Dear Graduate Coordinators and Program Directors,
This is a friendly reminder to review and update your program’s Graduate Program Handbook and Bylaws to ensure alignment with current Graduate School Policies and Procedures. Regular updates provide clear guidance to students and faculty while ensuring compliance with institutional and accreditation standards.
Graduate Program Handbooks: The Primary Source for Curriculum and Milestone Requirements
The Graduate Program Handbook is the only front-facing source for graduate degree curriculum, including milestone requirements and processes for academic assessment. It should comprehensively document degree expectations, academic progression, and student evaluation criteria. To ensure transparency and accessibility for prospective students, please also update handbook links on your program’s Degree Fact Sheet.
Resources for Guidance
These resources outline key elements to include, examples of best practices, and submission protocols.
Key Update Requirements
- Please ensure your Graduate Program Handbook clearly separates academic performance evaluation from Academic Student Employee (ASE) performance evaluation to comply with Chapter Nine – Graduate Assistantships of the Graduate School Policies and Procedures Manual, as well as the Graduate Program Handbook Guidance. This separation is crucial for clarity and compliance with University and Graduate School policies.
- Use the Fact Sheet Knowledge Base to ensure handbook links are updated so prospective students can easily access the most current information.
Submission Links
Once updates are complete, submit the revised documents for review:
Importance of Timely Updates
Graduate handbooks and bylaws are essential for outlining academic policies, program expectations, and grievance procedures. Regular updates help maintain transparency and ensure program quality, as emphasized in the Graduate School Policies and Procedures Manual (2025-2026).
If you have questions or need assistance with the review process, please contact Greg Crouch at gcrouch@wsu.edu.
Thank you for your dedication to providing clear and consistent guidance for our graduate students.
Greg Crouch