CSE PhD Milestone tutorial Ph.D. Milestone Management Application Instructions for CSE Faculty, Staff, and Ph.D. Students.md

Ph.D. Milestone Management Application Instructions for CSE Faculty, Staff, and Ph.D. Students

Please note that this application does not replace the existing paperwork yet. So, the regular processes should be continued as before.

1. Introduction

For now, this application can be viewed as a medium for

Digital Record keeping
Streamlining email communication in the workflow
Simply file sharing (e.g., allowing Ph.D. committee members to upload
questions/papers and students to upload slides and documents.)

It is mandatory to complete both the existing paperwork and the workflow in the Ph.D. milestone application. If you haven’t entered the necessary information into the application, the graduate advisors will refuse to sign your paperwork.

Below is the typical workflow for a diagnostic/comprehensive/proposal/defense. (Note: Comprehensive exam has two stages.) If you see “(application)” beside a step, it means this step is to be accomplished using the Ph.D. milestone management application. Otherwise it shall be done use emails and other conventional means.

Step 1: The student, the supervisor, and the committee members settle on a date/time.
Step 2: The student notifies the department about the exam date/time and reserves a room.
Step 3 (application): The student enters the date/time/room information, upload files (e.g., slides) and click the “Request …” button.
Step 4 (application): The supervisor and committee members download the files and review them.
Step 5: Shortly before the exam, CSE staff leaves the student’s folder in the supervisor’s mailbox.
Step 6: After the exam, the supervisor and the committee discuss. The supervisor and the committee sign a hard-copy form.
Step 7 (application): The supervisor enters the decision/feedback, on behalf of the whole committee.
Step 8 (application): A graduate advisor approves the decision/feedback.
Step 9: When the hard-copy form is submitted to the graduate advisor for signature, the graduate advisor will make sure that the application was used in the process and the information stored in the application is correct.

2. SUPERVISOR SELECTION

1]: Student logins to their phd-milestone app and select a faculty member then click the “Send Request” button.
3]: The Faculty logins his account and accept or decline the request by clicking True or False button.
5]: Graduate Advisor will login her account and approve the request by clicking the “Approve” button.

3. COMMITTE FORMATION

1]: Student logins their phdmilstone app and uses the dropdown list to select a faculty member and click the “Send Request” button. Note that if co-advisor, please don’t forget to check “Request this member to be a co-advisor”.
1]: If the Student wants to add a non-cse member as committee member, please click “Add a non-CSE member” button and fill up the form and click “Submit” button.
3]: Committee Members accept or decline the request by clicking True or False button.
5]: When student selects at least 4 committee members(form a valid committee), the button “Submit to graudate advisor for approval” is enable and student should click it.
7]: Graduate Advisor will approve the request by clicking the “Approve” button.
9]: If student wants to remove certain committee member/supervisor from your committee, student can click on “Delete” button beside the member’s name.

4. DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION

1]: Student should open Diagnostic Evaluation tab and enter meeting date, time, location, presentation slides and click “Request Diagnostic Evaluation” button.
3]: Supervisor should select decision from dropdown list and provide any feedback in text area. Note that supervisor can update the decision and comment before the graduate advisor approves.
5]: Graduate Advisor finally approve by clicking “Approve” button.
Note: If student fails the first attempt, he should follow the workflow below. The diagram also can be applied to Comprehensive Examination, Dissertation Proposal and Dissertation Defense. .

5. COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

1]: Student enters first meeting’s date, time, location, presentation slides and click “Request Comprehensive Examination” button.
3]: Supervisor clicks “Allow Final Comprehensive Exam Meeting and Upload Papers/Questions”.
4]: Supervisor uploads papers and questions for all the committee members. Then click “Save Changes” button.
5]: Student enters the second meeting’s date, time, location, presentation slides, and a file containing answers to all the questions and click “Upload answer and request meeting” button.
7]: Supervisor selects decision from dropdown list and provides any feedback in the text area and click “Submit decision for approval” button.
9]: Graduate Advisor approves by clicking “Approve the decision” button.

6. DISSERTATION PROPOSAL

1]: Student enters meeting date, time, location, title, presentation slides and supplementary documentaion(if any), and clicks “Request Proposal Presentation” button.
3]: Supervisor selects decision from the dropdown list and provide any feedback in text area and click “Submit decision for approval” button.
5]: Graduate Advisor approves by click “Approve the decision” button.

7. DISSERTATION DEFENSE

1]: Student enters the meeting date, time, location, title, presentation slides, and click “Request Defense Presentation” button.
3]: Supervisor selects decision from dropdown list and provides any feedback in text area and cliks “Submit decision for approval” button.
5]: Graduate Advisor approves by click “Approve the decision”.