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Steering Committee.

The steering committee is the principal governing body of the Neuroscience Graduate Program. The composition of this committee includes the heads of the major committees, the course masters for the core graduate courses,. Principal Investigators of Neuroscience Training Grants and three members elected by the faculty of the Neuroscience Program The terms of the three elected members shall be for three years. Presently, this membership is as follows:

(1) Current Director of Graduate Studies (DGS)
(2) Former DGS's
(3) Chair of Faculty Status Committee
(4) Chair of Curriculum Committee
(5) Chair of Seminar Committee
(6) Chair of Admissions Committee
(7) Course Director, Itasca
(8) Course Director, System Neuroscience Course
(9) Course Director, Cell and Molecular Neuroscience
(10) Course Director, Developmental Biology
(11) Course Director for Behavioral Neuroscience
(12) Course Director, Career Skills and Understanding Responsibilities as a Neuroscientist
(13) PI's on NIDA, IGERT and Eye Institute Training Grants
(14) 3 Elected Representatives
(15) 2 Student Representative

The election of the DGS takes place one year prior to the expiration of the DGS' term. Upon election, the DGS-elect becomes a member of the steering committee. The Steering Committee meets on a regular basis, under the guidance of the DGS, to consider the evolving issues of program development. The Senior Administrator of the program serves as the secretary of the Steering Committee. The decisions of the Steering Committee are binding and do not require approval by the general faculty membership.

The Steering Committee has two major functions. One is to approve all rules and changes in regulations initiated by the Director of Graduate Studies. Approval by the Steering Committee is also required for course/curriculum changes as proposed by the curriculum committee. Approval of any initiative considered by the Steering Committee, including changes in the bylaws, requires a majority vote of the attending steering committee membership, provided that a 2/3 majority of the committee is in attendance at the time. If an insufficient number of members are in attendance for any deliberation, all absentee members can be polled by the secretary to determine their position on the issues at hand. A second function of the steering committee is to meet in the each term to evaluate the progress of each student and make recommendations, if necessary, to help facilitate student progress in a timely, orderly manner and to assist students in promoting career decisions.

Members of the program committees will be appointed to 4 year, renewable terms. Nominations for membership will be solicited whenever a vacancy arises. Criteria for appointment to a program committee include: service to the Graduate Program, distinction in research and graduate training, and the need for diversity in faculty representation.

Admissions and Recruitment Committee.

This committee oversees the application and admissions process for bringing new students into the Neuroscience Graduate Program. These responsibilities include the evaluation of applicants, communication with prospective students and applicants, and their recruitment into the program. A major component of this process is to plan and execute the campus visits for each prospective student, to facilitate successful recruiting.

Awards and Fellowships Committee.

This committee oversees the allocation of currently existing award prizes, travel funds or other symbols of recognition of merit bestowed by the Graduate Program in Neuroscience as a whole. This includes soliciting nominees, selecting winners from among the nominees, and arranging for the formal conferring of the awards, and exploring possibilities of funding awards with outside organizations.

Curriculum Committee.

This committee oversees the educational composition of the Neuroscience Graduate Program. These functions include the programmatic features of graduate education in the Neurosciences, which include courses, seminars, and other components of the educational process, such as lab rotations. Recommendations from the Curriculum Committee are passed to the Steering Committee, where final decisions on programmatic changes are determined.

Faculty Status Committee.

This committee evaluates applications for membership in the Neuroscience Graduate Program and makes recommendations to the Neuroscience Faculty, whose majority vote determines membership in the program. The Faculty Status Committee also evaluates continued participation in the program for those members whose terms are scheduled for expiration.

Seminar Committee.

This committee is responsible for coordinating and organizing seminars to enhance the Graduate Program in Neuroscience. The functions of this committee will include a determination of invited guest speakers from outside the University, based on recommendations polled from the membership of the Graduate Faculty. In addition, seminars internal to the program (Neuroscience Colloquium) and special events, such as the Neuroscience Grass Lecture Series, will be organized by the Seminar Committee.

Community Outreach Committee.

This committee is charged with overseeing and developing community outreach activities, such as those associated with Brain Awareness Week, exhibits at the State Fair, etc. The function of this committee is to enhance the visibility of neuroscience and the graduate program within the community, to foster a better understanding of neuroscience and to encourage K-12 students to consider higher education in science.