Policies and Forms

First Year Graduate Student Research Rotations

• All entering students will undertake no fewer than three research rotations of approximately eight weeks duration, beginning in the second week of classes in the Fall semester and ending approximately by Spring recess of the following semester.
• Rotations will be assigned according to the interests of each student and the availability of laboratories. In the event that a student may find that he/she has entered an unworkable situation, that student may petition the Graduate Advisor for a restructuring of his/her rotations.
• During each rotation, the students will be expected to spend no less than ten hours per week on rotation-related activities.
• Each student will be required to prepare a synopsis of one of the three research rotation experiences within three weeks of completion of the third rotation. This report should take the form of an extended abstract/short communication, clearly stating a hypothesis for the project undertaken, a brief background, results and discussion. Each report will be prepared in consultation with, and approved by, the laboratory head under whom the rotation is conducted, and will become part of the material eligible for discussion during the student's qualifying examinations. Give a copy of this report to the graduate advisor by the end of the first year.
• Since a major reason for participation in research rotations is the development of an appreciation for the diversity of research efforts and capabilities existing within the Department, efforts should be made during the assignment of rotations to encourage each student to become exposed to a variety of research environments.
• It is the responsibility of each faculty member to ensure that student rotations in their laboratories are properly structured for the enrichment of the students, including a defined goal for each student's efforts.
• At the conclusion of every rotation, an evaluation form will be completed by the laboratory head; this evaluation will include a brief assessment of the student's rotation experience, their level of effort and ability, and a grade to be averaged with other evaluations as a basis for two credits of J802.

Graduate Student Rotation Evaluation Form is available by clicking here

Adopted by the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, May 3, 1991

Graduate Student Evaluation At Committee Meetings

The following statement is provided to students and faculty to indicate some of the factors taken into account in assigning a research grade to a student enrolled in J810/G901.

The grade given to a student following a committee meeting will be based upon a variety of criteria: a) the student's understanding of the literature and ability to apply that literature to the design of the project; b) the appropriate design of experiments including controls; c) the student's technical ability; d) the student's ability to move the project along logically, responding to problems as they arise; e) satisfactory progress since the previous meeting; f) the ability of the student to effectively communicate the project and its results; and g) the student's ability to think logically in responding to questions/comments. As the student advances through the program, the ability of the student to work independently will also contribute to the formulation of a grade. It should be noted that an acceptable performance is denoted by a grade of B.

J810/G901 Evaluation Form is available by clicking here

Policy regarding completion of the Ph.D. requirements before commencement of postdoctoral or other employment position

Deviations from departmental expectations prompted the following statement to be adopted by the faculty, effective 2/2/96.

Ph.D. candidates in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology should not accept responsibilities apart from those of our training program until the thesis is formally approved. If this commitment is not fulfilled, the student's Research Committee will not sign the thesis. An exception to this requires a majority vote of the Research Committee.

Policy for sick leave and vacations for postdoctorals/research associates and for graduate students in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Occasionally questions are asked about the policy for sick leaves or vacations for postdoctorals, research associates, and graduate students. Individuals on twelve month, full time, academic appointments, i.e. postdoctorals and research associates, are entitled to the same conditions for sick leave and vacations as the faculty. These policies are described in the I.U. Academic Handbook, 1988 edition, pp.44, 56 and 57.

In brief, the policies are:

In case of illness any full-time academic appointee shall be paid six week's full salary during the illness and 50% salary for the remainder of the semester if the illness continues that long. Beyond such periods the individual will be placed on leave without pay. Pregnancy and childrearing leaves have the same pay provisions.

All twelve month academic appointees are entitled to one month's vacation with full compensation for each calendar year. According to the Dean of Faculties Office, weekends and holidays are included in the calculation of one month.

Graduate students (appointed as research assistants) are academic appointees but are not full time. They are not officially entitled to the benefits of sick leave or vacation. However, as a Department, some policy should be established. It is recommended that:

All departmental graduate students on academic appointments are entitled to the sick leave, pregnancy and childrearing leaves, and vacation policy currently provided to twelve month academic appointees.

6 February 1992, Faculty Handbook updated 1992 (pp 47, 60, 61). No changes to these policies.

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