Mentor-Mentee Expectations#
Expectations of Research Advisors in the CS Department#
Educational Degree Progress#
Advisors are committed to prioritizing their students’ education by supporting students in their coursework and reviewing their academic progress toward their degree. They provide regular, timely feedback and goal-setting advice.
Respect students’ privacy and abide by the Federal Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA) in reviewing progress and providing feedback.
Bring concerns about progress to students’ attention in a timely manner.
Advisors are committed to students’ research projects and work with students to help plan and guide research projects, set reasonable and attainable goals, and establish timelines for completion of projects. Advisors encourage input from PhD Preliminary Examination Committee and Final Defense Committee members by:
Advising students on selecting committees that meet departmental and university policies
Acknowledging that the function of these committees is to help students develop and complete research requirements
Respecting the ideas and suggestions of their colleagues on the committees.
Advisors are also responsible for seeking and providing financial resources as appropriate and according to CS Department and Loyola guidelines for students to conduct their thesis/dissertation research.
Directing Research
Perhaps the most important responsibility an advisor has is to help students make progress toward a thesis. The advisor should help the student choose a research direction and remain focused on a line of work that will become that student’s thesis. The department strongly discourages assigning work that is not related to the student’s planned thesis.
Professional Development#
Advisors encourage students to attend and present their work at scientific/professional meetings and make an effort to secure and facilitate funding for such activities. Advisors also provide opportunities for students to discuss science and their research findings with colleagues and fellow scientists within the institution and broader scientific community.
Advisors promote training of students in professional skills needed for a successful career. They:
Promote training in oral and written communication, grant writing, the peer review process, management and leadership, collaborative research, responsible conduct of research, teaching, and mentoring.
Encourage students to seek opportunities to develop skills in other areas relevant to their professional development, even if not specifically required by the program.
Encourage students to seek career and professional development advice from multiple mentors.
Advisors create an environment in which students can discuss and explore career opportunities and paths that match their skills, values, and interests and are supportive of their career path choices. They:
Are accessible to give advice and feedback on career goals
Work with students on an individual development plan to help define career goals and identify training milestones
Provide letters of reference for students’ subsequent phases of professional development in a timely manner or discuss with the students why such a letter would not be in the students’ best interest
Continue interest and involvement as students move forward into careers.
Research Environment#
Advisors promote an environment that is intellectually stimulating, respectful, emotionally supportive, equitable, healthy, collegial, and free of harassment throughout students’ time in the research advisors’ groups. They:
Foster students’ professional confidence and encourage intellectual development, critical thinking, curiosity, and creativity
Set expectations for sharing of responsibilities amongst group members, such as cleaning and ordering supplies
Provide access to appropriate safety training for students
Provide guidelines for collaborative use of supplies, facilities, and equipment
Review data management, storage, and record-keeping policies and procedures with students.
Advisors demonstrate respect for all students as individuals without regard to gender, race, national origin, religion, disability or sexual orientation, and cultivate a culture of tolerance among the entire research group. Advisors respect disability accommodations approved by the Student Accessibility Center.
Scientific Integrity#
Advisors discuss intellectual-property policy issues regarding disclosure, patent rights, and publishing research discoveries with students. Advisors discuss authorship policies regarding papers with students. Advisors acknowledge students’ scientific contributions to the work in the research group and provide assistance to publish students’ work in a timely manner.
Expectations of Graduate Students (Mentees) in the CS Department#
Education and Degree Progress#
Students are committed to the successful completion of their degree. They:
Acknowledge they have the primary responsibility for their own education
Are committed to graduate education and demonstrate this responsibility in the classroom, the research environment, and all other related academic and professional activities
Exhibit a high level of professionalism, self-motivation, initiative, engagement, scientific curiosity, scientific integrity, and ethical standards
Understand that meeting program academic requirements will involve effort beyond the minimum requirements associated with an appointment.
Students keep research advisors informed on the progress and results of course work, research, and professional and career development activities. They:
Are responsive to the advice and constructive criticism from their advisor
Discuss timing of external activities requiring advisor input, such as fellowship applications or paper/conference submissions, well in advance of corresponding deadlines.
Students work with research advisors to develop a thesis/dissertation project. They:
Establish a timeline for each phase of their work
Keep engaged with the work, discuss experimental findings and any pitfalls, while working to meet established goals and deadlines.
PhD students work with research advisors to select a PhD Preliminary Examination Committee and take PhD Preliminary Examinations within three semesters of receiving Advanced Graduate Standing. They discuss progress and are responsive to the advice and constructive criticism from committee members. PhD students work with research advisors to complete and defend their PhD thesis in a timely manner according to CS Department expectations. Students are knowledgeable of the policies and requirements of their graduate program, graduate school, and institution as described in the CS Graduate Student Handbook and Loyola Guide.
Periodic Evaluation#
Each research/teaching assistant will be evaluated in writing at the conclusion of each semester. In the case of a research assistant, the evaluation should be completed by the research advisor and should be based on the performance in the assigned research tasks. In the case of a teaching assistant, the evaluation should be completed by the instructor of record and should be based on the observation of the teaching assistant in action.
Professional Development#
Students are committed to developing their careers. They:
Acknowledge that they have the primary responsibility for the development of their careers
Explore career opportunities and paths that match and develop their individual skills, values, and interests to achieve desired career goals
Understand that there are tools such as the individual development plan that help define career goals and develop training plans
Participate in training on research ethics
Seek career planning guidance throughout their graduate education from their research advisor(s), career counseling services, thesis/dissertation committee, and other mentors and resources.
Students attend and actively participate in research group meetings, seminars, and journal clubs that are part of their educational program. Students often seek out other enrichment opportunities, such as teaching, participation in professional organizations and meetings, membership on committees, and departmental events to further enhance research, leadership, and professional skills.
Research Environment#
Students are good citizens, take part in shared responsibilities and use resources responsibly. Students:
Maintain a safe and clean workspace
Are respectful of and work collegially with all research group personnel and fellow students
Contribute actively to all team reports and collaborations while respecting the individual contributions of others
Contribute to an environment that is safe, equitable, and free of harassment
Bring problems that arise to their advisor’s attention in a timely manner.
Students maintain detailed, organized, and accurate research records. Students acknowledge that ownership of original notebooks, digital files, data, and tangible research materials may be subject to sponsored research agreements and/or Loyola policies. They:
Understand these materials typically remain with the research group after finishing their thesis/dissertation so that other individuals can reproduce and carry on related research
Maintain archival versions of code and data for use by other individuals
Follow advisor and Loyola policy on making and accessing copies of research notebooks, digital files, and other tangible research materials for their own use.
Are knowledgeable of and comply with all Loyola research policies, including safety practices, animal use, and human-research policies.
Participate in the Loyola Responsible Conduct of Research Training Program and follow the guidelines presented therein while conducting research
Seek input on and comply with institutional policies regarding research design and data analysis.
Scientific Integrity#
Students consult with advisors to learn what research results may be discussed or shared with any entities outside the group prior to publication. They:
Keep information about problems they or others in the group are working on confidential
Obtain prior permission before discussing results not in the public knowledge with anyone outside the group.
Discuss policies on authorship and attendance at professional meetings with research advisors.
Adhere to agreed-upon timeframes for preparing drafts of manuscripts and presentations
Work with advisors to disseminate relevant research results in a timely manner before completion of degree requirements.
Students understand that fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research will result in severe consequences under Loyola research misconduct policies. Students comply with intellectual property, invention disclosure, and export control policies.