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Start up actions

Summer 2003 actions by Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, the Graduate School, and PBA required to place continuing Neuroscience and Cognitive Science students in conformance with Procedures for interdisciplinary graduate degree programs: SIS, degrees, internal counts, and reporting to CCHE, the federal government, and external agencies

Lou McClelland, CU-Boulder Planning, Budget, and Analysis (PBA)
July 2003

The Procedures document describes procedures for students entering interdisciplinary programs fall 2003 and later. This document outlines actions by Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, the Graduate School, and PBA that are required to place continuing Neuroscience and Cognitive Science students in conformance with the procedures.

Changing student setups on SIS

Note: 037 = SIS syntax for fall 2003.

• All Cognitive Science students enrolled for 037 should be set up with a disciplinary program as MAJ1 in the primary program on screen 111 or 1R1, and COGS as MAJ2. As of June 18 (and later), all students with a COGS major enrolled for fall 2003 show COGS as the first major in the secondary program, not the second major in the primary program. Example: BLAUVELT, GLENN R. Consult screen print A in the procedures document to see how screen 111 (or 1R1) should look. Delete COGS in the secondary program, and add it as MAJ2 in the primary program section.

• All Neuroscience students enrolled 037 should be set up with a disciplinary program as MAJ1 in the primary program on screen 111 or 1R1. As of June 18 (and later), all students with a NRSC major enrolled for fall 2003 show NRSC as the first and only major in the primary program (and nothing in the secondary program). Example: BARATTA, MICHAEL. Consult screen print A in the procedures document to see how screen 111 (or 1R1) should look. Delete NRSC as MAJ1 in the primary program. Delete the option (W?E) if it doesn't disappear. Add the disciplinary major (e.g., PSYC) as MAJ1. Add NRSC as MAJ2 of the primary program.

• To facilitate these changes, PBA can run a list of students enrolled for 037 with COGS or NRSC in any of the four major-code positions. Request from Lou.McClelland@colorado.edu. If need be we can run a list of all students eligible to enroll for 037 but not enrolled yet (that is, with an 037 term record already set up on SIS).

Changes in policies and postings - Activities for the Graduate School

• List, on web, all "approved interdisciplinary major combinations"
• Include the lists for Neuroscience and Cognitive Science from the Procedures document. Include the major codes as well as the program names.
• The list should note, as does the Cognitive Science posting for prospective students, that other combinations will be considered on a case by case basis.
• POSSIBLY include MA programs involving any two of
• East Asian languages and literature (with Chinese or Japanese emphasis)
• Religious studies
• History
These combinations may or may not be covered by the procedures described here. This is yet to be determined. Right now they are being handled differently, with major codes ECDD, EJDD, HIDD, RLDD. Whether added to the list of approved combinations or not, determine how these combinations are supposed to work, and consult with PBA on reporting.

• Amend the statement, in the Graduate School rules, that "Students who want to change major departments must apply to and be accepted by the new department. Students must also be released from their previous program by sending a notification signed by their previous program's faculty administrator to the Office of Admissions." Amend to say, for example, "(except when adding a second major in an approved interdisciplinary major combination)."

• Also amend the statement "Students wishing to complete degrees in more than one department which have no approved dual degree program must complete all the requirements for both degrees with no shared or overlapping course work" to add "or interdisciplinary major combination," thus reading "Students wishing to complete degrees in more than one department which have no approved dual degree program or interdisciplinary major combination must complete all the requirements for both degrees with no shared or overlapping course work."

• Change the Graduate School web posting for Cognitive Science on the prospective student site. The text of the posting discusses home department, joint program, etc. However, the bottom of this posting has a table of "Application Information and Deadlines" stating
• Application major code: GR-COGS
• Fall admission: Yes
The table has the same appearance as those for English, math, etc., which prospective students from outside CU-Boulder can apply to directly. As such, its inclusion in the Cognitive Science listing is misleading.
• In contrast, the listing for Neuroscience has the following statement under "Application Information and Deadlines" All students must first be admitted to a PhD program in a "home" department (Psychology, EPOB, MCDB, etc.). Once such students have matriculated and are in good standing with their home department, they are eligible to apply to the Neuroscience PhD program.

• Check for additional relevant rules; change as necessary

• Post procedures for interdisciplinary programs in a place available to department/program administrative staff, students, prospective students, and PBA types. As a start, PBA will post relevant documents summer 2003.

L:\ir\consult\ACAFF\Grad\InterDisc\StartUp.doc

Last revision 08/26/04