8. Schedule the Prospectus Meeting (Later Summer or Early Fall)
Once the proposal is satisfactory to the thesis advisor, the student should prepare for the prospectus meeting. The completed prospectus document should be submitted to each of the readers at least one week prior to the date of the meeting. It is the student’s responsibility to coordinate schedules of all of the readers to find a mutually agreeable time, and to submit the Thesis Prospectus Meeting Schedule Request Form to formally schedule the meeting and reserve a room in which to hold it. The prospectus meeting should be held by early fall.
Prior to the prospectus meeting, the student should print a copy of the Prospectus Meeting Approval Form to being to the meeting. The prospectus meeting lasts approximately one hour, beginning with the student presenting for 15-20 minutes to outlines the relevant information of the proposal. Audio-visual aids and/or a supplemental handout are sometimes helpful during this presentation. After the presentation, the readers will ask the student questions, they may ask for clarifications, they will offer suggestions on the research methodology, and they will discuss other important issues concerning the proposal.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the committee members will decide if the project should be allowed to continue. The Prospectus Meeting Approval Form will then be marked as “Approved” meaning no changes to the proposal, “Approved with Modifications” meaning that minor changes are required as listed on a separate page (but the project can go forward), or “Not Approved” meaning that the proposal needs significant work in order for approval and another prospectus meeting will be required. If not approved, the committee will provide specific suggestions on how to make the proposal acceptable. This form is then signed by all members of the committee and by the student, and turned in to the CSD Program Office to be kept in the student’s CSD program file.
Once the student’s proposal has been approved at this meeting, then the roles of each of the committee members are spelled out. Although the first reader is the thesis advisor who is responsible for insuring that the student adheres to the thesis requirements and procedures, the exact roles and responsibilities of the other readers are individualized. Some second and third readers expect to be involved only intermittently, while others want to be involved in all facets of the project. It is important for all committee members to set the ground rules and have everyone’s responsibilities clearly delineated. This is also the time to establish means of communication and a schedule of meetings.
Committee members have graciously consented to assist the student in the process of completing the thesis. Students are requested to allow them an appropriate length of time to review the materials and to give feedback that is essential to the process. It is suggested that at subsequent meetings the student: (a) comes prepared for the discussion with the materials organized, (b) sets realistic deadlines and goals, (c) comes with a list of any questions, and (d) is clear about the next stages in the process, what is expected, and what the readers have agreed to. Attention to these details should considerably facilitate the process.