Information For:
› PhD Applicants
› Other Applicants
› Current Students
› Faculty
› Alumni
› Staff

Biomedical Graduate Studies

Doctoral Programs

Combined Degree Programs

Certificate Programs in Medicine and Public Health

Undergraduate and PREP Programs

Faculty > Graduate Group Bylaws

Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics

The Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group is composed of a broad group of faculty drawn from different departments and schools of the University of Pennsylvania and its affiliated institutions. The functions of the Graduate Group are to educate graduate students in the areas of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and to award graduate degrees to students who meet the standards of the program. The Graduate Group is governed by an Executive Committee and a Chair.

Graduate Group Chair

The Graduate Group Chair presides over the Executive Committee, convenes Graduate Group meetings, works closely with the BMB Graduate Group Office, and serves as the BMB representative to the Biomedical Graduate Studies Advisory Committee. The faculty at-large elects the Graduate Group Chair by mail ballot. An election must involve participation of at least one-half of the graduate faculty members to be valid. A majority of voting Graduate Group members is required for election. If a majority is not obtained, a run-off election between the two top candidates shall take place. The term of the Chair is for three years.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall have responsibility for all Graduate Group activities. These include admissions, recruitment, overall curriculum development, reviewing recommendations for new faculty, reviewing annually the activities of current faculty for reappointment, reviewing student progress, and monitoring the general well-being of the student body. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Chair of the Graduate Group and chairs of the Ph.D. Admissions, M.D./Ph.D. Admissions, Curriculum, Academic Review, Student Affairs and Recruitment committees, and the principal investigators of training grants that are utilized predominantly by the BMB Graduate Group. The Director of the Prelim Exam is also a member of the Executive Committee.

Issues discussed by the Committee shall be decided by majority vote. A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of the Committee membership. The term of the members shall be three years with no limitation on the number of terms a member can serve. The committee meets every three months or as needed.

Admissions Committees

The Graduate Group Chair shall choose the Chair of the Admissions Committee. The Chair of the Admissions Committee shall appoint each year two or more faculty members to serve on the Committee. Committee members review student applications and develop recruitment strategies. The Chair of the Admissions Committee is the representative to the Biomedical Graduate Studies Admissions Committee.

The Graduate Group Chair shall also choose the Chair of the M.D./Ph.D. Admissions Committee, who oversees the recruiting of combined degree students.

Curriculum Committee

The Graduate Group Chair shall choose the Chair of the Curriculum Committee. The Curriculum Committee Chair shall appoint three or more faculty members to serve on the Committee. Faculty appointments are for two years. The Curriculum Committee shall plan and coordinate the curriculum of the program. The Chair of the Curriculum Committee is the representative to the Biomedical Graduate Studies Curriculum Committee.

Academic Review Committee

The Graduate Group Chair shall choose the Chair of the Academic Review Committee. The Academic Review Committee Chair shall appoint two more faculty members to serve on the Committee. Faculty appointments are for two years. The Academic Review Committee shall meet with each first and second year student twice a year and, in consultation with the student, plan his or her schedule for the following semester. In the event that a student is placed on academic probation, the Academic Review Committee shall meet with the student, and advise the student with the goal of regaining satisfactory academic standing.

Student Affairs Committee

The Graduate Group Chair shall choose the Chair of the Student Affairs Committee. The Student Affairs Committee Chair shall appoint three or more faculty members to serve on the Committee. Faculty appointments are for two years. The Student Affairs Committee shall meet with the student body or student representatives, and shall act as a liaison and provide a forum for student input into the Graduate Group.

Preliminary Examination Director

The Graduate Group Chair shall choose the Director of the Preliminary Examination, who is responsible for devising, administering, and monitoring the Prelim Exam.

top

Cell and Molecular Biology

(These do not accurately reflect current operating procedures and are under revision.)

Overall Organization

The Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group is composed of a broad group of faculty drawn from different departments and schools of the University of Pennsylvania and its affiliated institutions. The functions of the Graduate Group are to educate graduate students in the areas of cell and molecular biology and to award graduate degrees to students who meet the standards of the program.

The Graduate Group shall be governed by an Executive Committee and a Chairperson. In addition, there shall be Program Committees to direct the specialized Programs, of which there are six: Cell Growth and Cancer, Cell Biology and Physiology, Developmental Biology, Gene Therapy, Genetics and Gene Regulation, and Microbiology and Virology.

The Graduate Program Structure

Programs exist within the Graduate Group to offer education and training in sub-specialty areas of cell and molecular biology. By the end of the first year, students shall formally decide in which Program they shall participate.

The individual Programs shall supervise student progress during the period after the first year of studies. The Programs shall each be directed by specialized Program Committees. The Program Committees' roles shall be to supervise preliminary exams, organize thesis committees, supervise the thesis exams, develop curricula for the specialized area, and oversee faculty appointments and renewals to the Program.

Six Programs currently exist within the Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group: Cell Growth and Cancer, Cell Biology and Physiology, Developmental Biology, Gene Therapy, Genetics and Gene Regulation, and Microbiology and Virology. Establishment or disbandment of Programs shall require assent by two-thirds of the membership of the Executive Committee and approval by more than half of the faculty members who vote by mail ballot. Changes in the composition of Program Committees and Programs' procedures shall be determined by each Program individually.

The Executive Committee and Its Members

Composition and Rules of the Committee

The Executive Committee shall have the responsibility for all Graduate Group-wide activities. These include admissions, overall curriculum development, overseeing faculty membership, and interacting with the Biomedical Graduate Studies administration.

The Executive Committee shall be minimally composed of the following elected members: Chair of the Graduate Group, Chairs of the individual Programs, three at-large faculty members, and two graduate students (elected by the students). The nine faculty and two student members shall elect two additional members of the Executive Committee: a Chair of the Admissions Committee and a Chair of the First Year Student Advising Committee. The Principal Investigators of the Training Grants (which are utilized predominantly by the Graduate Group) who are Group members shall be ex-officio (non-voting) members of the Executive Committee (if not already members with full voting rights). The Chairs of any University Departments that directly contribute 20 percent or more of the total operating budget of the Graduate Group (exclusive of the contribution from Biomedical Graduate Studies) shall serve ex-officio on the Executive Committee (if not already members with full voting rights).

The Executive Committee shall meet monthly or at least 8 times a year. Issues discussed by the Executive Committee shall be decided by majority vote. A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of the Committee membership including students. On matters pertaining to individual students, the graduate student members of the Committee may be asked to absent themselves.

The Graduate Group Chair

The Graduate Group Chair shall preside over the Executive Committee, lead Graduate Group meetings, supervise the Graduate Group office, and serve as a representative on the Biomedical Graduate Studies Advisory Committee. Nominations for Graduate Group Chair may be made by any faculty member in the group. The Graduate Group Chair shall be elected by the faculty and student membership at-large by mail ballot. An election must involve participation of at least one-half of the graduate faculty members to be valid. A majority of voting Group members is required for election. The votes will be tabulated and reported separately. If a majority is not obtained, a run-off election between the two top candidates shall take place. The first term of the Chair shall be for two years, followed by an administrative review. Subsequent terms of the Chair shall be three years, with a limit of two terms in direct succession.

At-large Executive Committee Members

Nominations for At-large Executive Committee Members may be made by any faculty Group member. Two faculty members of the Graduate Group shall be elected by mail ballot by the total faculty membership of the Graduate Group. An election must involve at least one-half of the Graduate Group faculty members to be valid. The two representatives may not be from the same Program. If the two candidates receiving the most votes are from the same Program, the candidate from any unrepresented Program receiving the highest total shall be elected. A faculty member may belong to more than one Program; in this case the member may be counted as a member of either Program to satisfy the above requirement. The term of the At-large Members shall be three years with no limitation on the number of terms a Member can serve, if re-elected.

Graduate Group-wide Committees and Their Chairs

The following committees serve at the discretion of the Executive Committee. Their function may be assumed by the Executive Committee at any time.

Admissions Committee and Its Chair

The Chair of the Admissions Committee shall be chosen by the elected members of the Executive Committee. In consultation with the Chairs of the Graduate Group and the individual Programs, the Chair of the Admissions Committee shall appoint members of the Admissions Committee. This committee is comprised of the Chair, one faculty representative from each of the six programs, and three student representatives. Faculty appointments are for two years. Three students will be selected at the Annual Student Meeting each summer to serve on this committee. Committee members review new student applications and develop recruitment strategies. Presentation of favorable applicants to the Biomedical Graduate Studies Admissions Committee may be made by any member of the Admissions Committee, but only one member may be permitted to vote on behalf of the Graduate Group at any BGS Admissions Committee meeting.

Curriculum Committee and Its Chair

The Chair of the Curriculum Committee shall be chosen by the elected members of the Executive Committee. The Curriculum Committee Chair shall preside over a Committee consisting of one faculty representative from each Program and two students. Faculty appointments are for two years. Two students will be selected at the Annual Student Meeting each summer to serve on this committee. The Graduate Group-wide Curriculum Committee shall plan and coordinate courses for first year students. It is expected that courses will be developed for individual Programs by the Programs themselves. The Chair of the Curriculum Committee shall be a member of the Biomedical Graduate Studies Curriculum Committee, as shall be any two other faculty members.

First Year, Second Year, and Combined Degree Student Advising Committees and Their Chairs

The Chairs of these Committees shall be chosen by the elected members of the Executive Committee. The Chair of each of the Advising Committees shall appoint, in consultation with the Chairs of the Programs and the Graduate Group, one faculty member from each Program to serve as members of their Advising Committee. Faculty appointments are for two years. Pre-thesis students shall meet with the appropriate Committee before the start of each semester to plan courses, seminars, laboratory rotations, and independent studies. These committees will provide written approval for any exemptions from courses or laboratory rotations requested by students. In addition, these committees will report on the progress of pre-thesis students to the Executive Committee and the Biomedical Curriculum Committee.

Events Committee and Its Chair

The Chair of this Committee shall be chosen by the elected members of the Executive Committee. The Chair of the Events Committee shall appoint, in consultation with the Chairs of the Programs and the Graduate Group, one faculty member from each Program to serve as members of the Events Committee. Faculty appointments are for one year. A student will be selected at the Annual Student Meeting each summer to serve on this committee. The Events Committee is responsible for organizing the annual Graduate Group Retreat.

Membership in the Graduate Group and in Individual Programs

Admission of New Faculty

Candidates must have evidence of scientific productivity in cell and molecular biology as evidenced by first or last author publications in respected scientific journals. If candidates are within the first three years in their faculty position, the first author papers will suffice. If they have been faculty members for more than three years, they must have either first or last author papers that are independent of former mentors.

The following procedures shall be followed for admission to the Graduate Group:

Faculty who wish to join the Graduate Group in Cell and Molecular Biology apply to the Graduate Group Chair. Documentation for initial application for membership to the Graduate Group includes:

The Graduate Group Chair reviews the application for completeness and refers it to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee considers the application and votes to accept or reject an applicant for membership in the Graduate Group.

The Graduate Group Chair forwards the names of accepted applicants to the Director of Biomedical Graduate Studies twice per year: May 15 and November 15. The Biomedical Graduate Studies Office will confirm the applicant's University appointment and send a letter of confirmation of Graduate Group membership.

Admission to a Program from within the Graduate Group

Once admitted to a specific Program as a primary affiliation, a faculty member may also be listed under another Program in the Graduate Group as a secondary affiliation if approved by the appropriate Program Chair. A faculty member may supervise a rotation or dissertation for any student in the Graduate Group, regardless of the Program that the student has selected. Membership in a Program requires participation in Program-specific activities (see Renewing Membership, below).

Renewing Membership in the Graduate Group

Each new appointment and reappointment to the Graduate Group is for a three-year term. At the end of each three-year term, the individual faculty's service record must be evaluated by the relevant Program Chair(s). At the chair's recommendation, the term may be renewed for another three years. In order to qualify for renewal of membership, an individual must meet the service requirements outlined below.

Each Graduate Group member must complete an average of 50 service hours per year over a three-year period. Graduate Group chairs, training grant principle investigators, and course directors are exempt from the teaching and administrative service requirements.

Teaching/Academic Committee Service: A minimum of 15 of the 50 hours must be devoted to teaching and/or service on academic committees. Teaching is defined to include directing courses, preparing and giving lectures, other course preparation and in-class time, grading, and the like. For lecturers, course preparation time should be counted as equal to the amount of time spent in the classroom. Academic committee service includes participation in preliminary exam and thesis committees. This service category does not include supervision of a rotation or dissertation student.

Administrative Committee Service/Supervision of Students in the Lab: The remaining hours per year must be performed in areas such as serving on administrative committees and supervising rotations and dissertations.

Bioethics Training: Each faculty member must participate in a bioethics training program at least once during each three-year term. This requirement may be met by serving as a discussion leader of a BGS Bioethics Workshop; other options for participation include attending the BGS Bioethics Symposia or other relevant BGS-approved University bioethics courses or symposia.

In June of the academic year in which a faculty member's appointment expires, each Program Chair reviews each faculty member's participation over the past three years and makes a recommendation to the Membership Committee. The Membership Committee will review the faculty member's record and the recommendations of the program chair. The Membership Committee votes either to renew or terminate the membership by majority vote. Documentation for the evaluation is provided by the annual questionnaires submitted by each faculty member and by written confirmation of faculty teaching contributions generated by the Curriculum Committee.

A faculty member whose membership is not renewed may appeal the decision to the Program and appear in person before an ad-hoc committee. Following this meeting, another vote will be taken.

Graduate Group Reviews

In accordance with BGS policy, each graduate group shall be reviewed every six years.

top

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Introduction and Objectives

            The Graduate Group in Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Graduate Group) is responsible for providing graduate training in epidemiology and biostatistics and managing a PhD degree program in epidemiology and MS and PhD degree programs in biostatistics.  The objective of both PhD programs is to train individuals to be rigorous and independent academic investigators able to apply and extend the range of approaches available in epidemiology and biostatistics to address research issues in health.  Training focuses on both applied and methodologic work.  The objective of the MS program in biostatistics is to train individuals in the basic theory and applications of statistical methods, especially as applied to problems in the health sciences.

The Graduate Group is a member of the Biomedical Graduate Studies Program (BGS) in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania.  It is comprised of clinician epidemiologists, epidemiologists, and biostatisticians.  The Graduate Group is closely affiliated with the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB) and the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology (DBE). 

Governance

            The Director of the CCEB selects the Chair of the Graduate Group, subject to the approval of the Dean of the School of Medicine and the Vice Dean for Research and Research Training.  The Chair is appointed for six-year, renewable terms.  The Chair is responsible for the administration of the Graduate Group’s training programs, including student advising, curriculum, degree requirements, and research experiences; the appointment of Directors of the Epidemiology and Biostatistics training programs, in consultation with members of the Graduate Group’s Executive Committee, as appropriate; the appointment of faculty to BGS and campus-wide committees, as needed; and final approval of students’ dissertations. 

            The Directors of the Epidemiology and Biostatistics training programs are responsible for the administration of each training program within the Graduate Group.  The Director of the Epidemiology training program works closely with the Director of the Clinical Epidemiology Unit and the Director of the Biostatistics training program works closely with the Director of the Biostatistics Unit, both within the CCEB.  The program directors are responsible for the appointment of chairs of standing and ad hoc committees within each program, in consultation with the appropriate Unit Director, subject to the approval of and also in consultation with the Graduate Group Chair.  Together, the program directors and Graduate Group Chair are responsible for managing funding packages for all students. 

            Graduate Group standing committees include Curriculum and Admissions Committees within each of the two training programs.  Other standing committees include a Teaching Awards Committee, an Epidemiology Qualifications Evaluation Committee, a Biostatistics Qualifications Evaluation Committee, and a Biostatistics Program Executive Committee.  Committee members are appointed annually by the program directors, subject to the approval of the Graduate Group Chair. 

            Executive Committee members are appointed by the Graduate Group Chair, all of whom are members of the Graduate Group.  The Executive Committee is responsible for providing guidance to the Graduate Group Chair.  Its responsibilities also include the integration of its two training programs, approval of changes in policy and course/degree requirements, and confirmation that requirements have been met by degree candidates.  The Executive Committee meets monthly to discuss academic issues and programs, as well as administrative matters, brought to its attention by members of its standing and ad hoc committees, as needed and appropriate. 

Membership

            Graduate Group members include epidemiologists and biostatisticians with faculty appointments at the University of Pennsylvania.  New members must be nominated by current members and submit an application, which includes a cover letter describing proposed contributions and a Curriculum Vitae.  The Graduate Group’s Executive Committee reviews applications and approves new appointments and renewals.  In order to maintain membership, members must provide approximately 50 hours of service annually, on average, over a three year period.  Membership is subject to renewal every three years.  Service activities include: advising a student; serving as a member of a thesis/dissertation committee; acting as a course director or course lecturer/seminar leader; serving as a track or program leader; reviewing student manuscripts, grant proposals, and protocols; attending student presentations; participating in the CCEB and/or Biostatistics Applied Research Forum seminar series; and serving on one or more of the Graduate Groups’ standing or ad hoc committees.

top

Genomics and Computational Biology

Preamble

The Genomics and Computational Biology Graduate Group (GCB) is a member of the Biomedical Graduate Studies (BGS) Program in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania. The purpose of the GCB is to provide excellent education for qualified students, leading to the Ph.D. in Genomics and Computational Biology. The GCB provides the graduate educational program corresponding to the Penn Genomics Institute and Penn Center for Bioinformatics. Fiscal support of the Graduate Group is provided by BGS.

Article I. Of Members

Section 1. The faculty of the Graduate Group shall consist of members and members emeriti. Members must hold appointments to the standing or research faculty of the University of Pennsylvania.

Section 2. Members shall be appointed for a term of three years. Membership may be renewed at the end of each three-year term pending approval of the Executive Committee. Renewal will be based on a review of each member's level of participation in Graduate Group affairs.

Section 3. Candidates for membership must be nominated by a member, by a letter to the Chair. Nominees will be considered by the Executive Committee, and if approved, presented to the Graduate Group faculty. Resumes and supporting documents for each candidate shall be available at the Graduate Group meeting or circulated to the faculty. Candidates shall become members upon approval of at least 3/4 of the Graduate Group membership. Members who lose their Graduate Group membership may be nominated for new membership at any time.

Section 4. A member shall become emeritus (-a) at the time of attaining this status in his or her home department, provided that a review of participation in the Graduate Group affairs by the Executive Committee is successful.

Section 5. The criteria for new and continued membership applied by the Executive Committee shall include the extent to which the candidate is actively involved in Graduate Group activities. These activities include teaching in the Genomics and Computational Biology curriculum, supervision of thesis and rotation students, and participation on standing and ad hoc committees of the Graduate Group.

Article II. Of Officers

Section 1. There shall be a single elected officer of the Genomics and Computational Biology Graduate Group, its Chair.

Section 2. The Chair shall serve for a period of 3 years. The Chair may serve successive terms if re-elected by the membership.

Section 3. The membership shall be requested to nominate candidates for Chair during the last year of the current Chair's term. The new Chair shall be selected by closed ballot during the last Graduate Group meeting of the current Chair's term. At the discretion of the Executive Committee, the vote can be by mail ballot. The new Chair shall be determined by a plurality among those voting. Absentee votes shall be obtained for faculty not in attendance at the meeting. The votes shall be collected and counted by the Executive Committee and the new Chair announced as soon as possible after the meeting.

Section 4. The duties of the Chair shall include: oversee day-to-day operation of the Graduate Group, appoint chairs of standing committees, and administer personnel matters regarding faculty and students. These tasks will be performed in consultation with members of the Executive Committee as appropriate.

Article III. Of Organization

Section 1. The standing committees of the Graduate Group shall be: Executive, Admissions, Curriculum, and Academic Review/Advising. The membership of these committees shall be rotated on a three-year basis. Preliminary exams will be administered under the authority of a separate Prelim Committee. Additional committees (standing or ad hoc) can be created by the Graduate Group chair, with the approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall meet approximately every three months to administer and coordinate Graduate Group activities.

Section 3. The Admissions Committee shall be chaired by the Chair of the Admissions Committee. The Admissions Committee shall review all applications to the Graduate Group, select the most promising applicants for interviewing and recruitment, and ultimately identify those who will be offered admission to the program. Toward these ends, it shall meet weekly throughout most of the Spring semester.

Section 4. The Curriculum Committee shall meet at least annually to review course evaluations and to consider major or minor revisions to the curriculum. Minor actions such as suggestions to individual course directors may proceed without approval of the membership. Major revisions of the curriculum shall be discussed and presented to the Executive Committee or to the full membership of the Graduate Group for further discussion and ultimate ratification.

Section 5. The purpose of the Academic Review/Advising Committee is to track the performance of all students through the program, to serve as formal advisers to students in the program, and to assist the Chair in resolving problems. The Committee shall meet twice per semester to review student progress and provide advice on program and course selection.

Section 6. The ad hoc committees of the Graduate Group will be of two types: Preliminary Examination Committees and Thesis Advisory Committees.

Section 7. When proposed revisions are drafted, the revised Bylaws will be proposed at a Graduate Group meeting, or at the discretion of the Chair, circulated by email to the membership. The revised Bylaws will be accepted if ratified by a majority among those voting.

top

Immunology Graduate Group

Governance of the IGG

Chair

The sole officer of the IGG is the Graduate Group Chair.  This person is responsible for all of the educational aspects of the program as well as for organizing and maintaining integration of the various aspects of the program.  The Chair will appoint individuals to chair the various committees of the IGG and approve all changes in the directorship of IGG organized courses.  It is the responsibility of the Chair to notify and advise the membership of significant changes in University and BGS policy and to represent the concerns of the membership to these groups.  The Executive Committee serves as an advisory body to the Chair.  The Chair convenes monthly meetings of the executive Committee and sets the agendas for these meetings.  He or she presides over and sets the agenda for annual faculty meetings.  In addition to these responsibilities, the Chair’s responsibilities include the following:

The Chair serves a three year term that is renewable.  In the spring semester of the third year of the term, the Membership Committee will request nominations for the Chair, contacting those individuals to determine if they would agree to serve.  Nominations must be of senior level (Associate or Full Professor) individuals from the standing faculty of the University.  The Chair is expected to be experienced in training Ph.D. level students. The election is administered by the chair of the Membership Committee, with votes are forwarded to the Coordinator, who tallies the votes and reports back to the Membership Committee.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee functions as an advisory committee to the Chair.  It is composed of the IGG Chair and eleven other faculty selected from senior membership of the IGG.  The membership will represent the concerns of Student Affairs, Curriculum, and Admissions Committees in addition to the primary training grants supporting students in the program.  Its responsibilities are to maintain integration of the various graduate group programs and to review significant changes in policy, direction, or intent as recommended by IGG Committees or members, prior to final approval by the membership at large.  The Executive Committee will decide upon the advancement to candidacy for each of the students in the program.  For this reason, the membership should always broadly represent each aspect of the students’ training program.  The Chair of the Executive Committee will be the IGG Chair, who will be responsible for leading meetings and organizing the agenda.  Members of the committee are Steven Reiner (Chair); Michael Cancro; Andrew Caton; Pete Felsburg; Mark Greene; Christopher Hunter; Gary Koretzky; Terri Laufer; John Monroe; Yvonne Paterson; Ellen Pure; and Phil Scott.

Admissions Committee

The responsibilities of the Admissions Committee are the following:

The Chair of the Admissions Committee will sit on the BGS Admissions Committee and represent the IGG.  He or she will also be a member of the IGG Executive Committee.  The following faculty members are currently members of the Admissions Committee:  Christopher Hunter (Chair); Michael Cancro; Yongwon Choi; Phil Cohen; Jan Erikson ; Gary Koretzky; John Monroe; Warren Pear; Edward Pearce; Steve Reiner; Phil Scott;  and Larry Turka.

Student Affairs Committee

The Student Affairs Committee reviews the progress of all 1st and 2nd year students. This Committee administers the First and Second Phase Oral Examinations. The Chair of the Student Affairs Committee sits on the IGG Executive Committee.  The current composition of the Curriculum Committee is as follows: Andrew Caton and Michael Cancro (Co-Chairs); Dave Allman; Yair Argon; Avinash Bhandoola; Jan Burkhardt; Randy Cron; Jan Erikson; Chris Hunter; Terri Laufer; Michael May; John Monroe; Steve Reiner; Milton Rossman; Virginia Smith Shapiro; Kate Sullivan and Andrew Wells.

Curriculum Committee

The Curriculum Committee reviews the existing curriculum and evaluates how the students’ needs are met by the available courses. Modifications to the existing curriculum are initiated by this Committee and approved by the Executive Committee and then by the membership of the IGG.

The Chair of this committee prepares the agenda and runs committee meetings, attends BGS Curriculum Committee meetings, and sits on the IGG Executive Committee.  The current composition of the Curriculum Committee is as follows: Terri Laufer (Chair); Michael Cancro; Peter Felsburg; Chris Hunter; John Monroe; Yvonne Paterson; Kate Sullivan; and Larry Turka.

Membership Committee

The Membership Committee evaluates faculty applications for membership in the IGG. This committee reviews applications and votes for nomination and election to membership. This Committee also solicits nominations for IGG Chair and tabulates votes from the membership.  The current composition of the Curriculum Committee is as follows: Peter Felsburg (Chair); Youhai Chen; Glen Gaulton; Luis Montaner; Yvonne Paterson; and Kate Sullivan.

Retreat Committee

This committee will organize the annual IGG retreat, held in the fall of each year.  The co-chairs of the Retreat Committee are Janis Burkhardt and Virginia Shapiro.

top

Neuroscience Graduate Group

Summer 1994

Preamble

The Neuroscience Graduate Group shall be a member of Biomedical Graduate Studies within the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania.  Its purpose shall be to maintain a high quality training program for qualified students leading to the Ph.D. in Neuroscience.  It shall constitute the graduate educational arm of the Mahoney Institute of Neurological Sciences.  Fiscal support of the Graduate Group will come from the Institute.

Article I.  Of Members

Section 1.  The Graduate Group shall consist of members and members emeriti.  Members must be on the standing or research faculty of the University of Pennsylvania.

Section 2.  Members shall be appointed for a term of three years.  Membership may be renewed at the end of each three year term pending approval of the Membership Committee.  Such renewal shall be considered by the Membership Committee on the basis of a review of each member's level of participation in Graduate Group affairs.

Section 3.  Candidates for membership may be nominated at either of the two annual meetings of the Graduate Group.  Nominations shall be sought prior to each meeting by the Graduate Group Chairman and such nominations shall be considered by the Membership Committee prior to the next Graduate Group meeting.  Only candidates approved by the Membership Committee shall be presented to the Graduate Group faculty.  Resumes for each candidate shall be available at the Graduate Group meeting.  Candidates shall become members upon approval of at least 3/4 of the Graduate Group membership.  Members who lose their Graduate Group membership may be nominated for new membership at any time.

Section 4.  A member shall become emeritus when his or her faculty appointment within his or her  home department attains emeritus status provided that a review of participation in Graduate Group affairs by the Membership Committee is successful.

Section 5.  The criteria for new and continued membership applied by the Membership Committee shall be the extent to which each candidate is actively involved in Graduate Group activities.  These activities include teaching in the Neuroscience curriculum, supervision of thesis and rotation students, and participation on Graduate Group standing and transient committees.

Article II. Of Officers

Section 1.  There shall be a single officer of the Neuroscience Graduate Group, its Chair.

Section 2.  The Chair shall serve for a period of 6 years.  The Chair may serve successive terms if re-elected by the membership.

Section 3.  The membership shall be petitioned for nominations for Chair during the fifth year of the current Chair's term.  The new Chair shall be selected by closed ballot during the last Graduate Group meeting of the current Chair's term.  The new Chair shall be selected by a simple majority of votes of the entire membership.  Absentee votes shall be obtained for faculty not in attendance at the meeting.  The votes shall be collected and counted by the Director of the Institute and the new Chair announced as soon as possible after the meeting.

Section 4.  The duties of the Chair shall include day-to-day operation of the Graduate Group.

Article III.  Of Organization

Section 1.  The standing committees of the Graduate Group shall be: Admissions, Membership, Curriculum, and Academic Review.  The membership of these committees shall be rotated on a three year basis.

Section 2.  The Admissions Committee shall be chaired by the Graduate Group Chair or his representative.  It shall review all applications to the Graduate Group, select the most promising applicants for interviewing and recruitment, and ultimately identify those who shall be offered a fellowship and place in the program.  Towards these ends, it shall meet weekly throughout most of the Spring semester.

Section 3.  The Membership Committee shall meet early in the Fall semester to consider existing members for renewed membership and to consider nominees for new membership.  It shall also meet prior to the Spring meeting of the Graduate Group to consider nominees.

Section 4.  The Curriculum Committee shall meet at least annually to review course evaluations and to consider minor or major revisions to the curriculum.  Minor actions such as suggestions to individual course directors may proceed without approval of the membership.  Major revisions should be discussed and presented to the membership at the Graduate Group meeting for further discussion and possible ratification.

Section 5.  The purpose of the Academic Review Committee is to track the performance of all students through the program, to serve as formal advisors to students in the program, and to assist the Chair in resolving problems.

Section 6.  The transient committees of the Graduate Group shall be of two types: Preliminary Examination Committees and Thesis Advisory Committees.

top

Pharmacological Sciences

The Graduate Group of Pharmacological Sciences shall be a member of the Biomedical Graduate Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.  Its function shall be to provide academic and research training for graduate students in modern approaches to Pharmacology leading to a Ph.D. in Pharmacological Sciences.

I. Organization

A. Graduate Group Chair

Responsibilities.

Election and Term.

The Chair shall serve for a term of three years and may serve successive terms if re-elected by the members of the Graduate Group. During the third year of the Chair’s term, the Graduate Group Executive Committee nominates one or more faculty members from the Graduate Group.  Members of the Graduate Group will be requested to provide additional names for the ballot.  The new Chair shall be elected by majority vote by closed ballot at the annual Graduate Group meeting.  

B. Executive Committee

Responsibilities.

Members of the Executive Committee shall include the Chair of the Graduate Group, the Chair of the Department of Pharmacology, Chairs of each of the Standing Committees, and a representative from each of the Training Tracks in the Graduate Group. In addition, up to two additional members can be appointed by the Chair of the Graduate Group.  Terms will be for three years except for Chairs who shall remain on the Executive Committee as long as they continue to serve in the capacity of Chair.   

C. Standing Committees

Curriculum.

Responsibilities.

Members of the Curriculum Committee shall be the course directors of classes being taught during the academic year, faculty volunteers appointed by the Chair of the Graduate Group in consultation with the Chair of the Curriculum Committee, and two students elected each year by the students in September. Membership to the committee shall reflect changes in course directors on a yearly basis.  Additional faculty appointed to the committee shall be for a term of three years.  Student membership shall be dependent on yearly election by the students.

Academic Review.

Responsibilities.

Members of the Academic Review Committee shall be faculty volunteers appointed by the Chair of the Graduate Group in consultation with the Chair of the Academic Review Committee.  Membership to the committee shall be for a term of three years.

Admissions.

Responsibilities.

Members of the Admissions Committee shall be faculty volunteers appointed by the Chair of the Graduate Group in consultation with the Chair of the Admissions Committee and two students elected each year by fellow students. Membership to the committee shall be for a term of three years for faculty and dependent on yearly election for students.

D. Other Committees

Preliminary Examination Committees.

The Chair of the Preliminary Examination Committee shall be appointed by the Academic Review Committee. The Chair of the Examination Committee in consultation with the student appoints three faculty members to complete the Examination Committee.  This committee shall be responsible for evaluating the written proposal and its oral defense.  Expertise in the field of the proposal should be considered in selecting members of the Examination Committee.

Thesis Advisory Committees.

No more than six months after initiation of a research project, a Thesis Advisory Committee shall be appointed by the Academic Review Committee in consultation with the student and the thesis advisor.  To this end, the student submits the name of prospective committee members to the Academic Review Committee together with a short paragraph describing the topic of the thesis research. If appointment of a faculty member who is not a member of Graduate Group is requested, the student should submit one copy of a complete curriculum vitae of this person. Appointment to the committee should be based on expertise in areas relating to the thesis research. The committee reviews the request, and notifies the student and thesis advisor of the appropriateness of the committee and any suggested modifications. The chair of the committee is chosen at the first meeting by the committee in consultation with the advisor and student.  The Chair of the Thesis Advisory Committee must be a member of the Graduate Group.  Ultimately, the advisory committee consists of 4-5 faculty, but may initially consist of 2-3 faculty in addition to the advisor.  The thesis advisor is not an official member of the committee; although, she or he will provide important input at all meetings.  Thesis Advisory Committees shall meet every 6-8 months.

II. Membership in the Graduate Group

Members of the Graduate Group shall be from the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania and associated organizations.  A limited number of faculty from other institutions or organizations may be Associated Members of the Graduate Group. Associated membership shall not exceed 20% of the total membership in the Graduate Group.

Application for Membership.

Faculty who wish to join the Graduate Group should send a letter to the Chair indicating the reasons for their interest in joining the Graduate Group along with a current curriculum vitae including a list of past trainees.  A supporting letter from a current member of the Graduate Group is not required but can be included. 

Term.

Members are appointed for a term of three years. Membership may be renewed every three years.  Renewal of membership by the Executive Committee is dependent on active participation in Graduate Group events and service to the Graduate Group. 

Graduate Group Service.

Continued membership in the graduate group is dependent upon involvement and service in Graduate Group activities.  Service includes but is not restricted to the following: 1) serving as course director or teaching in graduate group courses, 2) participating in graduate group committees, 3) training rotation or thesis students, 4) acting as a principal investigator on an appropriate training grant.

III. Training and Academics

It is recognized that the training mission of the Graduate Group evolves and responds to the changing academic and research environment. The Student Information and Guidelines book shall serve as the guiding policy on the academic and training mission of the Graduate Group.  Changes in academic and training policies shall be updated annually by the Chair of the Graduate Group in consultation with the Executive Committee and other committees as appropriate and published in the Student Information and Guidelines book.

IV. Graduate Group Meetings and Amendments to the Bylaws

Graduate Group meetings will be held annually.  Amendments to these bylaws can be made at the annual graduate group meeting if approved by a majority of the members attending.

top

© The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania | SOMIS Web Team Template v2.1