- The Committee will inform you of any changes required in the thesis/dissertation. All committee members and the Department Head must sign your thesis/dissertation/professional paper in its final form.
- The Chair will notify the Graduate Dean of the date and results of the defense by a memorandum to be co-signed by the GPD.
- If you pass the defense, you must complete and sign the Degree Eligibility Form, obtain the required signatures, and deliver it to the Graduate School (Office of Degree Requirements) along with the required fees. For MS Thesis and Ph.D. Degrees, you must also submit your thesis/dissertation and the accompanying signature page to the Graduate School and see that digital copies are provided for the Department (delivered to the Main Office) and your major professor. Make sure and check on the deadlines set by the Graduate School for delivering theses/dissertations and other materials. Note, thesis/dissertation can now be submitted electronically, so check with the Graduate School for the procedures on submitting electronically.
- Consequences of failure. —If you fail the defense, you may petition (in writing) the Executive Committee of the Department within two weeks of the Examination. If the Executive Committee finds that your Committee has committed one or more procedural errors, it may ask your Committee to reconsider. If there are serious personality conflicts involved, the Executive Committee may ask the GPD to petition the Graduate School for a new committee to be appointed which may conduct a new defense. Also, you may seek help from the Graduate School directly either by contacting the Assistant Dean or by contacting the Graduate Council. Be aware that they may refuse to hear your petition. Be aware also, that if things get to this point, it is most difficult to resolve the situation to everyone's mutual satisfaction. For example, it may prove impossible to find faculty willing to serve on a new committee. Also, you may find help and advice through the university's Ombuds Office. Finally, your Committee may decide to table a FAIL vote and conduct a second (last) defense after allowing you time to make changes in your thesis/dissertation paper and presentation.