Step 1 - Update Committee

The system is set up to allow for either the staff graduate advisor or the student to submit the first step in this action. This is to allow flexibility for departments to choose how they would like to handle the process.

The student should have already discussed the changes to the committee with their chair and any new members before submitting the action. The Update Committee Action is the formal process to record the committee changes.

These instructions are for the staff graduate advisor.

Beginning the Action

In GradPoint, navigate to the student’s Action Tab, and click the Begin Action button.

Select “Thesis and Doctoral Committee” from the Action Category dropdown, and then “Update Committee” from the Action dropdown.

That will bring you to the Propose Updated Committee step.

Choose the correct objective for the committee you are proposing:

Adding/Removing Members

The existing approved committee will be on the page. You can add and remove members as needed

If a member is changing roles (such as from member to co-chair), use the red x to remove them, then add them back using the search and select the new Role

Members Affiliated to UCSB:

Use the Search UCSB Directory button for all members affiliated to UCSB. This includes faculty, lecturers, researchers, staff, etc.

It is required that you use the UCSB directory for UCSB affiliated members in order for the validation to work properly!

To make sure you have selected the correct person, review the information that populates under the search bar once you click on their name:

Members from outside of UCSB:

Only use this for people who are not affiliated with UCSB (such as members from industry or other universities, including other UCs.)

Entering Non UC External members:

Select the Enter External Committee Member button
Input the external member’s email address (we suggest using their institution email address).
Click “Search Members”

If the member already exists in our database (we match via email), then you will select that member:

If the person is new to the database, you will need to fill out their information:

If they are also a Professor (Assistant, Associate, or Full) at another UC, you need to indicate that, choose their Campus, and enter the Home Department.

Validating the Committee

Once the committee members are added, you will click the Validate button, which will determine if the committee is valid per the Academic Senate Regulations, or if an exception is needed. You can add and remove members, and hit the validate button as many times as needed.

If the committee is valid, all of the requirements will have green checkmarks:

If the committee is not valid, a red checkmark will be next to the requirement that isn’t met.

An invalid committee can be submitted during step 1, but it will require an exception to be submitted in the second step.

Step Comments

These can be used however you want, they can be viewed by the Graduate Division and other departmental signers, and the notes will be kept permanently with the action.

Submitting the Step

Once you are done entering and editing the committee, and have clicked the validation button, then the green Submit button will be available.

Clicking Submit will move the action to the Department Review step.

Nothing will be saved unless the Submit button is clicked.