Page 43 - DISSERTATION AND THESIS HANDBOOK 2017 -2020

All members of the Dissertation Examining Committee must be physically present
for the defense. If an emergency arises, the Dean of Graduate School must
approve exceptions before the defense. Absent members of the Dissertation
Examining Committee must still participate in the defense through, for example,
the use of teleconferencing, videoconferencing, or, where appropriate, the
submission of written comments and questions. No more than one member of
the Dissertation Examining Committee may be physically absent from the defense
with the permission of the Dean of Graduate School. An absent member must
provide an original signature on the Dissertation signature pages.)

Dissertation defense is a university community event open to the university
public.

It is mandatory that the members of the dissertation examining committee and
the candidate attend the defense. Other attendees may include
Members of the academic community, and
Family and friends.

If others wish to attend, permission must be obtained in writing from the doctoral
candidate and members of the Dissertation Examining Committee at least five
days before the defense. If consent is not granted, those seeking permission for
others to attend must petition the dean the College. If there is need for additional
appeal, the petitions should be forwarded to the Assistant to the Provost for the
Office of Graduate Studies and Research.

Although students are members of the academic
community, it is advisable for students to check
with the doctoral candidate before the oral
defense to ascertain whether attendance at the
oral defense is acceptable

Preparing for the Oral Defense.The Graduate
School requires that one copy of the dissertation
must be submitted to the Dean of Graduate
School when the dissertation oral defense is
scheduled. This copy is to be used by members of
the academic community who may wish to read
the dissertation and attend the dissertation
defense.

Each member of the dissertation advisory committee must receive the version of
the Dissertation that has been submitted to the Graduate School. In addition, a
copy of the Dissertation must be given to those faculty members who have been
asked to participate in the oral defense as members of the Dissertation Examining

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