First Year Advising
During the 1st year, students meet quarterly with a Student Advisory Committee consisting of the NUIN Assistant Director and one member of the Faculty Advising Committee. This committee advises students regarding course selection, lab rotations, and helps to identify and address any potential problems. Students need not wait for formal meetings to receive advice, but are in fact encouraged to seek out any member of their committee as needed.

Second Year Advising
Second year students meet twice with an advising committee. The purpose of these meetings is to ensure that the transition into the thesis lab is going smoothly, to help in selection of remaining electives, to review deadlines for upcoming milestones, and to specifically address any questions or concerns related to the Qualifying Exam and Thesis Proposal.

Advising for Advanced Students
The NUIN faculty Advising and Progress to Degree Committee exists to “check in” on advanced students and to serve as a resource for advanced students should problems arise that are most appropriately handled outside of the laboratory or thesis committee environment. Students should feel comfortable approaching any member of this committee should the need arise.

Academic Standing
Academic progress is assessed after each quarter. Unsatisfactory academic progress may be due to any of the following:

• Failure to maintain a 3.0 GPA. This is a Graduate School rule.
• Failure to achieve a grade of at least B- in each of the NUIN required core courses after two attempts.
• Failure to meet NUIN requirements and milestone deadlines.
• Poor performance in laboratory rotations leading to an inability to find a thesis lab.
• Failure to make sufficient research progress as determined by a student’s advisor and thesis committee.

Students failing to make satisfactory academic progress will receive written notice from NUIN or The Graduate School and be placed on probation. In conjunction with the student’s advisor, advising committee, or thesis committee, as appropriate, a plan and deadlines will be developed to reestablish good standing. A failure to meet these conditions may result in dismissal from the program.

In addition to satisfying NUIN’s criteria for satisfactory academic progress, students must also satisfy those of The Graduate School, described here.