Graduate Student Representation on Committees in Astronomy Departments

 

Details by Committee/Involvement

Admissions
-University of Arizona (Astronomy), voting
-University of Colorado, Boulder
-Caltech, 1 voting student rep
-Columbia University
-UCSC
-Harvard University
-University of Hawaii, full member
-University of Texas, Austin, voting

-University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, full member

Faculty Search - Committee Member
-University of Arizona (Astronomy), non-voting
-Berkeley
-UCSC, non-binding vote
-Harvard University
-University of Maryland (College Park)
-Uni Tubingen

Faculty Search - Other Involvement (i.e., asked for contributions, opinions)
-UCLA - one collective vote for graduate students
-University of Colorado, Boulder
-New Mexico State University
-University of Pennsylvania
-Rutgers
-University of Maryland (College Park)
-University of Texas, Austin

-University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, written opinions

Faculty Meeting Attendance
-University of Arizona (Lunar and Planetary Sciences)
-UCLA
-UCSC (faculty board - not sure of equivalence)
-University of Colorado, Boulder
-Columbia University
-University of Hawaii (may no longer be true)
-MPIA (work/science councils - not sure of equivalence)
-University of Missouri
-New Mexico State University
-University of Texas, Austin
-University of Toronto
-Uni Tubingen (faculty council)

Space Allocation
-Penn State
-University of Texas, Austin, non-voting

Computing
-IoA Cambridge
-Penn State
-University of Texas, Austin
-University of Maryland (College Park)

Graduate Program Committees (Quals, Projects, Curriculum, etc.)
-Harvard University
-University of Colorado, Boulder
-New Mexico State University
-Penn State
-Vanderbilt
-University of Hawaii
-University of Toronto
-University of Helinski

Diversity
-University of Maryland (College Park)

-University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 

Details by University/Department

University of Arizona - Astronomy
-Graduate student representative on admissions committee with “equal vote” to faculty members
-Graduate student representative on faculty search/selection committees with contributing opinion, but no “vote”

University of Arizona - Lunar and Planetary Sciences
-Graduate student (and postdoc) representative at faculty meetings; leave for certain agenda items

Berkeley
-Graduate student representation on many committees, including faculty searches

Uni Bonn
-Two reps on the board
-Plus outreach, teaching, etc.

UCLA
-Graduate student attends faculty meetings
-Graduate students have one collective vote in faculty searches

UCSC
-Graduate students sit on admissions committee
-Graduate students have a non-binding vote for faculty hires
-Graduate students have a non-voting position on the faculty board

Caltech
-Student on grad admissions committee with vote
-There is a grad student representative to act as liason to executive officer (dept chair)

IoA Cambridge
-Students serve on low-key committees: computer advisory, health and safety committee, etc.

University of Colorado (Boulder)
-Graduate student representative on admissions committee
-Graduate students review comprehensive exams
-Student component to faculty searches (separate student committee)
-Student representative sits in on faculty meetings

Columbia University
-Graduate representative at faculty meetings
-Graduate student on admission committee

University of Guanajuato
-Student representatives at university (campus & multi-campus) plus division level but no representation at department level

Harvard University
-Two graduates students sit on ~8 member “Committee on Academic Standing” (monitors student progress/milestones)
-Graduate student representative on the admissions committee
-Graduate student on curriculum committee
-Graduate student on junior faculty search committee

University of Hawaii
-Graduate student on all major committees, including:
-TAC (non-voting)
-admissions committee (full member)
-graduate research committee that reviews first & second year projects (full member)
-qual committee (student rep for preparations)
-computer committee
-colloquium committee (defunct)
-representative at faculty meetings (may no longer be true)

University of Helsinki
-Students on the faculty council
-Students on the department’s council
-Students involved in “work group” on courses & teaching

JBCA
-Student at Astronomy Division meetings

University of Maryland
-Graduate students are represented on the computer committee and diversity committee.
-A graduate student serves on faculty search committees, and graduate students are asked for substantial input during faculty searches.

MPIA
-Graduate students sit in on meetings of work/science councils

University of Missouri - Physics & Astronomy
-Student representative attends faculty meeting

New Mexico State University (NMSU)
-President of astronomy graduate student organization sits in on faculty meetings
-Graduate student representatives on curriculum committee
-No graduate students on admissions committee due to concerns about confidentiality of student records

Penn State
-Graduate representatives on many committees but NOT admissions for confidentiality reasons
-Graduate representative to faculty committee plus: climate and diversity; computers and facilities; facilities and space; graduate programs; outreach; and undergraduate program

Rutgers
-Two student members of graduate recruiting committee (separate from admissions)
-Student input is sought & considered for faculty searches

Stockholm
-2 student representatives on departmental board

University of Texas (Austin)
-Graduate student representative who attends faculty meetings; asked to leave for sensitive topics related to particular graduate students
-Graduate student member of admissions committee (voting)
-office space (serious input, non-voting)
-Faculty search (serious input, non-voting)
-Cox fund (voting, divide up money the department had)
-McDonald users committee
-library committee
-computing committee
-often a postdoc representative too
-Graduate reps were chosen by graduate students

U. of Toronto
-Graduate student representative sits in on faculty meetings
-Students on other committees: recruitment, first year, outreach, etc.

Uni Tubingen
-Faculty council
-Department council
-Students actively participate in committees selecting full professors

Vanderbilt
-Graduate students on Graduate Program Committee and climate committee