3. Plant Pathology Program Administration

3. Plant Pathology Program Administration

3.1 Plant Pathology Graduate Committee (PPGC)

The Plant Pathology Graduate Committee (PPGC) oversees all matters related to graduate student admission, support, and progress. The PPGC is charged with coordinating recruitment of new graduate students, providing a timely review of graduate student applications, circulating application files, tabulating faculty votes, and recommending admission of new students. The PPGC also conducts an annual review of graduate student academic performance and progress, recommends changes in graduate student status, and Supervisory Committees. The Plant Pathology Graduate Coordinator (Madilyn McKay) schedules the initial guidance interview with the Chair of the PPGC, answers admission questions, sends applications, and keeps track of student eligibility for Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs).

3.2 Plant Pathology Graduate Coordinator

The Plant Pathology Graduate Coordinator is Ms. Madilyn McKay. The role of the Graduate Coordinator is to assist in communications, recruiting, admissions, interviews, new student onboarding, annual reviews, program forms and milestones, and alumni relations. The Graduate Coordinator is an important point of contact for graduate students and Faculty Advisors. The Graduate Coordinator is responsible for processing application materials and providing guidance to students expressing an interest in the Plant Pathology Graduate Program. Graduate students are eligible for numerous competitive scholarships, fellowships, and grants, and the Plant Pathology Graduate Coordinator keeps track of these competitions and announces the availability of these fellowships via emails, newsletters, and the department website.

3.3 Plant Pathology Graduate Faculty

Only those faculty in the Department of Plant Pathology that have Graduate Faculty status, as defined by Graduate Studies, are eligible to teach graduate courses as the instructor of record, serve on final examining committees, serve on Supervisory Committees, and chair Supervisory Committees for both masters and doctoral students. Graduate Faculty status is automatically given to all faculty members in tenure leading positions, including pre-tenure faculty. Faculty members in non-tenure leading positions–including professors of practice, research professors, and adjunct faculty–may be nominated for appointment to the Graduate Faculty. Below is a list of the current faculty in the Department of Plant Pathology and their Graduate Faculty Status.

Table 1. Faculty in the Department of Plant Pathology

* Appointments are: T = Teaching, R = Research, S = Service, and A = Administration ** Ex-officio status is being used here to denote faculty who hold a title of Graduate Faculty but are no longer active in research and therefore only advise students under rare or special circumstances. These individuals may be contacted to serve on committees.

3.4 Special Committee Members

Students may request the appointment of a faculty member from another institution outside the University of Nebraska system to serve on their Supervisory Committee. These external “special” members must hold a terminal degree appropriate to the discipline and have academic accomplishments comparable to the criteria for Graduate Faculty. Special Members are appointed as voting members of the Supervisory Committee and must be willing to participate in the student’s doctoral program in a manner consistent with this role. The Special Member may serve as one of the two appointed readers; but may not serve as committee chair, co-chair, or outside representative. Consult with the Graduate Studies website for details.

3.5 Graduate Faculty Emeriti

Upon recommendation of the departmental, school, or interdepartmental graduate committee, retired Graduate Faculty who have been appointed to emeritus status may retain the rights and privileges associated with their Graduate Faculty status. These rights and privileges include permission to teach graduate courses, to serve as members of graduate programs, or to co-chair the Supervisory Committees of doctoral students with a resident Graduate Faculty member.