Petition for Reconsideration of a Ph.D. Qualifying Examination Decision

Applicants are ordinarily allowed only two attempts to pass the Ph.D. qualifying examination. However, after a second unsuccessful attempt, examinees may petition the Electrical Engineering Department for reconsideration. Petitions will not be accepted from first time examinees, but in rare special cases faculty members may petition on their behalf.

Petitions will be considered by the Qualifying Examination Review Committee, and a decision will be reached before the end of the winter quarter. The committee will make one of the following decisions:

1. Let the result stand, or
2. Reverse the result, or
3. Recommend that the student be allowed to take the examination another time; specific performance standards may be stated.

In addition, a letter of support from a potential faculty research supervisor is required. This letter should include a concise statement of:

1. Willingness to supervise and financially support the petitioner’s Ph.D. program,
2. Evidence of the petitioner’s research potential, and
3. Any other arguments in favor of the petition.

The petition, supporting letters, and other supporting material should be submitted to Diane Shankle in the Electrical Engineering Department office, Packard 177, by Friday, February 13, 2009. The petition and letter will be presented to the Review Committee, together with any required supporting material.

After the Review Committee completes its deliberations, the petitioner and supporting faculty will be informed of the decision by letter.

Student petition form      Faculty petition form

Department Policy on Appeals of Quals Decisions

The Ph.D. Qualifying Examination Review Committee hears and judges appeals by students who take the EE qualifying examinations a second time without passing. In rare circumstances, appeals will be considered following a first failure if the appeal is submitted by a faculty member.

Petitions should carefully address the reasons for the appeal, stressing the following issues and any others deemed important for the case:

• The primary criterion is evidence of quality of accomplished research and potential for future research. This evidence should include statements by at least one faculty member commenting on past and expected research, as well as a list of papers published or accepted for publication in conferences or journals.
• The primary evidence can be strengthened by a statement of willingness of a faculty member to provide supervision and financial support for the candidate’s research.
• Grade point average.
• Qualifying examination scores.
• Improvement in performance from previous qualifying examinations

The Committee will meet once annually following the qualifying examinations, and its decisions will be final except for cases of factual error or of genuinely new and important information. An incomplete or inadequate original appeal will not be grounds for reconsideration.

All important information should be contained in the original appeal. Requests for reconsideration of a decision by the Committee will be honored only when made by a member of the Committee, and when a majority of the Committee agrees to meet for formal reconsideration.

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