The UT System Chancellor’s “A Framework for Advancing Excellence throughout The University of Texas System” requires that UT System institutions “set clear criteria and expectations in an agreement, between student and department regarding time-to-completion including incentives, deadlines and consequences for failing to meet expectations.”
The Framework establishes goals to assure development of high performance Ph.D. programs, mentoring and advising of Ph.D. students and incentivizing shortened time to degree. Working toward these goals, UT System receives proposals for new Ph.D. programs, reviews the quality of existing Ph.D. programs and works to improve academic advising to graduate students. With the assistance of the Office of Strategic Initiatives and the Graduate Deans from across the UT System academic campuses, UT System has developed the following form to assist institutions in tracking the progress of shortening time-to-degree and improving Ph.D. student advising.
- Milestones Agreement Form – Institutions are required to use this form when advising Ph.D. students. Each university’s Graduate School is working with departments to customize the form for each doctoral program.
For more information, please contact Dr. Kevin Lemoine at klemoine@utsystem.edu .
