Graduate Policies and Procedures

(Updated August 2008)

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES:

GENERAL INFORMATION:

PROCEDURES FOR LABORATORIES , EQUIPMENT & CENTER WOODS FACILITIES :

DEPARTMENT POLICIES:

PROCEDURES FOR GRADUATE STUDY AND EVALUATION OF PROGRESS:

THESIS AND DISSERTATION WORKING PLAN GUIDELINES:

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES:

Travel Resources

Any individual who plans to travel overnight for field work, attend a conference, or conduct other university business MUST complete a Virginia Tech Travel Estimate and Approval Form prior to travel.  It is the responsibility of the student to be familiar with all university travel guidelines and procedures available on the Controller's website.  Blank Travel and Meal Expense Vouchers are available in 106 Cheatham Hall with electronic versions available in the forms section on the FIW website, or directly from the Controller's website.

Travel Resources

*Graduate Students on assistantships are considered university employees and should decline rental car insurance when traveling on official business within the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The University provides a self-insured automobile plan for all employees. The university WILL NOT reimburse travelers for this cost. For more information on rental car procedures, please visit the Controller’s website or your FIW administrative assistant.

Automobile Liability ( From the Office of Insurance and Risk Management)
The state's insurance program provides $2,000,000 per occurrence on automobile liability coverage through a program of self-insurance for drivers of state licensed vehicles. For the Commonwealth of Virginia or any of the individual state agencies or institutions, the limit of liability is $100,000. The coverage applies to state-owned vehicles and on an excess basis to rental vehicles, to non-owned, borrowed, and hired vehicles. Accidents in involving rental vehicles being used for personal travel are not covered by the Commonwealth plan. If you use a rental vehicle for personal business, you should check with your personal auto insurance to ensure coverage exists under your personal policy.
Accidents involving personal vehicles, even when being used for business purposes, are the responsibility of the owner. All accidents must be reported to the insurer of the vehicle. The university does maintain non-owned and hired automobile liability coverage, which is excess over personal coverage. This insurance would only apply if the personal automobile liability limits were exhausted and Virginia Tech was determined to be liable by a court of law because the representative was conducting university business.

HokieMart

HokieMart is the on-line (e-procurement) system Virginia Tech uses for most purchases, and it is method the university prefers. If a vendor will not accept a purchase order, your advisor or your advisor's administrative assistant may be able to purchase the item on a P-card (VT credit card). Purchases exceeding $2,000.00 are processed differently once a requisition is placed in HokieMart. An FIW administrative assistant can explain the steps when you anticipate such a purchase. All individuals who will be using HokieMart must attend training sessions before access will be granted. Whether or not you will need access to HokieMart should be discussed with your faculty advisor. More detailed information on HokieMart, HokieMart training opportunities, and university purchasing guidelines are available on the Purchasing Department's website with links below, or see your FIW administrative assistant.

HokieMart Resources

Office Staff Assistance

The workload on our office staff is extremely heavy and your cooperation is needed to ease the situation. All work assigned to the office staff must be approved and submitted by your faculty advisor. This includes mailing official letters, obtaining purchase orders, etc. Please use discretion to minimize traffic in Rooms 100 and 106 to reduce the number of interruptions.

Copy Machine

A copy machine for graduate student use is available in Room B3. The Fisheries and Wildlife Graduate Student Association (FIWGSA) administers this machine. Each graduate student is issued a password and account number, which may have to be shared as there are a limited number of accounts. There is an up-front fee that allows a set number of copies. You can obtain an account by talking with the FIWGSA treasurer. Coin-operated copy machines are available in the 1st floor student lounge for personal copying.  Graduate students may not use the departmental copy machine, in the copy room, without the approval of a faculty member. You will need the faculty member's copy code for making copies. Personal copying is not permitted.

Thesis Loans

The department maintains a hard-bound set of theses for loan. The set is located in the hallway between Room 100 and Room 106. An index of all theses by subject and author is located in Room 100 (in a blue notebook). The theses may be checked out for a period of 5 days, with possible extension, from the office manager in Room 100.

Audio-Visual and Other Equipment

Audio-visual and all other equipment, in the Equipment Room, may be checked out by completing the reservation book in Room 100. Do not give the equipment to others unless they have reserved the equipment. Problems will be reported to Dana Keith in room 100.

Care and Use of Research Animals

Virginia Tech has an organized program that governs animal (all nonhuman vertebrates) care and use by the faculty and graduate students in teaching and research. Policies governing the use of animals in teaching and research are available on the IACUC website . All faculty, technical staff, and graduate students who use vertebrate animals in teaching and research must acknowledge that they have read and are in compliance with Virginia Tech policies. They also must complete Animal Handling Experience Forms and have Animal Research Protocols approved by the Animal Care Committee by submitting appropriate forms.

Disposal of Animal Carcasses and Tissues

To reduce the risk of disease and to prevent unsanitary accumulations of animal tissues, the university has detailed procedures for the disposal of animal carcasses and tissues. Animal carcasses or tissues should be securely bagged and placed in the specially designated metal bin in the department's walk-in freezer in Latham Hall.  Overflow can be placed in the metal trash can in the same freezer.  The bin will be emptied by Physical Plant and disposed of at the dry rendering facility.  When the bin is full and pick-up is required, telephone 1-1942 or contact Gordon Engelbrecht, gengelbr@vt.edu, and ask for help. Each person working with animal carcasses and tissues, whether in teaching or research, is responsible for the immediate disposal of animal remains.  Please make sure you have access to a freezer key. NO MATERIALS MAY BE LEFT OR DISPOSED OF IN TRASH CANS.

Property Loss or Damage

The State Insurance Program provides coverage, less $1000.00 deductible, for loss of university property due to theft, vandalism, or weather-related destruction. Any loss or damage to university property should be reported immediately to your faculty advisor/supervisor or Susan Archer in room 100C. Information needed is:

  1. Date of loss
  2. Time of loss
  3. Kind of loss (theft, fire, water damage, etc.)
  4. Location
  5. Description of loss and/or damage
The university provides no coverage for your personal belongings.

Key Information

Peggy Quarterman, in room 324, has all lab and office keys. Dana Keith, in room 100, has keys for the Aquaculture Center, the Mussel Lab, and storage keys for Center Woods.

Worker's Compensation and Insurance

All state employees, including salaried; hourly wage; and graduate students on GRA, GTA, or GA, are covered under worker's compensation. Worker's compensation covers job-related illness and accidents. Immediately report job-related illnesses/accidents to your supervisor, who will initiate workmen's compensation paperwork.  Accidents are covered by workers compensation only when they occur while the worker actually is involved in work for pay. For this reason, all graduate students should obtain supplementary health and accident insurance. More information on Worker's Compensation is available through Human Resources.

Safety

Safety is a vital concern to each department member. Fisheries and wildlife occupations can be dangerous, both in the laboratory and the field. The department maintains a laboratory safety center inside the door in Room 107; please review the materials there on a regular basis. In addition, the department, FIWGSA, AFS chapters, and individual faculty members will offer occasional short courses on safety (e.g., boating, CPR). Look for all opportunities to increase your knowledge and skills regarding safe laboratory and field practices. Please remember that no data are worth risking a dangerous situation.

Books

There are several fisheries and wildlife journals in Room 147 (Conference Room). The fisheries journals are limited and you might be better off going to the library. Most of the wildlife journals are complete. There is a bookcase of fisheries books in the conference room; the key can be obtained from Dr. Neves. The bookcase of wildlife books is currently unlocked. Any borrowed books must be signed-out and returned promptly.

Borrowing Equipment

Before borrowing ANY equipment from Cheatham Hall, storage facilities, etc., make sure that you have permission from the faculty AND graduate student who are responsible for that equipment. Also, please do not tamper with or disturb ongoing research projects. For example, placing fish in any available aquarium is not a good idea.

Catalogs

Catalogs for ordering equipment and supplies, from certain high-volume companies, are available in Room 107(please do not remove catalogs from Room 107). Please refer to the Purchasing Department's website for university policies and procedures for purchasing supplies and equipment and for more information on the University's e- procurement system(HokieMart).

Communal Lab Space

Many graduate research projects require the use of Cheatham Hall laboratory space for conducting experiments and short-term storage of samples obtained in the field. Laboratory and storage space is at a premium, but sharing of lab space needs can accommodate most graduate students. Management of Cheatham Hall lab space is under the direction of the faculty member listed under procedures. New graduate students who will require lab or storage space in Cheatham should discuss their needs prior to initiating their studies.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Campus Security

An escort service provided by the university is available 24 hours a day. Call 231-SAFE or 231-7233.

Gym Service

The "recreational sports fees" portion of your student fees allows use of the athletic facilities in the War Memorial Gym and McComas Hall during the fall and winter semesters. An additional fee must be paid by those wanting to use these facilities during summer.  Both the War Memorial Gym and McComas Hall provide lockers and towels for a fee. Activities available include a weight room, aerobics, basketball, exercise bikes, stairmasters and rowers. There also is free use of the pool.

Health Insurance

Graduate students need to contact the Department of Risk Management to obtain forms for health insurance. Coverage begins in August but can be obtained throughout the year at adjusted rates. However, this includes sickness and accident only: dental can be acquired only during August.  Students should note that the policy offered by the university is a blanket package, offering similar coverage to all students at one rate. Students, particularly those falling into "low risk" demographic groups (e.g., non-smokers), may obtain similar or better coverage at lower rates through outside providers. International students must show proof of health coverage to register for classes.

Parking Permit

Parking permits for graduate students can be purchased at the Parking Services/Visitor Center all year or at the War Memorial Gym the first few weeks of the semester. Students may purchase a sticker for either one semester, for an entire year, or for two years. Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA's) can get a special permit (see office manager in room 100) that allows them to park in selected/designated Faculty/Staff parking lots during class time. The GTA already must have purchased a Graduate Parking permit in order to obtain a GTA parking permit.

Student Health Center

The Schiffert Health Center located in McComas Hall provides a health clinic, a women's clinic, and a pharmacy for full time students. Exams and prescriptions during the fall and spring semesters generally are covered by the health fee, which is included in your student fee each semester, except in unusual situations (x-rays, certain lab tests, etc.). An additional fee must be paid to use this facility during summer. Calling ahead for an appointment sometimes can make your visit a little faster.

Student ID

Student ID's can be acquired at the Hokie Passport Office located in the Student Services building. An account can be set up on your ID that allows you to use it to purchase items (e.g., soda, snack machines,) on and off campus.

Email and FIW Listserve

To set up an e-mail account, you must get a Personal Identification or PID. You must have your student ID card before you can get an e-mail account. All graduate students should give directory information (e-mail, etc.) to the office manager in 100 Cheatham so that it can be added to a department listserve (VT-FiW@listserv.vt.edu).

FIWGSA (Fisheries and Wildlife Graduate Student Association)

FIWGSA was created in 1989 to fill a need for formal communication between graduate students and the administration. The overall goal of FIWGSA is to give graduate students a voice in the department. FIW graduate students have representation on college and department committees. The FIWGSA chair attends every faculty meeting to provide graduate opinion on department activities. FIWGSA meets approximately once a month (or on as-needed basis) to address graduate concerns. Elections to the FIWGSA are held each spring.

Positions for 2008-2009:

President: Nick Lapointe
Vice President: Jeff Feaga
Treasurer: Michelle Davis
Orientation Chairs: Danielle Bridgers and Mike St. Germain
Desk Czar: Ryan McManamay
Computer Chair: Tom Gorman
Communications Chair: Robert Leaf
GSA Representatives: Tom Gorman and Catherine Tredick

Phones

There is a graduate phone located in Room 149 in Cheatham Hall and Room 244 in Litton Reaves. These are communal phones so please use discretion in giving out the number and use of the phone.

Recycling

There is university recycling of newspaper, glossy white, and mixed paper in the building. There is no university recycling of glass or plastic containers from Cheatham. Use the recycling bins located in back of Dietrick Hall.

Seminar Attendance

You are encouraged to attend all special departmental seminars, such as final defenses, and guest speakers.

Training Your Technicians

If there are technicians working for you in Cheatham, make sure that they are familiar with graduate policies (such as phone use, computer room use, lounge use, etc.) and departmental policies (time sheets, vehicle use, building security).

Risk Management Policy Statement

In the course of conducting our normal teaching, research and outreach responsibilities, Department faculty and staff routinely conduct field trips, outdoor or indoor labs, and/or other activities where safety and liability may be potential issues. In planning and conducting those activities, faculty and staff should consider the following guidelines:

  • The SAFETY of students, faculty and staff should always be our highest priority.
  • To limit liability, faculty and staff must show "duty of care," by acting in a normal, reasonable, and prudent manner with regards to the safety and well-being of the students in planning and conducting any lab or field trip.
  • Provide a ratio of trained supervisors (faculty, staff, graduate students) to students that is "prudent to the risk level of the activity."
  • Consider safety, health care issues and emergency response when planning any off-campus activity. Specify student requirements, responsibilities, and concerns regarding these issues, as well as health/safety guidelines, in the course syllabus and /or lab/field trip instructions. Examples include drug, alcohol, or sexual abuse; inappropriate student behavior; mandated use of specified personal protective equipment (PPE); emergency evacuation from remote areas; and emergency response to illness or injury. "Planning for the worst" is an appropriate rule-of-thumb, according to risk management professionals.
  • Good laboratory practices (GLP) must be used in all laboratories. Students that work with any hazardous materials or work in a lab where hazardous materials are stored and used (creating possible unintended exposure) must be properly trained, read material safety data sheets (MSDS), and should sign an affidavit indicating that they have received the proper training and information to safely work in the lab. (Contact Environmental Health and Safety Services Laboratory Safety Division at 231-8758 for GLP guidelines; also at www.ehss.vt.edu and 459 Tech Center Drive).
  • Certain activities (boat and motor operation, electroshocking, SCUBA) may fall under OSHA or other federal or state safety guidelines or standards, which should be strictly observed. This may require the use of specified personal protective equipment or specialized training and/or certification for faculty, staff, and/or students participating in the activity.
  • For certain extended off-campus field trips or labs, or activities with a greater risk exposure, faculty should fully inform students (in writing) of potential risks involved. In some cases, it may be appropriate to require students to sign a "waiver of liability" or "informed consent" agreement, as well as provide proof of health insurance and a health history form. An example of a general VT waiver form can be found at: www.co.vt.edu/risk/risk2.html
  • One or more supervisors (faculty, staff or graduate students) leading off-campus labs, field trips, research, and outreach should be certified in first aid and CPR (www.redcrossnrv.org ) and a first aid kit should be available in the transporting vehicle. For extended trips, a cell phone should also be available for emergency situations. In the event of an emergency student illness or injury, a designated supervisor should stay with the sick or injured student until appropriate provisions can be made for their care.
  • DRIVING on public highways is the most hazardous activity generally involved in Department programs. Faculty, staff and student drivers transporting students MUST meet all driving regulations and obey all traffic laws, including posted speed limits.

By following these general guidelines, we can minimize the risk of accident, injury, or property damage, insure the safety of ourselves and our students, and reduce our joint and separate liability, while continuing to provide challenging and stimulating "hands on" instruction.

PROCEDURES FOR CHEATHAM AND LATHAM FACILITIES, LABS, EQUIPMENT & CENTER WOODS:

Policy on Use and Operation of Departmental Vehicles

The vehicles in the department fleet are a shared resource for the entire department. Each operator will take responsibility for keeping the vehicles in good working condition (i.e., treat them as you would want your own car treated) as well as clean and presentable. Debris, project equipment, and personal items will not be left in department vehicles. The appearance of our vehicles represents the image the public will have of us. Please see Terri Waid concerning reservations for use of vehicles.

Priority of / Restrictions on Use

Priority use for department vehicles shall be for those activities that require the services of the specialized vehicles in our fleet (e.g., towing of boats and trailers, hauling of heavy or bulky field equipment, use of 4-wheel drive for access to remote field sites) and if vehicles from the Fleet Services are not available. University Fleet Services vehicles should be used for routine commuting to and from field sites, attending meetings, or other activities where special vehicles are not required (reserve at www.fs.vt.edu). Research projects should be designed and budgeted to accommodate use of Fleet Services or rental vehicles, unless the particular needs of a project demand use of a specialized vehicle. Vehicles (vans) for transporting students to field sites may be reserved from University Fleet Services. Disregard for department and Motor Pool vehicle policies and procedures will result in disciplinary action by the department head and/or the Fleet Services director.

Repair and Maintenance

All routine service or repairs to a departmental vehicle must be scheduled through Terri Waid, the department vehicle coordinator. Individuals should not request services of or deliver department vehicles to the University Fleet Services without prior authorization.

Responsibilities of Vehicle Operator

In order to use a departmental vehicle, the operator must reserve one from the vehicle coordinator in room 106. The operator must be identified, the project number listed, and the time period during which the vehicle will be in use so that others may plan for its use. On the date of the reservation, get the vehicle log book, keys, and credit cards from the coordinator. Upon return to campus, the principal investigator must sign the mileage log, and the log book, keys, and gas and credit card receipts must be returned to the vehicle coordinator - do not transfer keys to another user unless s/he has a signed vehicle mileage log. Do not keep the receipts in the vehicles. Please put the year, model, and license number on the receipt and sign it. This is for auditing purposes. The credit cards are for gas for department vehicles only.

Operators of department vehicles are responsible for checking that the vehicles are in proper operating condition and meet all requirements for travel on the Commonwealth's roads prior to departure from campus. This includes 1) verifying that the registration, accident loss forms, and other essential papers are located in the vehicle's glove box and 2) checking to be sure that fluids (fuel, oil, coolant, power steering) are at proper levels and basic equipment (e.g., tires, lights, etc.) is operational. Where vehicles fail to meet minimum operation condition, details of the defect(s) should be conveyed immediately to Terri Waid for service and/or correction.

The operator of a department vehicle is responsible for properly recording its use on the mileage log found in each vehicle log book. This includes entering the date of use, destination, beginning and ending odometer readings, total mileage, account number or project to which the accumulated mileage will be charged, and operator name. Entries for all fuel fill-ups and repairs also will be logged on the form. This individual is responsible for the entries to a new log sheet located in the log book for the next user and the book returned to the vehicle coordinator.

All departmental vehicles must be parked and locked in the long-term parking slots in the overflow lot off Duck Pond Drive in the gravel area. Vehicles should be fully fueled and ready for the next user. The Cheatham lot is restricted to short term parking only (i.e., day use or overnight when departure before 8:00 a.m. the following day is anticipated).

Rate of Charge

The mileage fees assessed for use of department vehicles currently is $0.32 per mile. Fleet Services vehicles are charged at a fixed rate per day or half-day, depending on vehicle size. Consequently, they typically are less costly for long trips.

The State Insurance Program provides coverage, less $1000.00 deductible. For more informations, consult the Office of Insurance and Risk Management policy guidelines.

Procedures For The Management Of Laboratories And Field Equipment

The purpose of these procedures is to ensure that support equipment for the department's teaching, research, and extension programs is serviceable and available when needed. For the system to work, and it will, then everyone must cooperate and follow the procedures. In other words, ignorance will not be an acceptable excuse!

Inventory and Storage

An up-to-date inventory of all equipment will be kept in room 100. The inventory file will provide information on availability, restrictions, projected use, number available, location, and serviceability. The equipment will be stored in the following locations:

  • traps, cages, long-term storage - storage shed, Center Woods.
  • laboratory equipment - various laboratories
  • microscopes and balances -various laboratories

Check-Out and Reservations

Equipment can be checked out and/or reserved by presenting a request signed by any of the department faculty to the room coordinator responsible for the equipment in that room (see below). Because equipment may be reserved for future use, its mere presence does not necessarily mean that it can be checked out. Use of equipment purchased for a specific grant or contract will be at the discretion of the principal investigator as long as the project is active. Equipment needs should be anticipated as far in advance as possible. Individual items of field equipment or use of laboratory equipment can be scheduled for future use through the appropriate room coordinator. The information will be placed in the inventory file for future reference and planning. The faculty will resolve conflicts that develop over the use of equipment.

Procedures For Use Of Rooms On First Floor Cheatham Hall, Latham Hall, and Facilities at Center Woods

Rooms in our department are available to all students, as appropriate, for their research. A faculty member is assigned to each room to coordinate and oversee use of its space and equipment. Permission to use a room or equipment must be sought and received from the responsible faculty member.

Cheatham Hall
Rooms 107, 107A, 107C - Dr. Eric Hallerman
Room 118 - Dr. Carola Haas
Room 120 - Dr. Sarah Karpanty
Room 122 - Dr. Emmanuel Frimpong
Room 124 - Dr. Sarah Karpanty
Room 125 and 125A - Dr. Jim Fraser
Room 127 - Dr. Don Orth
Room 132 Class Room - Drs. Eric Hallerman and Carola Haas
Room 134 Dr. Jim Fraser
Room 147 Conference Room - Dana Keith
Latham Hall
Room 342 - Dr. Paul Angermeier
Room 442 - Dr. Brian Murphy
Room 444 - Dr. Bill Hopkins

Facilities in Cheatham Hall

Room 133, 133A and 133B

The primary use of this room is as a teaching lab. Rooms 133A and 133B are used to store equipment and teaching and research collections. Requests to use the fish collection and other reference collections should be directed to Drs. Eric Hallerman or Carola Haas.

Room 147

This room is designed as a conference room/multi-purpose area for faculty, staff, and graduate student use. Any problems, comments, suggestions or complaints should be directed to Dana Keith. A reservation book is located in Room 100. Users, particularly those who consume food in this room, must clean up after themselves as it is not the responsibility of the custodians. General Use: It is the responsibility of the users to keep the room clean and orderly. Any personal items left lying around may be disposed of immediately. The lights should be turned off after 5:00 p.m. or any time when not in use. The table may be useful when a large work area is needed. Furniture will remain in place and not moved outside the immediate area.

Room 134 (Graduate Student Offices)- Dr. Jim Fraser

Topographic maps are located in this room. Maps may be checked out by filling out the appropriate form. A faculty member's signature is needed before maps will be released to students. These maps may not leave Cheatham Hall. Please purchase additional maps for field use.

Facilities in Latham Hall

Room 103 (Walk-in Freezer) – Dr. Mike Vaughan
The walk-in freezer is for official departmental use only. All materials stored in the freezer must be well contained and clearly marked with the contents of the container, name of owner, and date stored. Any material not so marked may be discarded. Space to walk must be maintained. The freezer will be inspected monthly to insure adherence to these rules.

Room 120A (Necropsy room) – Dr. Kathleen Alexander
A necropsy room is under construction in Latham Hall. Rules for access, use, and safe disposal of tissues and carcasses will be developed and posted.

Rooms 133 and 135 (Environmental chambers) – Dr. Bill Hopkins
The environmental chambers maintain set temperature and photoperiod regime. Access to and use of the environmental chambers is coordinated by Dr. Hopkins. The chambers are high-maintenance machines, and use will be subject to a monthly maintenance charge.  

Facilities at Center Woods

(See Procedures for the Management of Laboratories and Field Equipment.)
Fisheries Boat Shed - Dr. Eric Hallerman
Aquaculture Facility - Dr. Eric Hallerman
Shop - Dr. Bill Henley
Gas Storage - Dr. Eric Hallerman
Environmental Chambers - Dr. Bill Hopkins
Bear Pens - Dr. Mike Vaughan

Graduate Computer Room

The computer in room 148 is for all graduate students in Fisheries and Wildlife to use. FIWGSA is responsible for managing the computer to ensure that all graduate students have a computer for accessing emails or other functions.

Desk Assignment System

(Revised by the Fisheries and Wildlife Graduate Student Association and departmental faculty January 20, 2005)

Rationale

We have attempted to make the system as fair as possible given the available resources. In general, we decided that certain research groups should be housed as units, that Ph.D. students have priority for quality office space, that M.S. students doing lab work on first floor Cheatham need desk space on first floor Cheatham, that students doing laboratory work in the Agriculture-Natural Resources Building need offices there, and otherwise that new students should be located on first Floor Cheatham.

System Implementation and Complaints

The department head and the FIWGSA Space Committee representative will be in charge of desk assignments. They will determine assignments via the protocol listed below. Complaints and desk space problems not covered by this protocol should be reported to the Space Committee representative and will be resolved by the representative and the department head.

Selection Process

  1. Members of research groups to be housed together will be assigned to designated spaces.
  2. Ph.D. students may receive a '3-desk' office. They may have the opportunity to select any open desk in the offices at the time of their arrival. If none exists, they may select any available desk and move into a '3-desk' office when space opens up.
  3. First year M.S. students may be assigned desks on the first floor of Cheatham on a first-come, first-serve basis to facilitate their transition into the department.
  4. Following their first full year of residency, M.S. students may be provided a desk. Those in frequent need of first floor lab facilities may be given desks on the first floor of Cheatham. Those working in laboratories in the Agriculture-Natural Resources Building may be given desks there. Others may be given desks in Cheatham Hall , the Agriculture-Natural Resources Building, or Litton Reaves Hall, as available. If no volunteers are available to move to Litton Reaves, assignments may be made by random draw. If a sufficient number of desks are not available, some students may have to share a desk as determined by mutual consent or random draw.

Changing Desks

Students can trade desks at any time. If desk space is traded, both students must consent to the trade and inform the FiWGSA Space Committee chair of the change. Students wishing to move to a desk vacated by a graduating student or an open desk in any area may do so. If more than one student desires a desk, the assignment will be made by random draw.

Desks of Students in the Field

Students sharing a desk or dissatisfied with their desk assignment temporarily may move to a desk of a student away doing fieldwork, if both parties agree to move. That desk will revert to the original occupant upon their return.

DEPARTMENT POLICIES:

Policy on Departmental Graduate Seminars

FIW 5004

Departmental graduate seminars will be scheduled and conducted during both semesters (fall and spring) of the academic year. All new, incoming graduate students are required to register for seminar during the first fall semester in residence. All graduate students are required to register for and successfully complete two (2) departmental graduate seminars as a part of their graduate degree program. Unless so directed by a student's advisory committee, formal registration and enrollment in seminar is not required for students having already completed 2 credits. However, all graduate students will be expected to attend and participate in seminar during each semester in which they are in residence.

Fall seminar classes will be initiated by faculty and/or graduate students on topics of mutual interest. In addition to providing a forum for presentations by prominent individuals in ecology and natural resources, spring seminar will feature presentations of graduate students' proposed research. Each first-year graduate student will be required to prepare and present a formal seminar of his/her proposed research.  Faculty and other graduate students will participate in an oral and/or written critique of each presentation. A passing grade for seminar will be given only if the Thesis Working Plan has been approved in the second semester of residing for M.S. candidates and one year for Ph.D candidates.
[Also see Procedures for Graduate Study and Evaluation of Progress, Course Requirements]

Graduate Student Policy On Fulfilling Degree Requirements For Publications And Outreach

The ability to effectively communicate research findings to the public, as well as to other professionals, is an integral part of a graduate student's preparation. Therefore, every graduate degree candidate will be expected to fulfill each of three (3) outreach components in order to be considered eligible to defend the thesis/dissertation:

  1. Technical Audience - The student will prepare and deliver a formal presentation or exhibit a poster that summaries a part or all of their research at a professional natural resources meeting and prepare a manuscript on an aspect of their research, to be reviewed and approved by the student's advisory committee, suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal;
  2. Non-technical Audience - The student will develop a poster or make a presentation to a non-technical audience or organization that describes the results of a major part or all of their research and present it at an appropriate non-technical forum or prepare a manuscript, to be reviewed and approved by the student's advisory committee, suitable for publication in a non-technical journal, cooperative extension brochure, newsletter, or similar outlet:
  3. Web-page - The student will prepare and post a research proposal summary, to be a minimum of 1 page in length, on the Department's web site, with a link to the major advisor's profile and research highlights page. This summary must include, at minimum, a statement of the research problems and objectives, methods, and anticipated outcomes and/or products. The student's advisory committee must be provided with a draft title and brief outline of the proposed web page within the first 6 months of residence and the competed and approved (by the student's advisory committee) web page must be posted before the end of the second semester in residence.

Plans for how the student intends to satisfy each of these requirements should be discussed and evaluated with the student's advisory committee early in the students program to allow for their timely fulfillment. As a part of the regular evaluation process conducted by the student's advisory committee each year, a student's progress-to-date on each of these requirements will be tracked and duly noted on the Graduate Student Evaluation Form. A student will not be allowed to petition for and receive "Right to Defend" status from the Graduate School until the Department Head certifies that these Publication and Outreach requirements have been fulfilled to the advisory committee's satisfaction.

Accepted January 5, 2004
Adopted July 1, 2004

 

Policy For Graduate Student Travel to Professional Meetings

Attendance at professional meetings can provide graduate students with valuable educational experiences, including, but not limited to:

  1. the presentation of papers and research results,
  2. providing an excellent avenue for learning about and evaluating current research,
  3. getting acquainted and interacting with professionals at the forefront of fisheries and wildlife sciences,
  4. discussing their own research with experts from other schools and agencies,
  5. participation in the affairs of their professional society,
  6. gaining invaluable job contacts, and
  7. enhancing the reputation of the department through professional interaction.

Graduate students are encouraged to attend professional meetings and present papers.

The department may support graduate students' travel to professional meetings related to fisheries and wildlife sciences. In general, the department may provide graduate student transportation to professional meetings when a faculty member is using a vehicle and space is available. When meetings are reasonably close, the department may supply an additional vehicle for transportation. Students presenting papers and/or who have not previously attended a conference will be given priority when student requests exceed available space.

Travel by graduate students to professional and scientific meetings when funded by grants and contracts will be at the discretion of the principal investigator, university travel and Fisheries and Wildlife travel procedures.


Policy On Collecting Wild Animals

Collecting protected fish and wildlife for teaching or research purposes is a privilege extended to individuals in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences and/or the Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The purpose of this policy statement is to set specific guidelines for the collection of wild animals to support teaching and research programs in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences. It is department policy that all collecting activities be monitored closely, supervised, and carried out with strict adherence to all applicable regulations.

In all cases, a valid permit must be obtained from the responsible agency(s) before any collecting activity takes place. Necessary permit fees are the responsibility of the student and their major advisor. The permit may give a general description of how and when collections are to take place, but, for the purpose of this policy, a collecting activity is any attempt to collect wild animals during a time period defined by hours and/or specific dates. The principle investigator or class instructor must approve and be aware of each collecting activity. In addition, the game warden and district fish/wildlife biologist having jurisdiction over the area where the collecting is to take place must be notified in advance. Permission of the landowner must be obtained when collecting on private lands/waters.

The collecting activity must be a part of a planned research or instructional effort. Every effort should be made to schedule the collecting of game animals during the open hunting season if at all possible.

PROCEDURES FOR GRADUATE STUDY AND EVALUATION OF PROGRESS:

General

This outline describes the specific requirements of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences for graduate studies leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees and formulates review procedures for evaluation of the progress of graduate students. These requirements are in addition to more general requirements established by the Graduate School (Graduate Catalog and Graduate School Policies and Procedures Manual) and the College of Natural Resources (College Graduate Program Procedures). Major advisors and advisory committees may establish additional requirements. Students should be aware of their personal responsibility to meet requirements of the Graduate School, College of Natural Resources, and their individual major advisor and graduate committee.

Graduate Degrees

The Department offers two degrees: a Master of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences and a Ph.D. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences.

Teaching Duties

All candidates for Ph.D. degrees in fisheries and wildlife must gain experience in classroom or laboratory teaching for at least one term (semester). This requirement does not obligate departmental funding for this work (that is, this is an educational requirement in addition to whatever assistantship or other work that pays the student a stipend).

Conditions of Appointment as a Graduate Assistant

All graduate assistants will be paid in accordance with the terms and conditions of their appointment. The appointment is contingent upon continued enrollment as a full-time graduate student each semester (12 hours) and upon satisfactory performance in the graduate program. Graduate students are entitled to time off on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and any other day designated as an official holiday by the university. If the source of funds for the appointment is an external grant or contract, the appointment is contingent on the availability of funds.

Orientation

Immediately prior to the first week of classes in the fall or during the first week of classes, the department head, other faculty members, and staff as appropriate, will meet with new students for a general orientation.

Major Advisor

When a student is accepted for graduate study, the department head assigns a major advisor. The major advisor serves as the initial liaison between the student and departmental faculty.

Diagnostic Interview

Before the student's initial registration, he/she will meet with a committee composed of his/her major advisor and additional faculty members. This interview will evaluate the student's past coursework, future goals, and perception of the fisheries and wildlife disciplines. The committee will recommend first semester courses and suggest other areas based on that analysis.

Advisory Committee

Formation - The Advisory Committee should be established by the end of the first semester of residence. The department requires that at least two members of an M.S. committee and three members of a Ph.D. committee be departmental faculty. Each student should confer with his/her major advisor and prospective committee members before the program of study and committee appointments are formalized.
Graduate students should expect active faculty participation on their Advisory Committee. They can expect Advisory Committee members to read and offer constructive comments on briefing materials, plans of research, and drafts of theses or dissertations; attend and participate in a constructive manner in Advisory Committee meetings; and offer guidance outside committee meetings. Should the student, his/her major advisor, and the department head agree that a committee member is not fulfilling these expectations, they may remove that faculty member from the Advisory Committee.

Program of Study

An M.S. Program of Study should be submitted to the Graduate School prior to completing 2 semesters and a PhD Program of Study should be submitted prior to 3 semesters. Graduate students' Programs of Study will be submitted to the Graduate School electronically via computer. Programs of Study should be typed using the format described in the Graduate School Policies and Procedures, signed by the student's advisory committee, department head, and student, and given to the administrative assistant in 100 Cheatham for computer entry. The original draft will be kept in the graduate student's official file.

Committee Meetings

Each student's Advisory Committee is required to meet with the student before the end of the first semester, during the second semester and at least yearly thereafter. While these meetings should center around the research project and coursework, an additional function will be evaluating the student's performance and making recommendations for improvement. It is the obligation of the student to arrange these required meetings in consultation with the student's major advisor and the obligation of the department head to enforce this policy.

A student evaluation will be made during the second semester of residency. The purpose of student evaluations is to help the graduate student improve and identify deficiencies in his/her program or performance. Included in the evaluation process will be a self-evaluation by the student and an evaluation by the student's Advisory Committee. Both evaluations will be completed using the same form. Copies of the self-evaluation will be given to all members of the Advisory Committee prior to the committee meeting. The Advisory Committee will discuss the self-evaluation and its own evaluation with the student. The Advisory Committee evaluation must be discussed with the student and signed by everyone. Signed copies of the committee's evaluation will be placed in the student's official file.

Course Requirements

In addition to the credit hour and course requirements established by the Graduate School and the College of Natural Resources, the following coursework is required by the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences:
All students are required to 1) register for a spring departmental Graduate Seminar and 1 additional seminar (2 credits), 2) complete Statistics 5605-5606 or equivalent courses, and 3) complete a minimum of 8 hours of courses for graduate credit (not seminars) taught by 3 different department faculty members.

The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences and the Graduate School requires at minimum 12hr credit enrollment per semester for a student to be eligible for graduate assistantships.

All students are required to meet the minimum requirements for a GS5 level position as a federal fisheries or wildlife biologist. All students also are required to complete the coursework necessary for certification as either a fisheries scientist (American Fisheries Society requirements) or a wildlife biologist (The Wildlife Society requirements). Students may request a waiver of this requirement.

Preliminary Examination (Ph.D.)

The preliminary examination must be scheduled on the program of study within the Graduate School 's requirements. The examination, conducted by the student's Graduate Advisory Committee , is comprehensive in nature and is intended to test a student's ability to integrate, synthesize, and apply concepts, facts, and techniques in solving new and complex problems associated with fisheries and wildlife. The student may be tested on any aspects of fisheries or wildlife sciences, and will be expected to demonstrate competency in key areas of knowledge, including science and the scientific method, human dimensions of fisheries and wildlife management, ecology and evolution, natural resources management, and pedagogy. The structure of the oral and/or written examination is somewhat flexible and will be determined by the student's Graduate Advisory Committee. For example , the Committee may impose time or page constraints and restrictions as to open- or closed-book format on the written portion of the exam. The oral portion of the preliminary exam normally is a face-to-face exchange between the student and members of the Graduate Committee. It is recommended that the student meet with his/her Advisory Committee and other faculty members prior to preparing for the examination to discuss the nature of the examination and evaluation procedures. The student also is encouraged to experience a mock oral preliminary examination to be administered by fellow graduate students.

Graduation Requirements

Thesis/Dissertation

The thesis/dissertation is a scientific report and should be written in a concise, precise, and technical style that facilitates publication in scientific journals.

Information Transfer/Outreach Requirement

The ability to effectively communicate research findings to the public, as well as to other professionals, is an integral part of a graduate student's preparation. Therefore, every graduate degree candidate will be expected to fulfill each of three (3) outreach components in order to be considered eligible to defend the thesis/dissertation:

  1. technical audience - the student will prepare and deliver a formal presentation or exhibit a poster that summaries a part or all of their research at a professional natural resources meeting and prepare a manuscript on an aspect of their research, to be reviewed and approved by the student's advisory committee, suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal;
  2. non-technical audience - the student will develop a poster or make a presentation to a non-technical audience or organization that describes the results of a major part or all of their research and present it at an appropriate non-technical forum or prepare a manuscript, to be reviewed and approved by the student's advisory committee, suitable for publication in a non-technical journal, cooperative extension brochure, newsletter, or similar outlet;
  3. web page - the student will prepare and post a research proposal summary, to be a minimum of 1 page in length, on the Department's web site, with a link to the major advisor's profile and research highlights page. This summary must include, at minimum, a statement of the research problem and objectives, methods, and anticipated outcomes and/or products. The student's advisory committee must be provided with a draft title and brief outline of the proposed web page within the first 6 months of residence and the completed and approved (by the student's advisory committee) web page must be posted before the end of the second semester in residence.

Plans for how the student intends to satisfy each of these requirements should be discussed and evaluated with the student's advisory committee early in the student's program to allow for their timely fulfillment. As a part of the regular evaluation process conducted by the student's advisory committee each year, a student's progress-to-date on each of these requirements will be tracked and duly noted on the Graduate Student Evaluation Form. A student will not be allowed to petition for and receive "Right to Defend" status from the Graduate School until the Department Head certifies that these Publication and Outreach requirements have been fulfilled to the advisory committee's satisfaction.

Accepted January 5, 2004
Adopted July 1, 2004

Formal Seminar

Within one week preceding the final oral examination, the student must present his/her research results at a formal departmental seminar. The final seminar is intended as both a teaching and a learning experience to promote effective skills in public speaking and to develop high quality audio-visual techniques. It should allow for objective feedback by the faculty and fellow graduate students concerning improvements that can be made.

Final Examination:Master of Science

Each candidate for a Master of Science degree must pass a final oral examination in the last semester of enrollment. The examination will be a defense of the thesis and an assessment of the candidate's understanding of either fisheries or wildlife management.

Final Examination: Ph.D.

Each candidate for a Ph.D. degree must pass a final oral examination in the last semester of enrollment. The examination will be primarily a defense of the dissertation, but other areas of questioning may be included.

Time Frame for Graduate Studies

In general, the department's faculty believes that 24 months for M.S. students and 36 months for Ph.D. students are appropriate minimum time frames for completion of a typical graduate program. However, it is recognized that some students will need and can justify additional time (e.g., for a scheduled multi-year field project).

Equity In The Graduate Program

One of the most common messages received by faculty in any university is the lack of equity in graduate programs. Usually, the message relates to graduate student pay; sometimes it relates to office space or research equipment. Whenever we design a system to assure equity, we find it creates as many new problems as it solves old ones. The simple fact is that equity cannot be prescribed by policies, procedures, or formulae. Equity depends on a spirit of operation that recognizes the totality of graduate education and uses integrity as the fundamental guide to decisions.

Graduate education is like natural resource management--multi-faceted, with multiple objectives. Several parts are of primary importance--coursework, thesis research, tutorship by a professor, etc--and each part requires different commitments by the student and the university. In the terminology of resource management, we should be striving for the "optimal sustainable benefit" from the educational experience. Just as in resource management, we cannot prescribe what that means before we examine each student's aspirations, strengths, and weaknesses.

The graduate education needed by each student is unique, so the attention devoted to each part varies. In evaluating the equity of treatment, we need to assess all parts of the program because all parts are important. Some parts are easy to assess--pay, availability of travel funds, coursework required--but many other parts are difficult to assess. These may be the most important aspects of an education, but often do not enter into the casual or formal calculation of resources provided. Following is a listing of the more obvious inputs to a graduate education that vary from student to student:

  • Number and quality of courses required
  • Scientific merit of thesis/dissertation research
  • Availability of major advisor
  • Seminar speakers and other visitors
  • Computer resources
  • Laboratory resources
  • Research equipment
  • Administrative time utilized per student
  • Work required as graduate assistant, independent of thesis work
  • Work as a team member on projects
  • Contacts of faculty advisor regarding jobs
  • Library resources
  • Level of payment
  • Scholarships, tuition waivers, tax status of pay
  • Availability of travel funds
  • Friendship of faculty advisor
  • Help with preparing manuscripts
  • Opportunity to make professional presentations
  • Participation in student organizations
  • Campus recreational facilities and cultural activities
  • Help in planning study
  • Participation of committee members in student's work
  • Level of confidence in continued funding
  • Experience with actual management situations
  • Quality and experience of faculty advisor
The major university regulations assure that graduate education falls within broad boundaries of equity (e.g., pay levels are regulated, continuous enrollment is obligatory, minimum course requirements are stated). Beyond these, however, the accounting gets hopelessly confused because each student's needs and opportunities vary.

The university's approach to designing optimal educational programs is to assign virtually total responsibility and authority to the graduate student's Advisory Committee. The critical member of that committee is the student's major advisor. This is a decentralized approach, relying on the effective working of a team close to the individual situation. Theory and practice both show that this is the best way to manage complex organizations. Decentralization, however, does not produce uniformity. We rejoice in that principle, but it does cause some difficulty in assessing equity.

The difficulty, however, is less troublesome than it appears because outputs, not inputs, are the measures of the quality of a graduate education. The best approach is to look at long-range outcomes of graduate education as a guide to the equity of the programs. Because that evaluation can't occur for several years, some short-term "processes" must be substituted as indices of quality. We recommend the following criteria as daily standards for use by students and faculty:

  1. Am I learning everyday? Education is our ultimate and proximate goal, and no day should pass without some learning by everyone. On some days learning comes as an avalanche, on some days it comes only as a whisper. Look positively for the lessons in every day's activities. If there are none, we are operating with the wrong philosophical perspective.
  2. Are the challenges of my work growing regularly to match my abilities? We learn by stretching our capabilities with new, more difficult tasks. Routine work must be done everyday, but new challenges can be found even in routine work. The work of this semester should not resemble the work of last semester. If it does, we are sacrificing important activities for urgent ones.
  3. Am I working as a team with my advisor and advisory committee? Science and education are as much team efforts as individual efforts, and they depend as much on people as on books, laboratories, and calculators. Interaction with colleagues in the university should be a regular part of our activities. If it is not, we are missing the major benefit of a university education.
  4. Am I treated as a human being? Each person in this program (in this world) is as valuable as the next. Each deserves to be treated with dignity and trust. Conversely, each person must act with integrity when dealing with others. If this is not happening, our priorities are fundamentally wrong.

When the answers to these and similar questions are negative, it is time to start assessing the nature of your education, time to ask if some essential aspect is missing. See your advisor, the department head, or whomever you value as a colleague. We guarantee the time and attention you need.

Academic Honesty

A Survival Guide to Graduate School and Academia by the Graduate Honor System (GHS)
What is not allowed in academic work:
(The following is taken from the Graduate Honor Code)

Cheating

"Cheating is defined to encompass the giving or receiving of any unauthorized aid assistance or unfair advantage on any form of academic work" by any graduate student; typically but not limited to coursework. The most frequent referral to the GHS involves cheating on take-home and/or open-book examinations. It is important that instructors and professors clearly state what is allowed and not allowed during any academic work, and particularly on take-home exams. Students should make sure their instructors do so.

Plagiarism

"Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating. It is defined as copying the language, structure, idea, and/or thoughts of another and claiming or attempting to imply that they are one's own work. It includes the omitting of quotation marks when references are copied directly, improper paraphrasing, or inadequate referencing of sources." Most referrals of plagiarism to the GHS involve term papers. Students must understand how to properly document a scholarly paper.

Falsification

"Falsifying any circumstance relevant to his or her academic work." Examples include acts such as forgery or changing academic documents; lying.

Academic sabotage

Examples may be acts such as introducing computer viruses or disabling research projects.

Misconduct

Misconduct in research and teaching is also included in the above categories of offenses. However, it is mentioned separately here because of the growing concern in the academic community about purposeful deception in teaching and research. It typically deals with teaching or research fraud.

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW:
Cheating, plagiarism, and other violations are academic theft. All graduate students must make it their responsibility to know what is and is not allowed in their academic work. Ignorance is not an excuse.

The GHS enforces the Graduate Honor Code; a set of established guidelines that, when followed, guaranteed academic integrity in all intellectual pursuits among graduate students at Virginia Tech. These guidelines may be found in the GHS Constitution. Cases may be reported by phone to the Chief Justice or the GHS advisor. Cases should be officially submitted in writing. Students accused of a violation are treated fairly and justly, and evidence is confidential.

THESIS AND DISSERTATION WORKING PLAN GUIDELINES

Thesis/Dissertation Working Plan

A formal plan for thesis/dissertation research is required. The plan must be approved and signed by the student's Advisory Committee before the student begins data collection. The working plan must be completed by the end of the second semester in residence for M.S. students and by the end of the first calendar year in residence for a Ph.D. student.

Purpose and Philosophy

A thesis or dissertation working plan is a description of the intended research project of a graduate student. The purpose of the plan is to help the student design a project that is explicit, well justified, has clear objectives, can be performed with resources and time available, and has methods that achieve the intended results.
The plan also has other benefits. It teaches the student how to approach and conquer a major project based on rational scientific methods. It stimulates communication among the student and Advisory Committee members. It demonstrates that collaboration and peer review are essential parts of professional endeavors--especially in science. It provides a basis for evaluating progress by the student and the Advisory Committee. In general, our faculty endorses planning as an essential part of science and as a skill to be mastered.

The signed and accepted plan is a good-faith agreement by the student to complete the planned work as part of the degree program. However, the plan can be changed if accomplishing the intended project becomes impossible. Minor changes are expected in any project and need not be approved formally. However, major changes--adding or dropping objectives, adopting entirely different methodologies, changing taxa or study locations, for example--must be approved explicitly by the Advisory Committee.

The plan should emphasize what information is being sought, how it will be sought, and how the project will proceed to its conclusion. Therefore, the written plan should be relatively short in total, brief in justification and literature review, detailed in methodology, and detailed in schedule.

Like all plans, the thesis or dissertation working plan will only serve its intended purpose if it is completed before the project begins. Therefore, the deadline for plan completion and acceptance is before data collection begins, but no later than the end of the second semester in residence for M.S. students and the first 12 months in residence for doctoral students.

Guidelines:

The following sections describe a typical format and provide guidelines for producing the plan. As with all aspects of the graduate program, however, this departmental recommendation provides a minimum guideline only. Each student's advisor and Advisory Committee have the authority to require a more elaborate or differently formatted plan that meets the particular needs of the student and project.

Typical Outline

All drafts of the plan should be printed double-spaced on one side of the paper. Each draft should be dated and given a version number. Pages should be numbered.

  • Title Page

    • The title should be as succinct as possible while still conveying the major aspects of the project. A good title is easily retrievable in a keyword search. A good rule of thumb is to view the title as a one-line abstract, typically less than 10 words.

  • Introduction and Justification

    • This section should be approximately 5-10 pages long. It describes the background for the intended project. This section communicates why, among all possible topics, this topic was selected. (To focus on the specific area of work intended, describing the current thinking to which the project relates, the recognized gap in knowledge that the project addresses, how the project will advance knowledge in that area, and how the project's outcomes will benefit science or management).  This section should end with a series of hypotheses, if appropriate, and with a series of objectives that will be addressed in the project. An objective is a specific statement that defines a major subunit of the work to be conducted. See examples on the attached sample title page.  This section may include a literature review (or the literature review may be a separate section). Although each student is responsible for thoroughly searching, analyzing, and synthesizing the literature as part of the planning process, for the purposes of a plan, the written literature review should describe and cite only those writings that are necessary to substantiate the assertions in the text. A comprehensive literature review is necessary for project planning and before data collection, and an extensive written literature review may be required in the thesis or dissertation. The realities of conducting fisheries and wildlife graduate student research, however, often prohibit such a written review as part of the working plan; hence the working plan literature review should focus on the project's justification, objectives, and methods.

  • Methods

    • The methods section is a critically important part of the plan and, hence, should be the longest and most detailed. Students sometimes spend enormous effort on the "introduction and justification" and then touch lightly on the relationship between what they want to learn and how they will learn it. The consequence may be a project that breaks down early because the methods or sites are not appropriate or that breaks down late because the data cannot be analyzed validly or because those data don't address the objectives.  This section should comprise the bulk of the plan--with substantial coverage devoted to each objective. This section includes, for each objective, descriptions of the study site(s)/facilities, the types of data to be collected, the methods of collection (including equipment and materials), the collection schedule, resources required, analytic methods, and intended statistical treatment. Because many students may be in early statistics classes while producing the plan, statistical descriptions may be general and can be detailed later as the project develops. If the project progresses as planned, this section will provide the basis for the methods section of the thesis or dissertation.

  • Literature Cited

    • This section should be completed in the format desired by the student's major advisor, usually the journal format of The Wildlife Society or American Fisheries Society. Follow the CBE Style Manual if in doubt.

  • Time Schedule

    • The last section of the plan should be a chart demonstrating the intended schedule for completing the thesis or dissertation. For each objective, the schedule describes the period during which each major activity--sample collection, sample processing, data processing, data analysis, thesis preparation--will be preformed.  As with the plan in general, this schedule is a good-faith agreement that the student will proceed according to that schedule. Its inclusion in the plan allows the student, major advisor, and Advisory Committee members to match the scope of the intended work with the time allocation--thereby determining if the project is appropriate for the time allowed and the resources available.

Procedure for Writing and Approving a Plan

The writing and approval process should be consultative and interactive, and each student should expect substantial and repeated constructive criticism, resulting in major changes in the project plan from the student's first concept. This process helps avoid two common problems made by new researchers. First, new researchers often envision projects that are too large and complicated (ecologically or logistically) for the time and resources available. Second, they often work independently for a long time, with the intention of developing the "perfect plan" to present to their advisors and committees. The successful student can avoid these traps by remaining open to new ideas and communicating regularly with his/her advisory committee members.

The planning process should begin explicitly when the student has formed an Advisory Committee. At the first meeting of the committee, the student should present, at least, the general area of his/her intended project and a series of possible objectives of the project. Over the next several months, the student should meet regularly with committee members to discuss the project. Those interactions should focus first on the objectives of the project, then on the general approaches to the project, and finally on the detailed methodologies. Different faculty members prefer different styles of interaction--some like to meet informally; some like to have some written materials to review before a meeting; some do not want to review written plans until late. Students should ask what their advisors prefer--and proceed accordingly.

In all cases, however, the successful strategy includes regular communication with individual advisors. The unsuccessful and unacceptable strategy is to hide the plan until the student thinks it is complete. The plan must be provided to the Advisory Committee with adequate time to have the plan approved formally before the deadline and before field collection or laboratory work begins.

The Student's Responsibility

The student is responsible for progressing on his/her plan conscientiously and steadily. The student is responsible for the content of the plan, including searching, analyzing, and synthesizing the literature, and developing detailed methodologies for review by the advisor and Advisory Committee. The student is responsible for producing understandable and grammatically correct documents, including text, tables, and figures, for review by the Advisory Committee.

The student is responsible for progressing on schedule, including contacting Advisory Committee members, assuring their adherence to time guidelines and responding in a timely manner on his/her committee.

If an Advisory Committee member is not responsive to the student's requests for help, the student should seek intervention through his/her advisor. If a non-responsive pattern persists, the student may consider replacing the faculty member on his/her committee.

The student is responsible for reporting to the committee any changes in the plan as the project progresses and for writing plan amendments and acquiring committee approval as needed.

The Major Advisor's Responsibility

The major advisor is responsible for guiding the student through the working plan process. The major advisor stimulates ideas for research, introduces the student to the scientific and technical literature, provides contacts with relevant professionals and scientists, and guides the student on scientific problem solving. The major advisor works most closely with the student on the form and substance of the plan, providing detailed constructive criticism on logical thinking and presentation of ideas and on writing style.

The major advisor is responsible for enhancing the overall development of the student. In the context of the working plan, the advisor conscientiously should monitor the student's progress, assuring that the student and Advisory Committee members are working closely together towards the goal of designing an appropriate project and completing the plan by the necessary deadlines.

The Advisory Committee's Responsibility

The members of the Advisory Committee (including the major advisor) are responsible for critically assessing the student's plans to assure that the project will provide an effective learning experience. They must assure that the project meets the requirements of scientific methodology; is rational; appropriate for degree pursued; can be completed with the time and resources available, and is professionally, scientifically, and ethically sound. The Advisory Committee is not responsible for detailed editing of the student's writing.

During all review stages, Advisory Committee members are responsible for reviewing draft materials and returning constructive comments to the student, generally in writing or through a meeting, within 2 weeks of receiving them (time needs beyond 2 weeks should be explained to the student).

Advisory Committee members who believe that the student has not communicated well and has not progressed on the plan should inform the student's advisor, attempt to determine the reasons for lack of communication and progress, and help to correct the problem. If the pattern persists, the faculty member may consider resigning from the student's committee, or recommending unsatisfactory progress at the first evaluation.

The Department Head's Responsibility

The department head has oversight responsibility for assuring that the student, major advisor, and advisory committee members are acting in good faith in the development of the plan. The department head monitors the progress of all students in the program and reports the status of student progress to the department faculty as a whole.

The department head has the responsibility and authority for enforcing the policies and procedures of the department, college, and university.

Plan Deadlines

The plan for an M.S. student is due, signed by the Advisory Committee members and the department head, in the departmental office by the end of 9 months. If the deadline is not met by the student, their stipend will be reduced 20%; however the advisor may enforce stricter sanctions.
If the plan is still not completed 4 weeks after the deadline, the department head will declare the student "not in good standing" and remove the student from assistantship/fellowship funding.

The plan for a doctoral student is due, signed by the Advisory Committee members and the department head, in the departmental office by the end of the student's 12-month year in residence.

If the plan is still not completed 8 weeks after the deadline, the department head will declare the student "not in good standing" and remove the student from assistantship/fellowship funding.

Of course, exceptions to these deadlines will be considered, for extenuating circumstances.

Literature on Project Planning

The following books and articles provide helpful information on project planning. Copies are available in the department head's office for checkout and for copying at the student's expense.

  • Bolker, J. 1998. Writing your dissertation in fifteen minutes a day. 184pp.
  • Crowe, D. M. 1983. Comprehensive planning for wildlife resources. Wyoming Ga me and Fish Department, Cheyenne.
  • Ewing, D.W. 1968. The practice of planning. Harper and Row, New York.
  • Johnson, D.L., and L.A. Neilsen. 1983. Sampling considerations. Pages 1-21 in Nielsen, L.A., and D.L. Johnson (editors). Fisheries techniques, American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.
  • Ripley, T.H. 1980. Planning wildlife management investigations and projects. Pages 1-6 in Schemnitz, S.D. (editor). Wildlife management techniques manual. The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, Maryland.
  • Turner, R.B. An introduction to PERT-CPM: Project evaluation and review techniques--critical path method. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, Virginia Tech, Mimeo (8 pages)

Bound Copies for the Department

Each graduate will give the department a bound copy of their thesis/dissertation at the time the EDT is signed by the major advisor. The copies should be on 50/50 paper.  An M.S. thesis is bound in maroon with the title, student's name, and date on the spine.  A Ph.D. dissertation is bound in black with the same information.  The thesis/dissertation will be place in the department library (which dates back to the 1930's) and will be available for use by graduate students and faculty.  It is asked that the student take the copy(s) to the Bookstore for binding....it takes about a month. 

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