Bylaws

Jump below to

1. Objective
2. Membership
3. Administration
4. Graduate Program Director
5. Committees
6. Student Representatives
7. Graduate Advisers
8. Meetings
9. Quorum
10. Order of Business for Meetings
11. Amendments

Article I. Objective

A. Degree(s) offered by the program: Master of Science (MS) in Artificial Intelligence and Computational Drug Discovery and Development (AICD3).

B. Discipline: A brief statement on the discipline(s) of the program.

The program establishes and administers a graduate program focusing on interdisciplinary and research interests in Artificial Intelligence and Computational Drug Discovery and Development. This is achieved through a combination of didactic education and experiential learning, drawing from various departments across the School of Pharmacy and more.

C. Mission of the Program:

The goal of the AICD3 Program is to provide rigorous and comprehensive training to students in computational tools and applications encompassing artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, and other data-driven methods to bolster the discovery and development of new drugs and therapies. By fostering interdisciplinary learning, we aim to position our graduates at the forefront of the biopharmaceutical industry and academia, ensuring they are competitive for the best opportunities in these domains.

Article II. Membership

A. Criteria for Membership in the Graduate Program:

Authority to define criteria for faculty membership in the AICD3 Program is delegated to the Executive Committee, including criteria for inclusion, exclusion, and removal. Further, authority is also delegated to the Executive Committee to propose and administer bylaws governing faculty participation and conduct. Membership is independent and separate from academic department appointments. Membership is based upon disciplinary expertise and active research, so members throughout campus are eligible for consideration to membership in the group.

B. Voting rights:

Graduate program matters will be determined by a vote of the Executive Committee members. All members of the Executive Committee will have an equal vote.

C. Application for membership:

1. How faculty may apply:

   To become a member of the AICD3 Program, faculty must formally apply to the program and have their application approved by the AICD3 Executive Committee. Faculty members can apply by submitting a CV and a statement of interest and qualifications to the Executive Committee. Nomination for membership is also available. Membership in the AICD3 program is considered a privilege and a responsibility.

2. Anticipated contributions that graduate faculty members will perform as a member.
   1. Faculty in the AICD3 program are expected to demonstrate their commitment to the program by regularly participating in program activities. These may include teaching in courses; presenting or serving as a coach for the journal club or seminar series; serving as an academic advisor; outreach and other activities that promote diversity and inclusivity in the AICD3 program; participating in recruitment and interviews; regular attendance at program events; and AICD3 program committee service.
   2. Mentoring and teaching in the lab: Program faculty are expected to maintain a productive and inclusive training environment for students. Relevant measures may include evidence that the laboratory environment is welcoming to and supportive of trainees from all backgrounds; that lab students complete their degrees in a timely manner; and that students successfully transition into careers in the scientific workforce.
   3. Participation in faculty mentor development activities: Program faculty must participate in a Capstone Project Mentor Development Program. Specifically, each faculty member with an AICD3 student in their lab must complete the DEI Champion’s Training within 1 year of accepting a student into their lab and take part in at least one mentorship development activity of their choosing each successive year. Typically, an “activity” will be a University-sponsored training, such as the courses offered by the Graduate Division. However, the development of strong mentorship skills is an ongoing process that extends beyond any single course, and faculty are encouraged to seek mentorship development opportunities in many different ways. Faculty who undertake significant activities outside of the University-sponsored training may petition the program to allow these activities to satisfy the mentor development activity requirement in a given year.

3. Compliance with University policies and Program values:

   Program faculty are expected to comply with all university policies and uphold the values of the training program, including but not limited to the University Code of Conduct (APM-016); UC Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment; the UC Policy on Discrimination, and the Harassment, and Affirmative Action in the Workplace; scientific misconduct and/or financial improprieties.

D. Emeritus Status:

Emeritus faculty with active research programs may remain members of the program and are afforded the following rights: they may attend and participate in program activities (including meetings and administrative committees), may teach graduate courses, and may serve on student committees. Emeritus faculty on the Executive Committee may vote on policy and bylaw issues related to the program.

E. Review of Membership:

The criteria for reviewing members of the program is the same for all members. Each faculty member’s contributions to the program shall be reviewed once every three years for the purpose of identifying faculty members who are not providing a minimal level of service to the program.

1. Obtaining relevant information:

   To ensure compliance with these requirements the Program Director and Executive Committee need to have the relevant information about faculty conduct. While information about faculty participation in program events and training is readily attainable, information about other types of violations may be difficult to obtain if, for example, the University is not forthcoming with information about faculty violations of University policies, or an individual who experiences a hostile interaction in the workplace does not report it. Thus, considering the different types and sources of information that are needed, the AICD3 Program proactively seeks to track compliance with these requirements in multiple ways, as described in section 4.2 below.

2. Violations of program expectations for faculty conduct:

   The Graduate Program Directors, Executive Committee, and Program Coordinators are in frequent communication with trainees, faculty, the Graduate Division, and the University administration to monitor for compliance with all membership policy requirements. This can include reports from the Bias Response Team (once it has been established) or other communications from the Graduate Division, and communications from the University administration about faculty violations of the University Code of Conduct. The Executive Committee will promptly revoke program membership at any time upon learning about faculty conduct detrimental to the program or the safety and welfare of its members. Examples of evidence of this type of detrimental conduct include (but are not limited to), official findings by the University that a faculty member has violated Title VII or IX, or legal determinations of guilt (including settlements out of court) that may not have resulted in a University sanction.

In addition, faculty may also be put on suspension or removed from the program for conduct that has not resulted in a University or legal sanction but nonetheless has been determined by the Executive Committee to be detrimental to the program or the safety and welfare of its members. This may include serious or sustained actions that create a hostile work environment such as a pattern of racist, sexist, or homophobic remarks or behavior, or a significant lack of professionalism or integrity. Indeed, the AICD3 program expects all of its faculty members to represent and uphold UCSF values of Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity and Excellence.

The Executive Committee will develop a course of action on a case-by-case basis. For example, faculty who are found to have violated Title VII or IX will be removed from the program immediately and are generally not eligible to reapply whereas the plan of action to address less severe violations may include interventions by program leadership, mediation, additional training, etc. before a decision to suspend or remove a faculty member from the program is reached. In any of these cases, the program may seek guidance from University offices and resources, such as the Office of Academic Affairs, the Office of the Ombuds, and the Graduate Division.

F. Membership Appeal Process:

If membership is denied or not renewed, faculty can appeal to the Executive Committee for reconsideration.

Article III. Administration

The administration of the AICD3 program will be vested in the Executive Committee and the Program Director.

Article IV. Graduate Program Director

A. Director appointment process:

The AICD3 Program director will be nominated in consultation with the Executive Committee and approved by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee provided that a quorum is present.

B. Director terms of service:

The Director commits to serving for at least three years unless extenuating circumstances call for a shorter term.

C. Duties of the Director:

The Director: a) provides overall academic leadership for the program; b) develops and implements policies for the program; c) represents the interests of the program to the campus and University administrators; d) calls and presides at meetings of the Executive Committee; e) calls and presides at meetings of the program; f) is responsible for coordinating all administrative matters with the Graduate Division and the program administrators; g) manages the budgets of the program; h) takes responsibility for the submission of competitive and non-competitive renewals of the training grant, if applicable (and is often the Lead PI of the training grant); i) submits course change or approval forms; and j) is responsible for the accuracy of all publications related to the program including web pages and catalog copy.

Article V. Committees

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall consist of the director of the program plus at least four faculty selected from the membership. All members have voting rights. The faculty members of the Executive Committee shall be elected for a three-year term, which is renewable.

Election of faculty members of the Executive Committee: nomination shall be made by e-mail to the Program Director or the Program Administrator. Elections shall be conducted by a vote of the Executive Committee

The principal duties of the Executive Committee shall be to determine and implement policy for the good of the program, determine program membership, and to represent the interests of the program generally to various universities and other agencies.

The Executive Committee shall meet at least annually. Additional meetings and executive sessions may be held as deemed necessary, or upon petition by three members of the program. In some cases, decisions can be made by email without calling a meeting of the committee members.

Admissions Committee

The Admissions Committee shall consist of at least four faculty members, and one student. The committee members will review and rank the written applications to select applicants for an interview, and will assess interview evaluations to select applicants for admission. Faculty and student members will serve for one-year renewable terms.

Curriculum Committee

The Curriculum Committee will consist of at least 4 faculty members serving renewable 2-year terms. The committee shall meet yearly and additionally as needed. Its responsibilities are to review course requirements for the program and make appropriate additions and deletions to the list of relevant courses; review Capstone Project requirements and make appropriate modifications; develop recommended areas of specialization; manage resources related to space, computing, and student funding, and identify new needs and opportunities in these areas; actively solicit student feedback; propose guidelines for student support including advising and mentoring; and identify and evaluate new instructional faculty.

Article VI. Student Representatives

Student representatives are self-nominated or nominated by the students, typically in response to a Committee Service Announcement sent out by email. The nominees submit a short description of their interest in the position and particular qualifications, if applicable. The Program Director or Committee Chair will select the student representative from the list of nominees. The term of service and voting rights of the student representative will be determined by the Chair of the committee.

Article VII. Graduate Advisers

AICD3 Program students will be assigned a Graduate Academic Advisor upon enrollment in the Program. The Graduate Academic Advisor will serve as the students’ first point of contact and play an important role in facilitating and supporting the students’ academic and professional pursuits throughout the program. The Graduate Academic Advisors will monitor the students’ progress and address any academic and administrative concerns that may arise. Students will be required to have in-person meetings with their Graduate Academic Advisor at least twice each quarter. Students will also be paired with Capstone Project Advisors (or co-Advisors), who will be identified in the third quarter of the program (Spring quarter of the students’ first year). Students will not be expected to have identified a Capstone Advisor at time of application. The Graduate Advisor is someone who will be outside of capstone project choice, and thus a neutral person to confide in and discuss issues that may be uncomfortable to discuss with a Capstone Advisor. The Graduate Advisor can be an important ally during the student’s time in the program in case of conflicts with faculty, postdocs or other students. Advisors will focus on career advice rather than scientific advice, so students may be paired with advisors outside of their field of interest.

Article VIII. Meetings

The AICD3 program will hold at least one general membership meeting annually, with special meetings convened as required. Meetings will be governed by accepted procedures and will be documented with minutes distributed to members post-meeting. At this meeting, the Program Director will summarize recent programmatic changes and updates, and will open the floor for input from the students. Suggestions from this meeting will be taken into consideration by the Program Director as they set policy for the coming year and will be discussed with the Executive Committee, as appropriate.

Article IX. Quorum

All issues that require a vote must be:

• Voted on by at least 50% of the Executive Committee Membership
• On graduate program matters other than amendment/revision of bylaws, passage requires a supporting vote by at least 50% supporting vote of the members voting.
• On amendments and revision of bylaws: passage requires a supporting vote by at least two thirds of the members voting.

If balloting is conducted via e-mail or web-based technology, 10 days must be provided for expression of opinions about the proposal prior to the acceptance of votes; the program must allow 14 days for votes to be returned or before the "polls are closed."

Article X. Order of Business for Meetings

The AICD3 Program does not have a set order of meetings.

Article XI. Amendments

Amendments to these bylaws may be made in accordance with the program's quorum policy in Article IX. Program members may propose amendments by petition to the program Director. The program Director, or relevant program committee, may ask for revisions from the faculty who submitted proposed amendments before forwarding the revisions to the membership for review and voting. Quorum, voting and passage is prescribed in Article IX. All amendments and revisions must be submitted to the Graduate Council for review and approval; changes in the bylaws will become effective upon approval by the Graduate Council.