V.A. Annual Evaluations
The annual evaluation is a comprehensive and systematic method of monitoring student progress that also provides students feedback regarding their work in the program. Program Area Training Committees evaluate the progress of first-year students at the end of the first semester and all students at the end of each year. The evaluation process is designed in part to ensure that students complete their degrees within the planned time frame. Students whose progress appears inadequate may be placed on academic probation. In addition, unsatisfactory performance, as determined by the annual evaluation, may result in withdrawing the student's support or dropping the student from the program. Program Area Training Committees rely on several sources when gathering information concerning students’ academic and professional activities: the Plan of Study, the Annual Activity Report, practicum and/or teaching evaluations (as appropriate), and the student’s curriculum vitae.
V.A.1. Annual Activity Report
Annual Activity Report forms are distributed in March each year and students are asked to complete them by April 15. One copy of the completed Activity Report, accompanied by an updated curriculum vitae, must be submitted to the Graduate Records Assistant for placement in the student’s permanent file.
V.A.2. Curriculum Vitae
The Latin phrase “curriculum vitae” means “course of life,” but it is usually understood to mean “course of professional life.” Similarly, the Latin word “vita” (“life”) is usually understood to mean “professional life.” Note that there are many formats for a vita and other examples may be obtained from faculty and other students. Maintaining the vita electronically facilitates frequent updating. Your adviser may be of help if you have questions about constructing your vita. Be certain to include in the vita the date on which it was constructed or modified. Advice on constructing a vita is provided at the following web sites:
http://psych.hanover.edu/handbook/vita2.html
http://www.socialpsychology.org/vitatips.htm
V.B. Process and Outcome of the Annual Evaluations
V.B.1. Process
Each student’s completed evaluation materials are reviewed and discussed by their Program Area Training Committee. Within four weeks of the evaluation by the Program Area Training Committee (if possible), each student receives written feedback concerning his or her performance during the evaluation period. This feedback is provided by the student’s adviser or, in some instances, by another core member of the Program Area Training Committee. The written feedback document is signed by all core members of the Program Area Training Committee.
V.B.2. Outcome
Students whose progress is satisfactory will maintain eligibility for continued funding and may be eligible for other incentives (see Section V.C.4 ).
Students whose performance or progress is unsatisfactory may be given probationary status, have their funding terminated, and/or be recommended for termination from the program (see Sections V.C through V.E).
V.C. Probation and Termination Dates for Major Academic Milestones
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Probation and Termination Dates for Doctoral Students
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Professional Master's Program Students
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Definitions Related to Probation and Termination
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Consequences
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Target Dates
V.C.1. Probation and Termination Dates for Doctoral Students
The four doctoral programs are designed for students to complete their training in 4 years (or 3 years if the student enters with an approved Master’s thesis), plus an additional year in an internship for clinical students. In addition, funding is guaranteed for only 4 years (3 years for students entering with an approved Master’s thesis) of doctoral training. Thus, to encourage timely progress through the programs, the Department has established probation and funding termination dates for the accomplishment of three major academic milestones: the thesis proposal and completion and the dissertation proposal. University regulations (see Section III.C.5) provide information on time limits for the completion of the dissertation. The Department dates are:
| Milestone | Probation date | Funding termination date |
| Thesis proposal | December 15, Year 2 | May 15, Year 2 |
| Thesis completion | December 15, Year 3 | May 15, Year 3 |
| Dissertation proposal | December 15, Year 4* | May 15, Year 4* |
*Year 3 for students who entered with an approved Master’s thesis.
V.C.2. Professional Master's Program Students
The Professional Master’s track in Clinical Psychology is designed for students to complete their training in 2 years. One probation date is established to encourage timely completion of this program. This probation date is December 15 of Year 2. The milestone that should be completed before the probation date includes completing all Plan of Study requirements (other than internship, which is scheduled for Spring of the second year), never receiving an incomplete in a course, and receiving at least satisfactory overall ratings for all practicum courses.
V.C.3. Definitions Related to Probation and Termination
The thesis or dissertation proposal will be considered completed when a copy of the written proposal with approval signatures of all thesis or dissertation committee members on the cover page is submitted to the Graduate Records Assistant for placement in the student’s file. The signed proposal must be accompanied, when appropriate, by a list of changes required by the committee that has been approved and signed by the committee chair, in consultation with committee members as needed.
The thesis will be considered completed when the electronic thesis is accepted by the library.
V.C.4. Consequences
Students who complete a milestone prior to the probation date will be awarded a $50 payment or reimbursement for professional travel or research expenses. These funds must be requested prior to graduation, and no later than December 31, May 15, or August 15 of the year following milestone completion for fall, spring, and summer milestone completions, respectively. The entire request for funds following the completion of a milestone must be made at one time. Payment or reimbursement may be made only for expenses that are clearly related to students’ professional activities. Examples include research supplies, small items of equipment, subject payments, and hotel and transportation costs for attending professional conferences. For reimbursement for research costs, students must complete an Employee Reimbursement Request and submit it to the Chair. For reimbursement for travel costs, the student must see the Chair’s secretary prior to the travel to learn the proper procedures. Note that reservations must be made through National Travel to be eligible for reimbursement. The necessary forms for all of these procedures are available in the Main Office Copy Room. Any equipment and unused supplies purchased with these funds become the property of West Virginia University.
Students who do not complete a milestone prior to the probation date will be placed on probation until the milestone is completed. Probation and its termination are automatic, and occur whether or not written notice is provided to the student.
Doctoral students who do not complete a milestone prior to the funding termination date will be ineligible for Departmental funding in the following year. In addition, the Graduate Training Committee (GTC) will recommend that the student’s Program Area Training Committee terminate the student. If the student is not terminated and catches up with the milestone schedule, the student may become eligible again for funding in a subsequent year. The counting of a student’s years in the program continues unless the student receives an approved leave of absence (see Section III.H).
The GTC will recommend that the relevant Program Area Training Committee terminate Professional Master’s program students who have not completed all requirements of their program by June 30 of their second year.
V.C.5. Target Dates
Ideally, doctoral students should complete their milestones prior to the probation dates. Individual programs may have target or suggested dates for completion of these milestones, with or without associated consequences. Refer to the Program Area Supplements for further information.
V.D. Probation
V.D.1. Grounds for Probation
Students may be placed on probation by their Program Area Training Committee for reasons related to academic or professional performance in addition to failing to meet the milestone dates described above. Specific grounds for probation include, for example, not removing an incomplete grade by the deadline and receiving one grade of C or lower.
V.D.2. Procedures
When a Program Area Training Committee places a student on probation or removes a student from probation, the Program Area Coordinator sends a letter to the student and to the Graduate Records Assistant for placement in the student’s file (although letters are not required for probation resulting from failing to meet a milestone).
V.D.3. Consequences of Probation
When a student is placed on probation, he or she must be given a deadline by which time an undesirable situation, condition, or behavior is to be dealt with in a specified fashion. If a student fails to meet this deadline, a second deadline may or may not be given, accompanied by a statement of the consequences of failing to meet the second deadline.
Students who miss the probation date for a milestone in a particular year or who are on probation for other reasons at the end of an academic year will receive lower priority for the next year’s assignments of teaching (including summer), practica, and offices (to the extent practicable).
V.E. Student Termination
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Grounds for Termination
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Procedures for Terminating a Student
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Appeals and Grievances (see also Section VIII.C.)
V.E.1. Grounds for Termination
The following conditions are grounds for termination of a student:
Graduation.
Unsatisfactory performance or progress as determined by Program Area Training Committee annual evaluation.
Major deviation from the approved Plan of Study including time table for graduation.
Failure of prelims.
Failure to be recommended for admission to doctoral candidacy by either the Program Area Training Committee or the Department faculty.
Inability to form a Thesis or Dissertation Committee.
Unauthorized leave.
Cheating (includes plagiarizing). (See the WVU Student Handbook - The Mountie and links on the Department web site on plagiarism for definitions and detailed descriptions. See also course syllabi for special rules used in specific courses.)
Two or more grades of “C” or below.
Failure to remove two or more concurrent incompletes (i.e., incompletes that are on the student's transcript simultaneously) by the deadline. See Section III.E.2 for more detail about incompletes.
Failure to meet the academic and professional standards described in this Handbook.
Violation of any of the institutional, academic, or behavioral standards described in the the WVU Student Handbook - The Mountie, the American Psychological Association code of ethics (http://www.apa.org/ethics/code.html), or codes of ethics specified for the student’s Program Area (see Program Area Supplements).
V.E.2. Procedures for Terminating a Student
Recommendations for termination may be initiated by the adviser, Program Area Training Committee, or the GTC. Recommendations will be reviewed by the GTC and forwarded to the Department Chair and then the College Dean for final action.
V.E.3. Appeals and Grievances (see also Section VIII.C.)
Appeals of decisions concerning grading, termination, and other issues should be directed to the Department Chair.
Students should consult the WVU Student Handbook - The Mountie for more detail about grounds for termination and appeal procedures at the Department, College, and University levels.
V.F. Awards
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Philip E. Comer Award for Graduate Student Teaching
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Don Hake Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Career
V.F.1. Philip E. Comer Award for Graduate Student Teaching
The Comer Award recognizes outstanding teaching by students enrolled in the doctoral programs in the Department of Psychology. The award commemorates the exemplary contributions made by Dr. Comer to the teaching mission of the Department and University.
Any number (including zero) of students can be selected for the award each year. Students are nominated by faculty or graduate students, and award recipients are selected by the Graduate Training Committee. The award(s) are presented at the Department of Psychology Pre-Graduation Ceremony in May.
V.F.2. Don Hake Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Career
The Hake Award recognizes advanced doctoral candidates whose careers represent the ideals of scholarship, citizenship, and professionalism, in memory of former faculty member Don Hake.
Any number (including zero) of students can be selected for the award each year. Students are nominated by faculty members, and award recipients are selected by the Graduate Training Committee. The award(s) are presented at the Department of Psychology Pre-Graduation Ceremony in May.