[Cce-faculty-list] Establishing Examining Committees for Graduate Students

[Rao S Govindaraju]

Colleagues:

This message is regarding the composition of Examining Committees for graduate students. The following is the current language in the OGSPS Policies and Procedures Manual (https://catalog.purdue.edu/content.php?catoid=18&navoid=23285#e-graduate-committees):

“Because it is crucial for advisory committee members to bring independent thought and decision-making to their advisory committee roles, it is recommended that major professors, graduate students, and other individuals involved in the advisory committee selection process avoid appointments where there may be potential conflicts of interest, nepotism or amorous relationships.

Advisory committee appointments of spouses/partners, partners in business, or those with financial conflicts of interest connected to the graduate student, for example, should be discouraged. It is prohibited for a graduate faculty member to serve in any evaluative capacity (whether related to academic or research performance, progress or potential and/or co-curricular, athletic, or other institutionally prescribed activities) for someone with whom they have a personal relationship (a relationship between two individuals by blood, adoption or marriage).”

We received the following additional clarification from OGSPS on August 28, 2025:


"The language...was refined in 2021 specifically to discourage spouses from serving on the same faculty committee. I agree that the language...is not clear, and (OGSPS) will add this to the list of potential changes for next year’s catalog. However, departments can set higher restrictions to this or any University policy at their discretion."

This information was shared within our graduate committee, with the decision to share with all our faculty. Going forward, the LSCCE Graduate Office will approve Graduate Student Examining Committees that adhere to this clarified ruling.

Please reach me if you have any questions.
Best.
GS
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