DISSERTATION COMMITTEE GUIDELINES
Dissertation Defense Committee
The following guidelines are to be followed for membership on a Doctoral Defense Committee
Any tenured or tenure track Case faculty member, and any full time Case faculty member whose primary duties include research who is authorized to serve on a Ph.D. dissertation committee by the school or college through which they are affiliated with the university, may serve on a Ph.D. dissertation committee.
Any appropriate researcher may serve on a Ph.D. committee upon approval by the dean of Graduate Studies of a request by the program or department. A petition with the rationale for the request must be presented to the Dean along with the proposed member’s curriculum vitae.
Dissertation Defenses in Absentia
Policy On The Presence Of Dissertation Defense Committee Members At The Defense.
It is expected that all members of the dissertation defense committee be present at the defense. Exceptions to this rule:
a ) must be approved by petition to the Dean of Graduate Studies and only under extraordinary circumstances,
b ) no more than one voting member can ever be absent,
c) the student must always be physically present, and
d) the absent member must participate through real-time video conferencing at the departmental expense.