Graduate chairs serve as the liaison between the Graduate Division and graduate programs. They are nominated through their department/graduate program determined procedures, recommended for the appointment by their college/school Dean and then appointed by the Graduate Dean. Graduate chair nominees must be tenured and hold a Level 3 graduate faculty appointment in their home graduate program.

The duties and responsibilities of the Graduate Chair include, but are not limited to:

  • regularly updating and maintaining a list of program graduate faculty,
  • responding to questions and requests for program information,
  • coordinating the admissions process of applicants to the program,
  • maintaining files for each graduate student,
  • helping to identify potential advisors for students, scheduling preliminary
    advising, and handling other advising-related business with students,
  • annually orienting new students and new graduate faculty to the program
  • checking that students are enrolled in each semester if not on a Leave of
    Absence (LOA),
  • serving as a resource to help students and faculty to resolve concerns,
    conflicts, and other issues,
  • coordinate and schedule qualifying examinations (written and oral),
  • serving as liaison between the program, the Graduate Division, UHM, and
    any other such agencies with which the graduate program may interact,
  • serving on the Graduate Assembly,
  • scheduling and conducting graduate faculty and program meetings,
  • coordinating and facilitating reviews and updates to the curriculum and the
    program modification process,
  • publicizing the availability of achievement scholarships and other funding
    opportunities,
  • tracking degree progress (for doctoral students only)
  • reviewing and signing all official forms and memos required by the
    Graduate Division, and
  • certifying final degree checks.
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