Significant Changes in the 2014-2015 Graduate Catalog

In addition to many small revisions, the Graduate Faculty Council adopted significant changes in four parts of the Graduate Catalog. The significant new requirements or policies are outlined below. Please refer to the catalog website (http://gradcatalog.uconn.edu) for the full text of the 2014/2015 Graduate Catalog. When published, the PDF edition of the catalog will contain the sections under Guidelines for Graduate Study on the catalog website. It will not contain the lists of programs and courses, fields of study and areas of concentration, or graduate faculty.

The requirement and policy changes noted below are accompanied by an important procedural change. The Graduate Student Advocacy Officer will coordinate hearings associated with academic dismissal or termination, scholarly misconduct, and complaints. The Graduate Student Advocacy Officer will also work with both parties to seek informal resolution of a complaint before a formal hearing is convened. It may sometimes be more appropriate to seek resolution of a complaint through the UConn Ombuds Office (http://ombuds.uconn.edu/), which works closely with the Graduate Student Advocacy Officer when appropriate. The Graduate Student Advocacy Officer also works closely with the Office of Diversity and Equity and Community Standards.

Admission

  • The Graduate School now accepts Pearson’s Test of English (PTE Academic) as evidence of English proficiency. A score of 53 or greater is required for Regular admission.
  • A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for admission to certificate programs.

Standards & Degree Requirements

  • Certificate Programs
    • The Graduate School administers all post-baccalaureate and graduate certificate programs at the University.
    • Certificate programs normally consist of 12-15 credits, but in a small number of cases where detailed justification has been provided a program may require as few as 9 credits.
    • When appropriate program approval has been obtained, one 3-credit course may be used simultaneously to satisfy the requirements of two different certificate programs.
    • Certificate requirements must be completed within 3 years of initial enrollment.
  • Work for a master’s degree must be completed within six years from the beginning of the student’s initial matriculation. The Dean of The Graduate School may grant a one-time extension of no more than two years when there is substantial evidence of progress.

Academic Dismissal and Termination of Status

  • If a student’s major advisor resigns from her/his committee, the student has 30 business days to identify a new major advisor.
  • A student’s major advisor must submit a written recommendation for academic dismissal to The Graduate School indicating the specific judgment on which the advisory committee’s recommendation is based.
  • To appeal a dismissal or termination the student must submit a written request to the Associate Dean that includes a clear statement of the grounds for the appeal.
    • Both the student and the major advisor or department/program must provide written documentation concerning the appeal to the Associate Dean.
    • The Associate Dean will review the written documentation and determine whether the appeal should be heard by an Appeal Committee.
    • The Appeal Committee consists of two members of the graduate faculty and one graduate student appointed by the Associate Dean.
    • The Appeal Committee’s decision may be appealed to the Dean of The Graduate School. The Dean’s decision is final.

Scholarly Integrity, Complaint Resolution, & Hearing Procedures

  • The policy on scholarly integrity now applies explicitly to postdoctoral scholars in addition to graduate students.
  • Both allegations of scholarly misconduct and complaints filed under The Graduate School complaint resolution procedure follow the same administrative process.
    • Allegations or complaints are to be filed using a Graduate Hearing Request Form.
    • The Associate Dean will determine whether the case should be referred to a Hearing Committee.
    • The Hearing Committee consists of three voting members (two members of the graduate faculty, one graduate student) selected by the Associate Dean.
    • Either party may invite one person to attend as a support person, who may be consulted during the hearing but will not participate directly in the hearing.
    • The Hearing Committee’s decision may be appealed to the Dean of The Graduate School. The Dean’s decision is final.