Charges of Chemistry Committees 2011-2012
DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEES
Academic Federation Review
Reviews and makes all recommendation to appoint anyone in the Academic Federation Series
(Lecturers, Specialist, Professional Researcher, Project Scientist,etc.)
Chemistry Club Advisory Committee
Advise the Chemistry Club. Supervise and ensure safety for club activities, demonstrations and outreach
events of the Chemistry Club and the Picnic Day Chemistry Magic Show.
Curriculum
Make recommendations regarding both the undergraduate and, in consultation with the Graduate Affairs
Committee, graduate curriculum. Initiate reviews of the curriculum. Approve all changes to the
curriculum. Prepare appropriate reports as required, for example, for ACS Accreditation and
Undergraduate Program Review.
Instrumentation and Technical Support
Make recommendations regarding acquisition and maintenance of majors upper division laboratory
instrumentation and facilities. Make recommendations regarding departmental technical support,
including staffing and equipment. Serve as liaison with the technical support staff. Make
recommendations regarding the operation, equipment and staffing of the department's NMR facility.
Review and recommend recharge rates for use of the NMR instruments. Prepare intra- and extramural
proposals for funding of NMR spectrometers and related peripherals. Establish and maintain operating
procedures for the X-ray facilities that satisfy all radiation safety practices. Interface with EH&S on
radiation safety issues. Make recommendations regarding the operation, equipment and staffing of the
facilities. Review and recommend recharge rates for use of the facilities and departmental resources.
Prepare intra- and extramural proposals for funding of diffractometers and related peripherals.
Larock Symposium
Organize the department's annual undergraduate Larock Symposium
Library Liason
Represents the Chemistry Department's interest in Library matters, mainly arguing for maintaining
adequate support for Chemistry Books and Journals collection.
Miller Symposium
Organize the department's annual R. Bryan Miller Symposium.
Picnic
Plan and host the annual departmental picnic.
Safety
Make recommendations regarding safety practices and management programs. Investigate and make
recommendations in response to employee safety suggestions. Review results of inspections and
investigations of accidents and injuries, and make recommendations where appropriate. Provide
direction to the department's Safety Coordinator. Facilitate the dissemination of safety information.
Seminar
Administer the department's seminar program. Oversee the seminar budget and special seminar
allocations. Provide strategic guidelines and oversight to maximize diversity. Manage the online
seminar calendar. Facilitate the Student Invited Seminar Speaker program. Manage and grade
CHE290. Facilitate recruiting seminars.
Space & Facilities
Make recommendations regarding the allocation and use of the department's space and facilities.
Undergraduate Affairs
Establish and monitor program requirements for the A.B. and B.S. degrees. Evaluate course articulation
proposals. Coordinate with Departmental Staff Advisor to plan Summer Freshman and Transfer Advising,
and events such as Preview Day. With Departmental Staff Advisor co-supervise Peer Advisors.
Coordinate with both Staff and Peer Advisors to review and approve advisee's coursework, and to
monitor advisee's progress and provide appropriate guidance. Recommend undergraduate students and
rank applicants for departmental scholarships and awards and for honors at graduation.
Webpage/Computer
Maintain and develop the departmental website; coordinate with the computer shop to maintain the
faculty information webpage on the departmental site; hire and direct a service to maintain and develop
the departmental website; coordinate with other committees to host development and outreach events.
GRADUATE GROUP
Executive Committee
The committee is chaired by the GPC chair and is comprised of the GPC Admissions Chair, the GPC
Membership Chair, one member of Graduate Affairs, and two at large (one of these coming from the
non-departmental faculty) GPC members appointed by the Department Chair for one-year renewable
terms; all members are voting members except the Department MSO and Student Affairs Officer(s) who
serve as ex-officio, non-voting members. The duties of this Committee include: (1) determine and
implement policy and program changes for the good of the Program; (2) provide an initial review of GPC
membership applications; (3) provide renewal review of non-departmental GPC membership; (4)
represent the interests of the GPC to various University communities and other agencies.
Graduate Group Membership
Make recommendations regarding membership in the Graduate Group.
Graduate Admissions
Recruit applicants for graduate program. Review applications for admission. Make recommendations for
admission and for receipt of first-year fellowships and awards. Approve non-chemistry TAs.
Graduate Affairs
The committee is comprised of the Graduate Advisors, the GPC Chair, who serves as Chair of the
Graduate Affairs Committee, one at-large non-Departmental GPC member, and the GPC’s Student
Affairs Officer(s). All members are voting members except the SAO who serves as an ex-officio, nonvoting member. The duties of this Committee include: (1) develop, maintain, and recommend curricular
policy to the Executive Committee; (2) supervise teaching assignments and teaching experience of
graduate students, (3) develop and maintain uniform academic guidance policy; (4) oversee other
educational matters requiring collective action or consideration; (5) recommend to Graduate Studies the
composition of committees administering the qualifying examination for advancement to Ph.D.
candidacy, and thesis/dissertation committees. Thesis/Dissertation committees shall be comprised of at
least three members, two of whom should usually be members of the GPC at the time the Committee is
established. The major professor (thesis mentor) of each student enrolled in the GPC must be a member
of the GPC (see C.6 regarding terminated GPC faculty membership).
CHAIR’S COMMITTEES
Administrative Advisory
Advise the Chair on various departmental matters.
Awards and Nominations
Investigate the availability of campus and off-campus awards for faculty and staff. Solicit information
concerning what awards faculty are eligible for. Assist the chair with nominations. Recommend nominees
and prepare nomination package for awards.
International and Industrial Partnerships
Establish mechanisms for the involvement of the chemistry department in the QBIII/IV initiative.
Regularly meet with Careers in Chemistry and Pharm Chem 130B industrial speakers to promote
industrial involvement in our programs. Interface with Miller Symposium to maximize the department
exposure to Industrial speakers.
New Building Committee
Create a strategic plan for a “chemistry complex” that includes renovation of Chemistry and Chemistry
Annex as well a New Building. Interface with campus planning personnel on drafting a concept drawing
of new building and working with development committee to help market these initiatives. Assist the
Chair with development outreach and fund raising initiatives. Encourage donations through naming
opportunities.
Publicity and Outreach
Improve publicity for department awards, science, and news – primarily through the department website,
but also by serving as a liaison with the Director of Marketing of Communications for Letters & Science,
and with the UC Davis News office, to ensure greater coverage of chemistry in various institutional news
outlets. Foster positive interactions with the public and chemistry community. Raise visibility for the
department to help increase our national ranking. Serve as liaison with the Graduate Affairs committee to
advertise the graduate program and recruit applicants. Make recommendations for department
newsletters, webpages, and other publicity opportunities. Assist the Chair with development outreach
and fund raising initiatives. Foster positive relations with emeriti and alumni. Encourage donations.
AD HOC COMIITTEE(S)
Student Learning Outcomes
Collect learning outcomes data and implement learning outcomes plan.