Administrative Home: Pathology and the Graduate Medical Sciences Unit
Revision date(s): June 7, 2022
Graduate Council Approval: pending
Article I. Objective
A. Degree(s) offered by the program: PhD
B. Discipline: A brief statement on the discipline(s) of the program.
The DSCB program is the nucleus of a rich and vibrant community of researchers at UCSF whose research falls within the broad scope of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology. Research topics span the spectrum from basic science inquiries including the nature, identity and function of stem cells and progenitors; the molecular mechanisms of morphogenesis and tissue regeneration; and the generation and in vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells and pluripotent stem cells to clinical and translational sciences, including the development of methods for gene and cell-based therapies of disease and in vitro modeling of disease with patient-derived stem and progenitor cells.
C. Mission of the Program:
The goal of our program is to provide broad-based, interdisciplinary training in developmental and stem cell biology. Students are educated in a range of core disciplines and medically relevant fields including genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, biostatistics, and, especially, developmental biology. Particular emphasis is placed on learning to think critically, formulate hypotheses, design experiments, write and present clearly, and conduct rigorous research ethically and responsibly. By promoting their intellectual growth and experimental skills, the DSCB program teaches students how to become independent, innovative scientists who are able to recognize important questions to investigate and be equipped to contribute at the highest levels to developmental and stem cell biology.
Article II. Membership
A. Criteria for Membership in the Graduate Program
Authority to define criteria for faculty membership in the various graduate groups is delegated to the executive committees of these graduate groups, including criteria for inclusion, exclusion, and removal, unless otherwise specified. Further, authority is also delegated to graduate group executive committees to propose and administer bylaws governing faculty participation and conduct. Membership is independent and separate from academic department appointments. Membership is based upon disciplinary expertise and active research, so members throughout campus are eligible for consideration to membership in the group
B. Voting rights.
Graduate program matters will be determined by a vote of the Executive Committee members. All members of the Executive Committee will have an equal vote.
C. Application for membership.
- How faculty may apply:
To become a member of the DSCB Program, faculty must formally apply to the program and have their application approved by the DSCB Executive Committee. A description of the process and the criteria used to evaluate applications are available on the DSCB Intranet at https://dscbintranet.ucsf.edu/faculty-intranet/faculty-membership. Membership in the DSCB training program is considered a privilege and a responsibility. - Anticipated contributions that graduate faculty members will perform as a member.
- Faculty in the DSCB program are expected to demonstrate their commitment to the training program by regularly participating in program activities. These may include teaching in courses; presenting or serving as a coach for the journal club series; serving as an academic advisor; serving on thesis and qualifying examination committees; outreach and other activities that promote diversity and inclusivity in the DSCB program; participating in recruitment and interviews; regular attendance at program events; and DSCB program committee service.
- Mentoring and teaching in the lab: Program faculty are expected to maintain a productive and inclusive training environment for thesis students. Relevant measures may include evidence that the laboratory environment is welcoming to and supportive of trainees from all backgrounds; that lab students produce rigorous and reproducible publication-worthy research; that research is conducted in the spirit of open science including depositing work on preprint servers and publishing in open-source journals, when appropriate; that lab students complete their degrees in a timely manner; and that students successfully transition into careers in the scientific workforce.
- Participation in faculty mentor development activities: Program faculty must participate in the Thesis Mentor Development Program. Specifically, each faculty member with a DSCB student in their lab must complete the DEI Champion’s Training within 1 year of accepting a student into their lab and take part in at least one mentorship development activity of their choosing each successive year. Typically, an “activity” will be a University-sponsored training, such as the courses offered by the Graduate Division (mentoring.ucsf.edu/trainings). However, the development of strong mentorship skills is an ongoing process that extends beyond any single course, and faculty are encouraged to seek mentorship development opportunities in many different ways. Faculty who undertake significant activities outside of the University-sponsored training may petition the program to allow these activities to satisfy the mentor development activity requirement in a given year
- Compliance with University policies and Program values
Program faculty are expected to comply with all university policies and uphold the values of the training program, including but not limited to the University Code of Conduct (APM-016); UC Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment; the UC Policy on Discrimination, and the Harassment, and Affirmative Action in the Workplace; scientific misconduct and/or financial improprieties.
D. Emeritus Status.
Emeritus faculty with active research programs may remain members of the program and are afforded the following rights: they may attend and participate in program activities (including meetings and administrative committees), may teach graduate courses, and may serve on student committees. Emeritus faculty on the Executive Committee may vote on policy and bylaw issues related to the program.
E. Review of Membership
The criteria for reviewing members of the program is the same for all members. Each faculty member’s contributions to the program shall be reviewed once every three years for the purpose of identifying faculty members who are not providing a minimal level of service to the program.
- Obtaining relevant information
To ensure compliance with these requirements the Program Director(s) and Executive Committee need to have the relevant information about faculty conduct. While information about faculty participation in program events and training is readily attainable, information about other types of violations may be difficult to obtain if, for example, the University is not forthcoming with information about faculty violations of University policies, or an individual who experiences a hostile interaction in the workplace does not report it. Thus, considering the different types and sources of information that are needed, the DSCB Program proactively seeks to track compliance with these requirements in multiple ways, as described in section E-2 below. - Violations of program expectations for faculty conduct
The Graduate Program Directors, Executive Committee, and Program Coordinators are in frequent communication with trainees, faculty, the Graduate Division, and the University administration to monitor for compliance with all membership policy requirements. This can include reports from the Bias Response Team (once it has been established) or other communications from the Graduate Division, and communications from the University administration about faculty violations of the University Code of Conduct. The Executive Committee will promptly revoke program membership at any time upon learning about faculty conduct detrimental to the program or the safety and welfare of its members. Examples of evidence of this type of detrimental conduct include (but are not limited to), official findings by the University that a faculty member has violated Title VII or IX, or legal determinations of guilt (including settlements out of court) that may not have resulted in a University sanction.
In addition, faculty may also be put on suspension or removed from the program for conduct that has not resulted in a University or legal sanction but nonetheless has been determined by the Executive Committee to be detrimental to the program or the safety and welfare of its members. This may include serious or sustained actions that create a hostile work environment such as a pattern of racist, sexist, or homophobic remarks or behavior, or a significant lack of professionalism or integrity. Indeed, the DSCB program expects all of its faculty members to represent and uphold UCSF values of Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity and Excellence.
The Executive Committee will develop a course of action on a case-by-case basis. For example, faculty who are found to have violated Title VII or IX will be removed from the program immediately and are generally not eligible to reapply (see Section 4.5 below) whereas the plan of action to address less severe violations may include interventions by program leadership, mediation, additional training, etc. before a decision to suspend or remove a faculty member from the program is reached. In any of these cases, the program may seek guidance from University offices and resources, such as the Office of Academic Affairs, the Office of the Ombuds, and the Graduate Division.
F. Membership Appeal Process
If membership is denied or not renewed, faculty can appeal to the Executive Committee for reconsideration.
Article III. Administration
The administration of the program and its activities will be vested in the Program Director(s) and an Executive Committee.
Article IV. Graduate Program Director
A. Director and Co-director appointment process
The graduate program director or co-directors will be nominated in consultation with the Executive Committee and approved by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee provided that a quorum is present.
B. Director and Co-director terms of service
The Director and Co-director commit to serving for at least three years unless extenuating circumstances call for a shorter term.
C. Duties of the Director
The Director: a) provides overall academic leadership for the program; b) develops and implements policies for the program; c) represents the interests of the program to the campus and University administrators; d) calls and presides at meetings of the Executive Committee; e) calls and presides at meetings of the program; f) is responsible for coordinating all administrative matters with the Graduate Division and the program administrators; g) manages the budgets of the program; h) takes responsibility for the submission of competitive and non-competitive renewals of the training grant, if applicable (and is often the Lead PI of the training grant); i) submits course change or approval forms; and j) is responsible for the accuracy of all publications related to the program including web pages and catalog copy.
D. Duties of the Co-Director
The Co-director will work closely with the Director to carry out all duties described in (C) above. The Co-director will serve as chief officer of the Group in the absence of the Director. Typically, the Co-director will rotate into the Director role when the Director resigns.
E. Vice Chair/Director
DSCB does not have a provision for a Vice Chair/Director position.
Article V. Committees
The DSCB program operates under a shared governance model in which program directors work closely with program committees to carry out all the functions of the program. Descriptions of each committee and the dates of upcoming committee meetings will be posted on the DSCB Intranet. In general, committee members are self-nominated or nominated by others in the DSCB community and selected by the committee that they are applying for. In some cases, student members may be chosen by student election. On committees with students, a faculty committee member may rule that an item of business is inappropriate for discussion in the presence of the student representative. That item of business will then be discussed in the absence of the student member of the committee. This may include discussions about personnel actions or disciplinary issues relating to faculty, during rankings of existing students for funding, and for disciplinary issues related to students.
A. Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall consist of the Director (and Co-director, if applicable) of the program plus at least six faculty selected from the membership, and two students who have advanced to candidacy. All members have voting rights, including the student representatives, unless the students do not participate in the discussion due to the nature of the item. The faculty members of the Executive Committee shall be elected for a five-year term, which is renewable. Students must have advanced to candidacy to be eligible for this position and will serve for two-year staggered terms, so that one student rotates off each year. Student terms are generally not renewable. The principal duties of the Executive Committee shall be to determine and implement policy for the good of the program, determine program membership, and to represent the interests of the program generally to various universities and other agencies. The Executive Committee shall meet at least annually, but the program directors or committee members may call for additional meetings. In some cases, decisions can be made by email without calling a meeting of the committee members. The committee proceedings will be communicated to DSCB faculty and students by emailing the agenda for in person meetings approximately two weeks before the meeting date and a brief summary of the meeting within approximately two weeks after the meeting date.
B. Admissions Committee
The Admissions Committee shall consist of at least six faculty members in the program, and one student. The committee members will review and rank the written applications to select applicants for an interview and will assess interview evaluations to select applicants for admission. In addition, the committee may confer with students who are not a part of the committee to gather the student impressions of the applicants. Faculty members serve one-year renewable terms. Students must have advanced to candidacy to be eligible for this position and will serve for a two-year non-renewable term.
C. Educational Policy Committee
The Educational Policy Committee shall consist of at least one faculty member in the program and at least two students. The function of this committee shall include consideration of course offerings and recommendations regarding the graduate program and supervision of teaching assignments and teaching experience of graduate students. The committee will meet as needed to discuss potential changes to the program curriculum. Faculty on the committee will advise the program administration on student academic progress, fellowship considerations, and other academic topics. Students on this committee will typically meet each year at the end of each quarter with DSCB courses (e.g. DSCB 257) with the course directors of these courses to communicate the student perspective about the course. The course directors or program directors will meet again with the Educational Policy Committee to follow up on the feedback provided by the students. Proposed changes to DSCB curriculum by the Education Policy Committee shall be presented to the Executive Committee for final approval. Proposals should include the student feedback being addressed, proposed changes, and expected outcomes. To carry out these functions that are specific to the students or the faculty on the committee, each group may hold meetings without the other. Faculty on the committee should not also be course directors of DSCB courses. Students must second years or above. Faculty and student members are elected for two-year renewable staggered terms, so that at most one faculty member and one student rotates off each year.
D. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee shall consist of at least two faculty members in the program and at least two students. The function of this committee shall be to work with program leadership, program faculty, and students to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the program. This may include designing and working with program leadership to implement program activities or initiatives; collecting feedback from students and faculty in the program about DEI-related issues in the community; and working with other organizations on campus on the implementation of DEI-related initiatives. The committee will typically meet once per quarter and shall meet at least twice per year. Additional meetings may be called by the committee members as needed. In addition, student(s) on this committee and a program director will typically be the DSCB representatives on the Graduate Program Student-Faculty Diversity Committee. Recommendations from the DEI committee will be communicated to program directors through emails or meetings, and program directors will follow up on committee recommendations in a timely manner. Faculty and student members are elected for two-year renewable staggered terms, so that at most one faculty member and one student rotates off each year.
E. Student Advisory Committee
The Student Advisory Committee shall consist of at least three current students. The function of this committee shall be to organize voluntary peer mentorship groups to guide and support current students throughout their time in the program. The committee will typically meet twice per year: Once in the summer to discuss changes and improvements to the program for the coming year and once in the fall quarter to organize peer mentorship groups. Additional meetings may be called by the committee members as needed. Student members participate for two-year renewable staggered terms, so that at most one student rotates off each year.
F. Student Social Committee
The Student Social committee shall consist of at least four current students. The function of the committee shall be to plan and organize student morale events throughout the year with a minimum of one official social event per quarter. The committee will typically meet once per quarter and shall meet at least twice per year. Additional meetings may be called by the committee members as needed. Student members participate for two-year renewable staggered terms, so that at most one student rotates off each year.
G. Student Leadership Committee
One student representative from each of the six committees above will constitute the Student Leadership Committee, which will meet to discuss issues that are relevant to more than one committee as well as ways that the committee activities can be coordinated. The committee will also act as a liaison between the students and the program leadership. The representative from the Executive Committee will serve as the Chair of the committee. The Chair will set the preliminary agenda and direct the proceedings of the meeting. This committee will meet at least once per year in a meeting called by the Chair. Any committee member can call additional meetings, as needed. The committee will also meet at least once per year with the program leadership to communicate recommendations, discuss program matters, and hear from program directors about actions taken to follow up on past recommendations.
Article VI. Graduate Advisers
Each year, DSCB assigns advisors for the incoming class. Advisors are selected for each student by the program administration with input from the students, who have the opportunity to indicate a preference based in identity and scientific interest area. MSTP students joining will keep their MSTP advisors. Students must meet with their assigned Graduate Advisor quarterly during Year One, and at least twice during Year Two. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss the student’s coursework, lab rotations, and general academic progression. The Graduate Advisor is someone who will be outside of rotation or thesis lab choices, and thus a neutral person to confide in and discuss issues that may be uncomfortable to discuss with a rotation or thesis PI. The advisor can be an important ally during the student’s time in the program in case of conflicts with faculty, postdocs or other students. Advisors will focus on career advice rather than scientific advice, so students may be paired with advisors outside of their field of interest.
Article VII. Meetings
The DSCB Program will have at least one annual meeting with the Program Director (and Co-director, if applicable) and the students, typically at the Program Retreat in the fall. At this meeting, the Program Directors will summarize recent programmatic changes and updates and will open the floor for input from the students. Suggestions from this meeting will be taken into consideration by the Program Directors as they set policy for the coming year and will be discussed with the Executive Committee, as appropriate.
Article VIII. Quorum
All issues that require a vote must be:
- Voted on by at least 50% of the Executive Committee Membership
- On graduate program matters other than amendment/revision of bylaws, passage requires a supporting vote by at least 50% supporting vote of the members voting.
- On amendments and revision of bylaws: passage requires a supporting vote by at least two thirds of the members voting.
If balloting is conducted via e-mail or web-based technology, 10 days must be provided for expression of opinions about the proposal prior to the acceptance of votes; the program must allow 14 days for votes to be returned or before the "polls are closed."
Article IX. Order of Business for Meetings
The DSCB Program does not have a set order of meetings.
Article X. Amendments
Amendments to these bylaws may be made in accordance with program’s quorum policy in Article IX. Program members may propose amendments by petition to the program Chair. The program Chair, or relevant program committee, may ask for revisions from the faculty who submitted proposed amendments before forwarding the revisions to the membership for review and voting. Quorum, voting and passage is prescribed in Article IX. All amendments and revisions must be submitted to the Graduate Council for review and approval; changes in the bylaws will become effective upon approval by the Graduate Council.