral student candidate, in accordance with the Graduate School Memo 13 for Final Examination policy. If the student passes the Final Examination he/she is awarded the Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS) degree and discontinues enrollment in the program. If the student fails the Final Examination he/she does not receive the Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS) degree and discontinues enrollment in the program. The Final Examination follows the same process as outlined in the General Examination policy except (a) A Graduate Student Representative is not required; (b) Only criteria 1-3 for evaluation of the General Examination are followed (see the General Examination Policy); and (c) The application of criteria 1-3 may be less rigorous than for a student whose performance is satisfactory and is taking the General Examination.

4) The student's work does not meet minimum standards of performance in numerous areas. The student's progress is unsatisfactory with little promise for improvement. The student should discontinue enrollment in the program.

Advisory Committee and Student Services Responsibilities

• The Advisory Committee makes a recommendation at the Advisory Committee meeting with the student.
• The Advisor submits the Ph.D. Student Annual Review Form stating the recommendation of the Advisory Committee to Student Services within 2 weeks of the Review. When the student’s work generates some concerns regarding performance a clarifying letter shall be included. The letter shall document (1) the concerns; (2) how the student’s performance can be improved; and (3) what specific milestones and standards are expected in future work.
• The Advisor provides the student with a copy of the Ph.D. Student Annual Review Form.
• Student Services informs the Ph.D. Program Chair of the recommendation.
• Student Services makes a copy of the Advisory Committee’s recommendation for the student’s file.

General Procedure

• In the Spring Quarter, all doctoral students who are in their first year and normally all students who have not yet scheduled their General Examination to be completed by the end of Summer Quarter fill out a brief form summarizing the year’s activities (the Student Annual Review Form). The purpose of the form is to provide a brief but complete overview of student activities for the Advisor and Advisory Committee to use as a basis for their recommendation.
• The form is completed and sent out to the advisory committee members, Ph D. Program Chair, and the Ph.D. Program Academic Advisor at least two weeks prior to the Spring faculty meeting where 1st year and 2nd year Ph.D. students are being reviewed (Date TBA each year).
• At the faculty Ph.D. student review meeting each 1st and 2nd year Ph.D. student will be discussed.  The purpose of this discussion is to check on student progress, identify challenges (if any), and to determine how faculty might facilitate progress toward the degree.
• After input from faculty as a whole and from the Advisory Committee members, Advisory Committees meet with students to provide feedback and make one of the three recommendations listed above.
• The Advisor forwards the written recommendation to Student Services.
• Specific review procedures will be provided and may be revised on a yearly basis.