Applied Biosciences Program Bylaws
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in
Applied Biosciences
Preamble
The Graduate Interdisciplinary Program (GIDP) in Applied Biosciences (ABS) provides graduate education and professional training in the applications of the biological sciences. The ABS GIDP involves faculty members from any college at the University of Arizona who share a common interest in the professional training and education of scientists interested in pursuing careers in industry, public and private service and education. The program offers a Professional Science Masters (PSM) degree in Applied Biosciences.
It is the responsibility of the ABS GIDP to provide a graduate educational program in the various areas of applied biology, to publicize the program, and to maintain graduate participants of the highest quality. It is also the responsibility of the program to encourage vigorous, productive research activities and maintain an interactive community by providing seminars and promoting campus-wide interdisciplinary activities.
The following sections outline the by-laws that govern policies and operating procedures.
1. Governing Bodies
A. The ABS program is subject to all the rules, policies and regulations of the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR), University of Arizona Policy, GIDPAC policy and Graduate College Policy.
B. The structure and organization of the ABS GIDP shall conform to the Guidelines for Interdisciplinary Programs established at http://gidp.arizona.edu.
C. The program is recognized by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) as a Professional Science Masters (PSM) degree. The ABS program will abide by CGS guidelines as to its curriculum and structure. These guidelines are established at http://sciencemasters.com. Abiding by the guidelines of CGS allows the program to be listed in their literature and to use the PSM logo.
2. Administrative Structure
A. The program shall be divided into tracks, which correspond to disciplinarily and multidisciplinary coherent groups of courses. Each track will have a lead faculty member who will have the title “Director of Graduate Studies (track name)” (DGS)
B. The program shall be governed by an Executive Committee (EC) that consists of the DGSs from each track and from 1-4 member elected from general faculty affiliated with the program. The Executive Committee is responsible for nominating or receiving nominations for new members of the Executive Committee and will vote on these nominations. Members of the Executive Committee will be appointed only from the membership of the ABS-PSM Committee (Faculty). Each Executive Committee member will serve a three-year term. Each of these terms can be renewed by vote of the Executive Committee and approved by the Faculty Director of the Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs.
C. The Chair of the ABS GIDP shall be appointed by the Dean of the Graduate College from nominees submitted by the Executive Committee. The Chair will serve a renewable three-year term.
D. The ABS shall maintain an Advisory Board consisting of experts in Business, Industry and/or the Community. The board will not have less than 5 members, and should be composed of members that represent the diversity of areas represented by the tracks in the program.
3. Duties of the Program Chair
A. Administer the Program and activities of the EC with the assistance of the program coordinator of the GIDP
B. Convene and chair meetings of the EC, not less than once per year.
C. Convene and chair meetings of the Industry Advisory Board, not less than once per year.
D. Act on behalf of the EC and the GIDP to implement policies of the Program;
E. Serve as the representative of the Program to the University Administration, granting agencies, prospective students, etc.
F. Prepare and submit an annual report of activities and accomplishments of the Program according to University regulations.
G. Administer the operating budget of the GIDP
H. Appoint sub-committees, such as curriculum, admissions, resources, activities etc., as necessary
I. Prepare documentation and evaluation of GIDP participation for faculty undergoing P&T/CS review.
4. Duties of the Executive and other Committees
A. Devise and implement procedures to be followed in selecting and reviewing members of the GIDP
B. Devise and implement appropriate policies and procedures for the operation of the graduate program, such as admissions, curriculum, student supervision, completion of degree program requirements, and decisions regarding program resources.
C. Serve on sub-committees as needed for effective operation.
D. Assist in providing academic counsel to new students and evaluations of students at various stages of progress through the Program.
E. Assist the Program chair in the preparation of annual reports of the ABS program’s activities and accomplishments to the Faculty Director of Graduate Interdisciplinary Program and Graduate Dean.
F. Prepare the materials for Academic Program Reviews.
G. Facilitate interaction and communication within the Program and with supporting academic units’ heads and deans and the GIDP Faculty Director and Graduate Dean.
H. Formulate the annual budget and seek funding from appropriate University, State, Federal and private sources.
I. Solicit nominations to vacated slot(s) on the Executive Committee to ensure continuity over time.
J. Solicit nominations to vacated slot(s) on the Industry Advisory Board to ensure continuity over time.
5. Duties of the Advisory Board
A. Advise the Program Chair and EC about issues of curriculum, community needs and new issues and innovations in the private sector.
B. Advocate for the program to Government and Industry partners.
C. Assist students in securing internship positions and in job-placement
D. Assist the program in fund-raising, budgeting and other financing.
6. Membership in the GIDP
The ABS GIDP consists of tenure or continuing status eligible faculty members at the University of Arizona who participate in graduate education and research in Applied Biosciences. An affiliate membership is available to tenure-eligible or continuing-status-eligible faculty who meet some, but not all of, the criteria for regular membership or for faculty who are not Tenure/CS eligible.
A. Regular members
i. Tenure/CS-eligible faculty shall be nominated for membership in the ABS GIDP by submitting a request for membership and a recent curriculum vita to the Executive Committee. A two-thirds majority of positive votes of the Executive Committee shall be required for nomination to membership to the Faculty Director of Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs who shall confer membership. Criteria for membership can include demonstrated applied biology research activity, significant contacts with industry or the public sector, deep interest in graduate education, and resources for graduate training.
ii. A member of the ABS GIDP shall be dropped from membership for failure to participate in the activities of the Committee. Participation includes service as a thesis/internship advisor, service on an ABS GIDP subcommittee; teaching a graduate course used in the program curriculum or giving a seminar/colloquium on a topic related to applied Biology. Membership shall be subject to periodic review and failure to satisfy those criteria as decided by a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee shall result in loss of membership or change in status to affiliate membership.
iii. Members dropped from membership or changed to affiliate status may reapply for regular membership.
iv. Members of the ABS GIDP may serve as academic and research advisors or Affiliate graduate students in the program, directors/advisors of graduate thesis/internship committees, and as members of master’s committees.
v. Members of the ABS GIDP shall meet annually and as needed.
vi. Each member of the ABS GIDP shall have one vote on matters brought to the Faculty by the Executive Committee. A quorum shall constitute one-third of membership. Failing a quorum, a mail vote shall be required.
vii. Members shall be listed as Faculty of ABS GIDP in the Graduate Catalog.
B. Affiliate Members
i. Non-tenure-eligible faculty who otherwise meet the criteria for membership and Tenure/CS-eligible faculty who meet some but not all of the criteria for membership may apply for affiliate membership in the GIDP by submitting a request for membership and recent curriculum vitae to the Executive Committee. A two-thirds majority of positive votes of the Executive Committee shall be required for election to associate membership.
ii. Affiliate members shall have all the privileges and responsibilities of regular members except that they are non-voting. (Non-tenure/CS-eligible faculty must also seek the approval of the Graduate College to serve on graduate committees, by Graduate College rules.
7. Amendments
The By-laws shall be amended or revised by movement of the Executive Committee and a two-thirds positive vote of the membership of the ABS GIDP
8. Criteria for Membership in the Graduate Faculty for the ABS GIDP
A. Prologue
i. As specified in UHAP Policy 3.1.04:
Members of the graduate faculty have special privileges and obligations within graduate education, especially related to thesis, dissertation and other culminating capstone project committee roles and membership, as well as graduate student advising and mentorship. Graduate faculty membership is automatically granted to tenured and tenure-track faculty and continuing-status and eligible academic professionals with faculty titles and may be granted selectively to career track faculty or others. The Graduate College, in coordination with the academic colleges and programs, oversees the criteria, processes, and procedures related to the granting, review, and in rare cases of unacceptable performance, the remediation or removal of graduate faculty membership to ensure the quality of graduate programs and delivery of graduate education.
ii. The Graduate College policies governing graduate faculty membership are set out here: https://grad.arizona.edu/policies/academic-policies/graduate-faculty-policy
iii.Members of the Graduate Faculty are expected to maintain the “Responsibilities of Graduate Faculty”, as outlined in section 4.1 of the Graduate College policy.
B. Criteria for membership in the Graduate Faculty of the ABS GIDP
Faculty of the University of Arizona who are tenured, tenure eligible, continuing status, continuing-eligible, or career track, are eligible for Graduate Faculty membership in the ABS GIDP, when:
i. Hold a terminal degree in a discipline relevant to the interdisciplinary mission of the ABS GIDP; AND
ii. Have experience conducting research, as evidenced by grants, publications, conference presentations, patents, white papers, or governmental reports relevant to applied biosciences; OR
iii. Have at least 2 years of experience conducting research in governmental or non-governmental institutions, industry or clinical settings relevant to applied biosciences, as evidenced in the work history of the applicant. The Executive Committee of the ABS GIDP may request a recommendation letter from a supervisor or a senior peer of the applicant, attesting to the relevance and quality of the research contributions of the applicant; AND
iv. Have a record of effective mentorship of graduate and undergraduate students, or expressed interest and commitment to provide such mentorship to the students of the ABS GIDP.
C. Criteria for the endorsement to chair a Master's Committee
The following additional criteria are used to determine if a member of the Graduate Faculty in the ABS GIDP has the endorsement to chair Master’s committees. Faculty with the endorsement to chair Master’s committees are expected to maintain the responsibilities outlined in section 4.4 of the Graduate College policy.
i. All members of the Graduate Faculty in the ABS GIDP shall have the endorsement to chair Master’s committees if they are Tenure-eligible/Tenured faculty or Continuing Status-eligible/Continuing Status academic professionals with faculty appointments.
ii. Members of the ABS Graduate Faculty with Career Track faculty appointments shall have the endorsement to co-chair Master’s committees together with a Tenure-eligible/Tenured faculty or Continuing Status-eligible/Continuing Status eligible member of the ABS Graduate Faculty, provided the Career Track faculty has a proven record of graduate student supervision in the ABS GIDP.
iii. Members of the ABS Graduate Faculty with Career Track faculty appointments shall have the endorsement to chair Master’s committees if they previously served on at least one ABS GIDP Master’s committee as a committee member, a co-chair, or a chair.
G. Vote on Memberhsip in the ABS GIDP Graduate Faculty
Nominations for faculty membership in the ABS GIDP can be made by submitting a request for membership, and a recent curriculum vita to the Chair of the ABS GIDP. Letter(s) of recommendation from existing ABS GIDP faculty members may also be attached to the nomination. The Chair shall then poll the Executive Committee, and may submit the information for a formal vote. A two-thirds majority of positive votes of the Executive Committee shall be required for recommendation to membership to the Faculty Director of the Graduate College and the Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs, who shall confer membership.
The policies set out in this document do not apply to special members, retired faculty without emeritus status and other faculty who have resigned as well as to academic experts who are not employees of the University of Arizona. For information on how these categories of potential committee members are may be included on committees, see section 1.2 of https://grad.arizona.edu/policies/academic-policies/graduate-faculty-policy
Note that the Graduate College does not maintain a list of who is entitled to chair committees. It is the responsibility of each program to ensure that graduate committees are composed of program-approved members and are chaired by appropriately qualified faculty. The program does this verification when the DGS approves GradPath committee forms.
Approved: Date: 07.22.2022
