Section 1    Definition

A Biomedical Graduate or Professional Studies Program is an interdisciplinary and interdepartmental unit that serves as the focal point for the educational and research requirements of graduate students trained by faculty with common interests, from one or more Departments of the College, leading to a masters or doctoral degree.  It is also a resource for the education of candidates in the post-doctoral fellowship programs in the basic and clinical departments.

Section 2    Relationship with Academic Departments

By establishing Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies Programs, it is recognized that certain topics, and emerging disciplines of importance to the College may be handled more appropriately by an interdisciplinary and interdepartmental faculty.  The establishment of a Biomedical Graduate or Professional Study Program in a selected field does not alter the primary responsibility of the Departments to foster scholarly work and teaching of their faculty. Departments and programs are expected to work together to accomplish the goals of the College.

Section 3    Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies Programs

The creation, addition and deletion of programs will occur at the suggestion of the Biomedical Graduate Education Committee or the Professional Studies Committee with the approval of the Dean.

Section 4    Goals

Each Biomedical Graduate Program shall:

(1)    Develop, facilitate and participate with other Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies Programs in core interdisciplinary academic courses required for the education of graduate students.

(2)    Develop, facilitate, coordinate and conduct course work required for the education of graduate students with the program.

(3)    Facilitate and oversee the advisor-directed research and mentoring of graduate students within the program that leads to the masters and/or doctoral degree.

Section 5    Governance

(1)    The Associate Dean

(a)    The Associate Dean for Biomedical Graduate Studies and Professional Studies shall be appointed by and report to the Dean.

(2)    Directors

(a)    The Director of each Biomedical Graduate or Professional Studies Program shall be elected by the faculty of the program, subject to approval by the Associate Dean for Biomedical Graduate Studies.

(b)    The Directors report to the Associate Dean for Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies.

(c)    The Director’s term of office shall be for five years, although the Associate Dean of Biomedical Graduate Studies, in consultation with the Dean Associate may request an earlier election.

(d)    Each Director is charged with the coordination and management of the faculty and student participation in the educational and research activities required for the education of graduate students within the program.

(e)    The College shall support the administrative and academic infrastructure of the program.

(f)     Each Director shall interact with the students of the program with regard to educational issues, as appropriate.

(3)    Steering Committee

(a)     Each Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies Program shall have a steering committee, the composition of which shall reflect the Department affiliations of the Program members.

(b)    The steering committee for each of the Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies programs will be chaired by the Director of that Program.

(c)    The steering committee shall serve as the policy making body of the program for program-specific issues, such as program-specific courses, qualifying exams, etc.

(d)    The steering committee shall screen applicants for presentation by the Director of the program to the Biomedical Graduate Education Committee or the Professional Studies Committee for admission.

Section 6    Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies Programs Faculty

(1)    Faculty members share the responsibilities associated with conducting education, research and mentoring of students enrolled in the Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies Programs.

(2)    Faculty members of the Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies Programs, including the Director, must hold a full-time academic appointment in the College and are subject to the authority of the primary Department Chair for all matters related to the Faculty member’s appointment, promotion and tenure.

(3)    A Faculty member of the College who wishes to become a member of a Biomedical Graduate or Professional Studies Program must apply in writing to the Director of that program.   The Director, after seeking approval from the appropriate program steering committee, shall forward the faculty member’s credentials with a recommendation to the Biomedical Graduate Education Committee or Professional Studies Committee, which shall make the final decision as to whether to grant faculty membership in the Biomedical Graduate or Professional Studies Program

(4)    Subject to the maintenance of the Faculty member’s College appointment under Article II of these Bylaws, appointments to the Biomedical Graduate or Professional Studies faculty are for a five-year term, after which the faculty member must reapply for reappointment.

(5)    The appointment to the Biomedical Graduate or Professional Studies Faculty may be terminated prior to its term by the Associate Dean for Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies upon receipt of such recommendation from the Biomedical Graduate Education Committee or the Professional Studies Committee.

Section 7    Meetings of the Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies Program Faculty

The purpose and function of the faculty meetings of the Biomedical Graduate and
Professional Studies Program shall be:

(1)    To provide an opportunity for the faculty, as a whole, to discuss the Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies Programs policies.

(2)     To provide a forum for ratification of major policy issues.

(3)    To inform the faculty of pertinent activities of the Biomedical Graduate Education Committee or the Professional Studies Committee.

(4)    Meetings of the Biomedical Graduate and Professional Studies Program faculty shall be held at least two times a year. One meeting shall be held during the fall, and one during the spring semester.  The Associate Dean for Biomedical Graduate Studies shall send written notice to all members of the Biomedical Graduate Program faculty at least ten (10) days prior to each meeting.

(5)    Special meetings of Biomedical Graduate Program faculty may be called by the either the Dean, or the Associate  Dean for Biomedical Graduate Studies on his/her accord or within ten (10) days of  receipt of a written request to them from at least twenty (20) members of the Biomedical Graduate and Professional Program faculty.