Dissertation Committee Policy

The dissertation committee supervises a student’s dissertation work, determines the acceptability of the dissertation, and serves as the final examining committee. This page contains details of both the current policy and the revised policy that takes effect July 1, 2026. 

Dissertation Committee Policy Through June 30, 2026

Revised Dissertation Committee Policy Effective July 1, 2026

Dissertation Committee Policy Through June 30, 2026

Deadlines

The dissertation committee must be on file with the Division of Graduate Studies no later than 6 months prior to the final oral defense.

Appointment Procedures

Each department or program determines its own internal dissertation committee approval procedures. After the dissertation committee is approved by the department, the Graduate Coordinator submits the committee recommendation in GradWeb.

Once the Division of Graduate Studies has reviewed and approved the committee, the student and department will receive an email confirming that the committee has been approved by the Division of Graduate Studies.

Departmental policies for membership of doctoral committees should be guided by Division of Graduate Studies policy, but may be more restrictive than Division of Graduate Studies School policy. Petitions for exceptions to Division of Graduate Studies committee policies may be submitted using the general petition form.

Committee Membership

The dissertation committee consists of a minimum of four members, each with a particular role:

Chair(s)

The chair has principal responsibility for advising the student. They should have adequate time available for this work and should expect to be accessible to the student.

If co-chairs are appointed, both co-chairs share the responsibility for the student's progress.

The following requirements apply:

  • The chair must be a tenure-related member of the graduate faculty who holds a doctoral degree.
  • For a tenure-related member of the graduate faculty from a department other than the student’s degree-granting department, the student’s department must have authorized that faculty member to serve as chair (or co-chair) using the dissertation committee service nomination form.

Once a faculty member is authorized to chair in another department, they remain authorized to chair in that department indefinitely, or until the department asks to change the faculty member’s status.

Once authorized to serve in that capacity for a department, the faculty member can no longer serve as institutional representative for the department on future committees.

Advisor

In Bioengineering, Biology, Chemistry, Human Physiology, and Physics, dissertation committees have both a chair and an advisor, with the chair providing more of an administrative role and the advisor focusing on the intellectual and research aspects of the dissertation. 

The advisor(s) must be able and willing to assume principal responsibility for advising the student. They should have adequate time available for this work and should expect to be accessible to the student. If co-advisors are appointed, both co-advisors share the responsibility for the student's progress.

In addition, the following requirements apply:

  • The faculty member must be a member of the graduate faculty with authorization to serve as advisor.
  • Professors of practice may be appointed to the graduate faculty and granted authorization to serve as a dissertation advisor in the student’s degree-granting department.
  • For a member of the graduate faculty from a department other than the student’s degree-granting department, the student’s department must have authorized that faculty member to serve as advisor using the dissertation committee service nomination form.

Once a faculty member is authorized to serve as advisor in another department, the authorization remains indefinitely, or until the department asks to change the faculty member’s status.

Once authorized to serve as an advisor for a department, the faculty member can no longer serve as institutional representative for the department on future committees, except in the:

  • Department of Biology
  • Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Department of Physics

In these departments, if the advisor is not a member of the degree-granting department, the institutional representative must be from a different department or research institute than the advisor.

Core Members

At least one core member must be a member of the graduate faculty (including non-tenure-related members) from the student’s degree-granting department.

The remaining member may be a:

Institutional Representative

The institutional representative serves in the role of impartial, “outside” committee member who ensures that all rules and standard practices governing committee procedures are followed.

The institutional representative typically also offers substantive expertise related to the dissertation, although that is not required.

The institutional representative must meet the following requirements:

  • Must be a tenure-related member of the graduate faculty.
  • Must be from a University of Oregon department other than the student’s degree-granting department.
  • In the departments of biology, chemistry and biochemistry, and physics, where there the role of chair and advisor are separate, if the advisor is not a member of the degree-granting department, the institutional representative must be from a different department or research institute than the advisor.

Additional Core Members (optional)

Additional members may be appointed to the dissertation committee, at the discretion of the student’s degree-granting department.

An additional core nember may be a:

Interdisciplinary Doctoral Degree Programs

Each interdisciplinary degree program shall maintain a list of faculty members appointed to the program for purposes of graduate faculty membership and designated by the department as eligible to serve as chairs/advisors and core members or as core members only.

If a faculty member is appointed to serve as chairs/advisors or core members, they may not serve as institutional representatives for committees in that program.

Procedure for Appointment of NTTF to the Graduate Faculty

Non-tenure track faculty members (NTTFs) who hold a PhD, an equivalent doctoral degree, or the terminal graduate degree in their field (e.g., MFA, MA, MBA, JD, MD, etc.) may be nominated to become members of the graduate faculty on a five-year cycle. The nomination of eligible NTTFs to the graduate faculty begins in the degree-granting department. An eligible NTTF submits a letter of interest and a current curriculum vita to the head of the department in which he or she wishes to serve.

  • The department head, in consultation with the graduate faculty in the degree-granting department, shall determine if the NTFF fits the criteria listed above for NTTF appointment to the graduate faculty. The department head and graduate faculty also determine at that time if the candidate complies with any internal department procedures and criteria developed for nomination. If the department approves this nomination, the dissertation committee service nomination form and required attachments are forwarded to the dean of the relevant school or college.
  • Upon approval by the dean of the relevant school or college the nomination form and required attachments are forwarded to the Division of Graduate Studies for final approval.
  • Upon approval by the Division of Graduate Studies, the NTTF may be appointed to serve as core member only on committees (the chair and IR must be tenure-related). 
  • Appointments of NTTF to the graduate faculty will be granted for a five-year term. Every five years, to maintain graduate faculty status, the degree-granting department must request renewal of graduate faculty status for the NTFF. If approved for renewal by the faculty of the degree-granting department, the department head will fill out a Dissertation Committee Service nomination form indicating renewal and provide an updated CV to the Division of Graduate Studies.
  • Faculty on the Tenure Reduction Program (TRP) can continue to be members of the graduate faculty and serve on dissertation committees without approval of the Division of Graduate Studies as long as the degree-granting department approves this service.

Procedures for Appointing Faculty who are not Members of the Graduate Faculty to a Particular Dissertation Committee

Under certain circumstances it may serve doctoral students to have committee members from one of the following categories serve on their dissertation committees:

  • A UO non-tenure track faculty who is not a member of the graduate faculty
    • Research-active non-tenure-track faculty members (NTTFs) may be approved to serve as core member on a particular committee.
    • At a minimum, the faculty member must hold a PhD, an equivalent doctoral degree, or the terminal graduate degree in their field (e.g., MFA, MA, MBA, JD, MD, etc.).
  • A faculty member from another college or university
  • A qualified practicing professional or community member

In such cases, the following procedure will apply:

  • The department head, in consultation with the graduate faculty in a graduate-degree granting department, shall determine if the individual’s scholarly record and/or expertise qualifies him/her to serve on a dissertation committee. If the department approves this nomination (based on procedures determined by the department), the dissertation committee service nomination form and any required attachments are forwarded to the dean of the relevant school or college.
  • Upon approval by the dean of the relevant school or college, the nomination form and any required attachments are forwarded to the Division of Graduate Studies for final approval.
  • Approval of appointment will only be for a particular committee.

Faculty Who Leave the University

Faculty members who leave the university may continue to serve as the chair, co-chair, advisor, or core member of a dissertation committee for one year beyond their departure at the discretion of the department and without Division of Graduate Studies exception, on students’ committees for which they were chair, co-chair, advisor, or core member before leaving the university. Service beyond one year must be approved by both the degree-granting department and the Division of Graduate Studies. To request service beyond one year after leaving the UO, the department should submit the dissertation committee service nomination form along with a memo (by campus mail or by email) to the Division of Graduate Studies from the department head confirming the value of this service to both the student and the degree program.

Retired Faculty

Members of the Graduate Faculty who retire may continue to serve as the chair, co-chair, advisor, or core member of a dissertation committee for one year beyond their retirement on student committees which the faculty member was chair or core member and in which the committee was Division of Graduate Studies approved (through GradWeb) before retirement at the discretion of the department and without Division of Graduate Studies exception. Additional years will be granted, with Division of Graduate Studies exception, on a yearly basis depending on the faculty member’s current research and/or teaching activities within the discipline or department. To request service beyond one year after retirement, the department must submit the dissertation committee service nomination form along with a memo from the department head confirming the value of this service to both the student and the degree program.

Faculty on tenure reduction plans (TRP) are considered faculty, not retired faculty, for the purposes of this policy. 

Division of Graduate Studies approval is required for retired faculty to begin chairing or serving on committees after they have retired. To request such service, departments must submit the dissertation committee service nomination form along with a memo from the department head requesting approval for a three-year term (or for a particular committee) and confirming the value of this service to both the student and the degree program.

Qualified Practicing Professionals and Community Members

Under certain circumstances it may serve doctoral students to have non-UO professionals/experts (who are not current faculty members of another college or university) serve on their dissertation committees as a core member or additional core member. Generally, the non-UO professional or expert will meet the following criteria:

  • Must hold a PhD, an equivalent doctoral degree, or the terminal graduate degree in their field (e.g., MFA, MA, MBA, JD, MD, etc.)
  • If the non-UO professional or expert does not hold a terminal graduate degree, the department must present a compelling argument about how the individual’s substantive knowledge is uniquely valuable for the student’s research.
  • The department must be able to certify that there is no conflict of interest that could interfere with the fair judgment of the student’s scholarly work.
  • In order to be appointed to a dissertation committee, qualified practicing professionals and community members must be nominated by the student’s degree granting department using the dissertation committee service nomination form.

Approved by the Graduate Council May 18, 2016.

Dissertation Committee Policy Effective July 1, 2026

Appointment Procedures and Deadlines

After obtaining preliminary approval from committee members following the program's internal approval procedures, the student submits a Dissertation Committee Formation Request in their Grad Student Portal [link coming soon]. The request is reviewed and approved by the program's graduate coordinator. The Division of Graduate Studies, after reviewing to ensure each committee member is eligible for the proposed role, provides final approval of the committee request. 

The dissertation committee must be approved by the student’s program and the Division of Graduate Studies at least six months before the dissertation defense. A change to the Advisor resets the six-month timeline, unless the new Advisor was already on the committee as a core member, in which case the 6-month timeline will begin with the date that the committee member was originally added to the committee. Exceptions to this six-month rule will be considered by petition when extenuating circumstances arise. 

Dissertation Committee Composition

Dissertation committees include the following roles: advisor, chair, core member(s), and institutional representative. The committee composition for different graduate programs is detailed below. Some programs may require more committee members than the minimum outlined below or may have more restrictive policies about who can serve in which role. Students should consult the program’s director of graduate studies or the graduate handbook for program-specific committee policies. Potential committee members should consult with their unit leadership to verify whether dissertation committee service is within the scope of their job duties. 

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Programs

PhD dissertation committees require a minimum of four members, at least two of whom must be affiliated with the student’s academic program. UO faculty serving in the role of Advisor and Core Member are typically affiliated with the student's academic program, but faculty from other academic programs may be appointed if the program deems it appropriate. The four members serve in the following roles: 

  • Advisor (also serves in the role of Chair – except in Bioengineering, Biology, Chemistry, Human Physiology, and Physics – see below)
  • Two Core Members
  • Institutional Representative
PhD Programs in Bioengineering, Biology, Chemistry, Human Physiology, and Physics

In these programs, dissertation committees require a minimum of four members, at least two of whom must be affiliated with the student’s academic program, but the roles of Advisor and Chair are held by two different individuals. UO faculty serving in the role of Advisor, Chair, and Core Member are typically affiliated with the student's academic program, but faculty from other academic programs may be appointed if the program deems it appropriate. The four members serve in the following roles: 

  • Advisor
  • Chair
  • Core Member
  • Institutional Representative

Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) Programs

DMA dissertation and lecture-document committees require a minimum of four members, at least two of whom must be from the School of Music and Dance. UO faculty serving in the role of Advisor and Core Member are typically affiliated with the student's academic program, but faculty from other academic programs may be appointed if the program deems it appropriate. The four members serve in the following roles: 

  • Advisor (also serves in the role of Chair)
  • Two Core Members
  • Institutional Representative (must be from outside the School of Music and Dance)

Doctor of Education (DEd) Programs

In DEd programs, dissertation committees require a minimum of three members, at least two of whom must be affiliated with the student’s academic program. UO faculty serving in the role of Advisor and Core Member are typically affiliated with the student's academic program, but faculty from other academic programs may be appointed if the program deems it appropriate. The three members serve in the following roles: 

  • Advisor (also serves in the role of Chair)
  • Core Member
  • Institutional Representative

Roles and Responsibilities

Advisor

  • Serves as the student’s primary research mentor.
  • Provides intellectual guidance on research design, methodology, and execution.
  • Reviews and offers feedback on dissertation drafts.
  • Supports the student in preparing for publication and professional presentations.
  • Ensures the research meets disciplinary and ethical standards.
  • In the case of co-advisors, one of the co-advisors may take the place of one core member. 
  • Eligibility:
    • Must hold a doctoral degree AND
    • Must hold a UO faculty appointment in one of the following categories as defined by the UO Academic Classification and Rank policy: 
      • Tenure Track or Tenured Professor (Assistant, Associate, or Full)
      • Career Clinical Professor (Assistant, Associate, or Full)
      • Career Professor of Practice
      • Career Instructor (instructor, senior instructor I, or senior instructor II)
      • Career Lecturer (lecturer, senior lecturer I, or senior lecturer II)
      • Career Research Professor (Assistant, Associate, or Full)
      • Career Teaching Professor (Assistant, Associate, or Full)

Chair

  • Serves as the administrative leader of the committee.
  • Ensures the dissertation process adheres to university policies and deadlines.
  • Moderates committee meetings and the dissertation defense.
  • Facilitates constructive feedback and discussion among committee members.
  • Acts as a mediator in the event of conflicts related to the dissertation process.
  • In most cases, the Advisor also chairs the committee, but in some programs, these roles are held by two different faculty members.
  • In the case of co-chairs, one of the co-chairs may take the place of one core member. 
  • Eligibility: Same as for Advisor.

Core Member

  • Provides subject matter expertise relevant to the dissertation research.
  • Offers feedback and contributes to the evaluation of the dissertation.
  • Eligibility: 
    • At least one core member must be a UO faculty member who meets the same eligibility criteria as listed for an Advisor. 
    • The second core member may be a: 
      • UO faculty member who meets the advisor eligibility criteria
      • UO-affiliated employee who does not meet the advisor eligibility criteria (by petition only – see Petition-Only Committee Members)
      • Non-UO-affiliated professional/expert, including faculty members from other institutions (by petition only – see Petition-Only Committee Members)

Institutional Representative

  • Serves as an impartial evaluator, ensuring the research meets broad academic and institutional standards.
  • Provides an independent perspective to uphold academic rigor and integrity.
  • Ensures that all rules and standard practices governing committee procedures are followed.
  • Often offers substantive expertise in an area related to the dissertation, although that is not required.
  • Eligibility: 
    • Must meet the same eligibility requirements as those listed for the Advisor role AND must have a faculty appointment in a different academic department than the student’s degree-granting department (or in a different school or college if the school or college doesn’t have departments).

Faculty Who Leave the University

When a faculty member fully retires from their faculty appointment or otherwise leaves the university, their eligibility for committee service is as follows: 

  • Existing dissertation committees: May continue to serve until the student(s) graduates, but only in the roles of core member, co-chair, or co-advisor. 
  • New dissertation committees: May be nominated to serve as core member under the Petition-Only Committee Member procedures outlined in this policy. 

Note: Faculty on tenure reduction plans (TRP) are considered faculty, not retired faculty, for the purposes of this policy.

Petition-Only Committee Members

Other individuals who do not meet the typical eligibility criteria described above may be considered for dissertation committee service as core members by petition. 

These may include: 

  • UO Employees such as Officers of Administration or limited duration faculty
  • Faculty members from other institutions
  • Non-UO-affiliated professionals/experts

Generally, petition-only committee members will meet the following criteria:

  • Must hold a PhD, an equivalent doctoral degree, or the terminal graduate degree in their field (e.g., MFA, MA, MBA, JD, MD, etc.)
    • If they do not hold a terminal graduate degree, the department must present a compelling argument about how the individual’s substantive knowledge is uniquely valuable for the student’s research.
  • The department must be able to certify that there is no conflict of interest that could interfere with the fair judgment of the student’s scholarly work.

The Dissertation Committee Service Petition must be initiated by the student in the Grad Student Portal [link coming soon] and reviewed by the student's program and the dean or dean's designee of the student's home school or college. 

Approved by the Graduate Council June 2, 2025.