...
Mark J. T. Smith, PhD, Dean of Graduate Studies (appointed 2017) – the graduate dean oversees a graduate education program that includes approximately 100 fields of study and is one of the largest doctoral degree-granting schools in the country. His role as a senior vice provost reinforces the vital connections between graduate education with undergraduate education and research. The Provost’s Office coordinates the academic mission of the university, managing all aspects of the academic experience for students, as well as policies and procedures related to the faculty and administration of the departments, colleges, and schools and other academic units.
Sharon WoodRoger Bonnecaze, PhD, Interim Dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering (appointed 20142021) – the dean is responsible for administering the school's budget; day-to-day management of funds for the school is done by the assistant dean for business affairs. Faculty hiring priorities are set by the dean, and hiring by individual departments is approved only after departments have submitted strategic plans identifying hiring needs. Overall management of the faculty hiring process is done by the associate dean for academic affairs. Final decisions regarding faculty hiring at the assistant professor level rests with the dean. The dean also provides the departments with general guidelines on faculty promotion and tenure, and recommendations for promotion and tenure are made by the departments to the dean through the associate dean for academic affairs. After thorough review of the candidates, the dean's recommendations are forwarded to the provost for action. Recommended salary adjustments are brought to the dean by the department chairs following guidance from the dean, and those recommendations along with additional salary adjustments made by the dean are passed on to the provost.
...
Lacy White, MS, Graduate Program Coordinator (hired 2017) – The Graduate Program Coordinator administers the day-to-day functioning of the program. She communicates milestone and registration requirements to students, and organizes student recruitment activities, orientation, supervisor selection, and qualifying exams. She is the first point of contact for all student inquiries, from dissertation requirements to personal welfare issues. She is also responsible for maintaining student records for the department, produces the majority of reports about the program, and ensures new policies are put into place and properly enforced. As one of the department's Human Resource Associates, she completes employment processes for all student employees teaching assistants in the department.
Graduate Studies Committee
...