Responsibilities of the Adviser(s) and Co-Adviser(s)

  1. Establish expectations with each student for communication, including the preferred means (e.g. email, text, phone, etc.), the best contact times, and shared expectations around response times.
     
  2. Establish expectations with each student for how often you will meet to discuss the student’s work. Dissertation advisor(s) should meet regularly with their advisees and discuss the students’ progress.
     
  3. Communicate with your students about reasonable working hours, amounts of time for vacation, and other activities necessary for students’ mental and physical health.
     
  4. Be cognizant of limitations to the student’s schedule, including religious observance and family obligations, while establishing responsibilities #1-3.
     
  5. Understand the required department and GSAS milestones for students in your program. Recognize when completion of these requirements may require an adjustment to research responsibilities, such as when a student must reduce time devoted to research to prepare for a qualifying exam.
     
  6. Help the student develop an individualized timeline for completing academic requirements and meeting professional goals.
     
  7. Discuss career goals and opportunities with the student early in their graduate career (by the beginning of admission to candidacy at the latest) and continue these discussions regularly. In particular, discuss opportunities to attend conferences and to submit publications to help advance students’ careers.
     
  8. Discuss research expectations with the student early in their graduate career. This should include topics such time spent on outside collaboration, and time spent on professional development.
     
  9. Give clear, constructive, and timely feedback on the student’s work. In particular, give feedback and approve the prospectus and the dissertation, complete Dissertation Progress Reports, and review all related written work by the appropriate deadlines.
     
  10. Assist the student and consult with them when they choose other members of the Dissertation Committee.
     
  11. Read the Dissertation Progress Report (DPR) and provide written feedback.
     
  12. Discuss with each student their individual funding structure, making clear when they need to teach or fulfil other responsibilities outside their research to receive their stipends.
     
  13. Be familiar with mental health resources offered by the university so that you can suggest them if your student approaches you for help.
     
  14. Discuss with the DGS, ADGS, and/or dissertation committee members if issues arise related to the student’s responsibilities.
     
  15. Remain open to feedback and be willing to discuss difficult academic ideas and differences of opinion in order to facilitate all students’ success.