This document serves as the primary operations guide and job aid for anyone stepping into the role of LT PhD Program Director. It covers every recurring responsibility (daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, semester, and annual), with direct references to the forms, contacts, systems, and policies needed to execute those responsibilities.

The LT PhD program is offered in two formats:

• Residential Offering: campus-based, face-to-face and hybrid courses.
• Distributed Online Offering: fully online, with a mandatory annual face-to-face meeting in the fall.

Key Contacts for the PhD Director

Program Spreadsheets and Files

• LT PhD Student Tracking Spreadsheet: master record of all active doctoral students. Tabs: Active Students (milestone dates, status, enrollment), Graduated (degree posted, dissertation chair), LOA/Inactive. Location: MS Teams PhD Program folder. Update within 24 hours of any milestone event.
• Admissions Spreadsheet: tracks all applicants from inquiry through admission decision. Tabs: Applications (applicant name, ID, date complete, decision, date decided), Deferred, Declined. Location: MS Teams PhD Program folder. Eryn Maccabee populates from GradCAS; director records final decisions.
• Advising Contact Log: records all director contacts with students and prospective students. Columns: advisor initials, student name, contact info, contact type, date/time, length, topic code, resolution code, notes. Location: MS Teams PhD Program folder.
• Email Templates Folder: admission letters (Regular and Conditional), milestone emails (portfolio, proposal, exit), monthly student update template. Location: MS Teams PhD Program folder.
• Annual Meeting Website: draft and live site for the fall distributed student residency meeting. URL: fall2026res.systemly.space.

Critical Systems & Locations

• Student degree plans: lt.unt.edu department web page
• Degree plan forms: lt.unt.edu department web page
• Doctoral Handbook: August 2023 version (living document; update each August)
• Annual meeting: Fall semester (September/October), mandatory for distributed students
• MS Teams folder: primary shared storage for program documents and spreadsheets
• UNT Graduate Catalog: students are responsible for following all catalog rules
• Jones Student Support Tool: AI-powered knowledge base for student questions, at jones.systemly.space

Day-One Systems Access Checklist

• LT-PhD@unt.edu listserv: all department faculty can email this list directly. Confirm students are subscribed; contact Eryn Maccabee to add new students.
• MS Teams, PhD Program folder: all spreadsheets and template files live here. Request access from Eryn Maccabee or the department chair if not already provisioned.
• GradCAS: Eryn Maccabee manages all GradCAS access and data capture. Coordinate with her; you do not need direct system access.
• UNT Email (LT-PhD@unt.edu): confirm you have send rights for program-wide communications.
• Department Website (lt.unt.edu): know where forms are located: degree plan, degree plan change, tools waiver, special problems.
• Jones Knowledge Base (jones.systemly.space: Familiarize yourself with it so you can direct students there for common policy questions.

2.1 Check & Respond to Program Email

Check the program email account(s) each morning (9-10 AM) and again in the late afternoon (3:30-4:30 PM). The primary inbox handles admissions questions, advising inquiries, and general program information requests from current and prospective doctoral students.

Daily Email Triage Protocol

• Simple questions: Answer directly from program website, handbook, or catalog. Reference the doctoral handbook page or section when possible.
• Complex admissions questions: Refer to Toulouse Graduate School (TGS) for university-level questions; answer department-level questions yourself.
• Student issues / academic problems: Log in advising spreadsheet and schedule follow-up as needed.
• Escalation trigger: Issues involving grade appeals, ARC, IRB violations, or dismissal should go directly to the Department Chair.

2.2 Monitor Student Academic Status

Scan the current students list daily during high-activity periods (start of semester, end of semester, around advising deadlines). Flag any student who appears to have missed an enrollment deadline, has an unresolved incomplete, or has not been in contact per their expected program timeline.

2.3 Advising Appointment Requests

Current students requesting advising should be directed to the online scheduling system. Phone messages should be returned within 24 hours. Log all contacts in the advising spreadsheet including:

• Advisor initials
• Student name and contact information
• Contact type (in-person / phone / email)
• Date and time
• Length of appointment
• Topic and resolution codes (see spreadsheet tabs)
• Notes for future reference

2.4 Prospective Student Inquiries

Track all contacts from prospective PhD applicants with date, name, and relevant program information. Respond within 72 hours. Direct them to:

• Program overview: lt.unt.edu/doctoral
• Application information: TGS admissions site
• Financial aid: tgs.unt.edu/future-students/funding-your-graduate-education

2.5 Monitor and Respond to the LT PhD Listserv

The LT PhD listserv (LT-PhD@unt.edu) is the primary broadcast channel for all enrolled doctoral students. All department faculty can email it directly; no special access is required. Check it every day.

Daily Listserv Protocol

• Read all incoming messages: Scan for anything requiring a director response: registration issues, policy questions, milestone questions, complaints.
• Reply within 24 hours: For simple questions, reply directly. For issues involving a specific student, follow up privately and log in the advising spreadsheet.
• Broadcast announcements: Use the listserv for program-wide updates: deadlines, annual meeting logistics, registration reminders, graduation deadlines, and the monthly student update email (see Section 5.1).
• Route registration errors to Eryn: If a student cannot register due to a permission or consent issue, forward to Eryn Maccabee (eryn.maccabee@unt.edu). She has system rights to add students to courses with department consent requirements.

3.1 Review and Action Incoming Applications

Eryn Maccabee provides a compiled list from GradCAS of newly completed applications. Review and make decisions each week. The process involves:

• Review TGS admission status for each applicant to confirm GPA requirements are met (3.0 cumulative undergraduate, or 3.5 completed master's).
• Review department application materials: letters of recommendation, resume/CV, personal statement, placement test scores if required.
• Enter admission decisions in GradCAS. Eryn Maccabee will email and mail acceptance letters to admitted students once all decisions for a review cycle are complete.
• Two letter templates are in the MS Teams PhD folder: Regular and Conditional. Fill in: student name, ID, cohort year, AGF name, major professor name, starting semester. For conditional admits: replace the placeholder with the specific requirements the student must meet to continue. For international students: attach the Departmental Verification of Award document (international.unt.edu/content/forms). Send finalized letter files to Eryn for printing and mailing.

3.2 Degree Plan Creation and Review

Degree plans must be filed before the end of a student's second semester of coursework. Weekly, check for:

• Newly admitted students who need a degree plan meeting scheduled.
• Students approaching the second-semester deadline who have not yet filed.
• Degree plan change requests requiring coordinator review and chair signature.

Degree Plan Filing Steps

• Student works with major professor to create draft degree plan.
• Major professor and student's academic committee review and approve.
• Eryn Maccabee submits the approved plan to TGS once all signatures are collected.
• Copy stored digitally (Teams folder) and physically in student file.

3.3 Advising Appointments with Current Students

Hold scheduled advising appointments with doctoral students on topics including course selection, degree plan questions, committee formation, and program milestone planning. For questions that can be answered from the handbook or catalog, direct students there first. Direct students to the Jones knowledge base (jones.systemly.space) for common policy questions before scheduling a meeting.

3.4 Committee Formation Monitoring

Students must engage a major professor by end of second semester (residential) or receive AGF assignments upon entry (distributed). Track weekly during first year:

• Confirm AGF has made initial contact with newly admitted students.
• Confirm major professor selection is on track for end of first year.
• Flag students who have not identified a major professor by start of second year.

3.5 Deferred / Near-Complete Applications Follow-Up

Identify applicants close to completing their application and send a follow-up email offering assistance. Update the Admissions spreadsheet with the contact date and any information about when they expect to finish.

3.6 Track Your Time

Log all time spent on program tasks for workload documentation. Present to Chair or Dean if additional resources are needed.

3.7 Review GradCAS for New Completed Applications

Eryn Maccabee manages GradCAS logins and data capture for all doctoral applications. Your role is to review the compiled list Eryn provides and make admission decisions.

• Eryn pulls the weekly completed-application list from GradCAS and forwards it to you for review.
• Eryn adds new applicants to the Admissions spreadsheet with the completion date.
• Flag applications for the next scheduled admissions review cycle (see Section 9).
• If a near-complete application is visible, send a brief follow-up email offering help completing it.

3.8 Update the LT PhD Student Tracking Spreadsheet

The master record for all active doctoral students. Update it weekly, and immediately when any milestone event occurs.

What to Update and When

• Milestone completions: Record date in milestone column the same day or within 24 hours.
• Candidacy status: Update from "coursework" to "candidate" after portfolio defense; update to "ABD" after proposal defense.
• Graduation: Move from Active tab to Graduated tab after confirmed TGS paperwork. Record graduation semester and dissertation chair.
• LOA / inactive status: Note when LOA is approved and expected return date. Flag students who become inactive without approved LOA.
• Degree plan changes: Record the date any change is filed with TGS.
• Tools waivers: Record approval or denial date once the major professor has reviewed.

3.9 Send Milestone Emails to Individual Students

When a student completes a major program milestone, send a milestone email with specific next-step instructions. These are not generic congratulations; they contain required action items. Three milestone types require a director email.

3.9.1 After Successful Portfolio / Oral Defense

Send after the committee confirms a successful portfolio defense. Update [Insert Student Name] before sending. Template file: Successful_Portfolio_Defense_Message_Template.docx, stored in the MS Teams PhD folder.

3.9.2 After Successful Dissertation Proposal Defense

Send after the committee confirms a successful proposal defense. Update [INSERT NAME] before sending. Template file: Successful_Proposal_Defense_Message_Template.docx, stored in the MS Teams PhD folder.

3.9.3 After Successful Dissertation Defense: Exit Email

Send immediately after a successful dissertation defense. Template file: LT_PhD_Exit_Email_Text.docx, stored in the MS Teams PhD folder. Update student last name and graduation semester before sending.

3.10 Sign and Process Pending Forms

Each week, review any forms waiting for the director's signature or action. Do not let these accumulate; unsigned forms delay student progress and TGS processing.

• Degree plans: review with major professor approval, sign, Eryn submits to TGS, file copy in Teams.
• Degree plan change forms: confirm the change is appropriate, sign, submit to TGS.
• Tools waiver applications: forward to the relevant major professor; record decision in spreadsheet; notify student.
• Dissertation committee forms: confirm 3-5 members with UNT graduate faculty status, sign, submit to TGS.
• Dissertation proposal defense scheduling forms: confirm the 10-day submission rule is met, sign.
• LOA requests: review with the major professor, approve or deny, file with TGS via Eryn Maccabee.
• Special problems and independent study forms (LTEC 6900/6910): confirm instructor agreement, sign, process.

4.1 Bi-Weekly Meeting with Eryn Maccabee

Meet with Eryn Maccabee bi-weekly to coordinate on administrative tasks, registration issues, and items requiring staff action.

Standing Agenda Items

• Registration issues: Review students who could not self-register and confirm Eryn has added them.
• Pending TGS forms: Confirm any forms submitted since the last meeting have been received and processed by TGS.
• LOA documentation: Confirm LOA paperwork sent to TGS has been filed correctly.
• System access: Flag any digital rights or system access issues needing resolution.
• Upcoming deadlines: Review student or program deadlines in the next two weeks requiring staff action.
• Annual meeting logistics: During spring and early fall, coordinate planning for the distributed students' annual face-to-face meeting.

4.2 Admissions Review Cycle

Formal admissions reviews happen on or around the schedule in Section 9. For each review cycle:

• Compile completed applications received since last review.
• Evaluate department materials against admissions criteria.
• Communicate decisions to TGS and students within two working days of decision.
• Update Admissions spreadsheet with decision date and outcome.

4.3 Deferred Admissions List Review

Eryn Maccabee provides a weekly compiled list from GradCAS of newly completed doctoral applications. Separately, the Graduate School may post a deferred admissions list of applicants with near-complete applications. These are two different lists: the GradCAS completed-application list is your primary admissions queue; the deferred list identifies applicants still working through the process. Pull the deferred list from the shared drive (or ask Eryn), upload to the MS Teams PhD folder, and follow up with any doctoral applicants who need help completing their application.

4.4 ARC Check

Bi-weekly, scan current student records for any students who may be triggering Academic Review Committee (ARC) conditions:

• Two or more grades of C or W in coursework
• Any single grade of D, F, I (distributed students), or WF
• Inactive for one year without an approved leave of absence
• Distributed students missing a semester without an approved LOA or transition plan

5.1 Send Monthly LT PhD Student Update Email

Send a monthly update to all active PhD students via the LT-PhD@unt.edu listserv. Template file: December 2025 PhD Student Update.docx, stored in the MS Teams PhD program folder.

Standard Sections to Include Each Month

• Opening: Brief greeting acknowledging where students are in the semester.
• Academic calendar dates: Key dates for the current and upcoming session: registration deadlines, last day to drop, finals, and graduation. Pull from registrar.unt.edu/academic-calendar-by-semester.html.
• Registration reminders: Upcoming registration opens, consent course processes, who to contact if registration fails (Eryn Maccabee, eryn.maccabee@unt.edu).
• Recent graduates: List any students who graduated since the last update with dissertation chair noted. Format: Dr. [Name] (Chair: Dr. [Name]).
• Program news: Course offerings, new faculty, annual meeting dates, professional development opportunities.
• Closing: Encouragement and director contact: LT-PhD@unt.edu | 940-565-2057. Direct students to Jones knowledge base (jones.systemly.space) for quick policy questions.

5.2 Review Tools Waiver Applications

Each month, check for pending tools waiver applications from newly admitted students. Waivers must be resolved before the degree plan is filed.

• Confirm the student has met with their major professor to discuss the waiver.
• Major professor reviews waiver criteria against the student's background (see Appendix B of the doctoral handbook for LTEC 5210, 5220, and 5420 criteria).
• Major professor makes the recommendation; director reviews and approves or denies.
• Record decision date in the LT PhD tracking spreadsheet.
• Notify the student and adjust the degree plan accordingly before filing.

5.3 Student Progress Audit

Review the full current-student roster once per month against each student's expected milestone timeline:

• Are they enrolled this semester per their degree plan?
• Have they hit coursework-stage milestones on schedule?
• Is the portfolio/qualifying exam approaching? Are they in their final semester of coursework?
• Dissertation students: are they continuously enrolled in LTEC 6950 (minimum 3 credit hours per fall/spring)?
• Have any dissertating students missed a filing deadline that could invalidate dissertation credit?

5.4 Portfolio / Qualifying Exam Scheduling

For students entering their final semester of coursework, confirm portfolio submission and oral exam scheduling. Key requirements:

• Portfolio submitted to committee a minimum of 10 days before the oral exam.
• Required application paperwork filed before exam date.
• Student must be enrolled to defend the portfolio.
• Portfolio must include: Professional Overview, CV, 6 scholarly papers (at least 2 publishable), 2 conference presentations, 2 technology-based creative works.
• Note: LTEC 6480 (Dissertation Prep) is the required final coursework course for distributed students; confirm enrollment before scheduling the defense.

5.5 Dissertation Milestone Tracking

For ABD students (post-proposal), track monthly:

• IRB approval status: confirm the major professor has submitted and received IRB approval before any data collection begins. IRB submission is the major professor's responsibility (faculty status required); the director's role is only to confirm it is in place.
• Data collection / analysis progress (check in with major professor if needed).
• Graduation application status: students should apply for graduation on my.unt.edu to generate the Toulouse Oral Defense Form (required at least 2 weeks before defense).
• Continuous enrollment verification.

5.6 Advising Tally

• Total contacts by advisor
• Total hours spent on advising
• Share semester totals with Chair and Dean at end of each semester

5.7 Update Handbook (If Needed)

Note any policy, personnel, or process changes during the month and flag for the August annual handbook revision. The handbook is a living document and must reflect current policies.

6.1 Start-of-Semester Checklist

6.1.1 Welcome Email (2 weeks before semester start)

• Greeting and any program / departmental updates
• Registration reminders and deadlines
• Graduation deadlines for current graduating cohort
• Annual meeting date (distributed students; mandatory attendance)
• Contact information and advising scheduling link

6.1.2 Registration Monitoring

• Distributed students: 2 courses per semester (fall, spring, summer)
• Residential students: typically 3 courses per long semester
• Dissertation students: minimum 3 hours LTEC 6950 per fall and spring
• Verify special permission codes issued for LTEC 6950, LTEC 6900, LTEC 6700/6701 where needed

6.1.3 Course Setup Communication: communicate to Beth Dolliver by:

6.2 End-of-Semester Checklist

6.2.1 End-of-Semester Email (1 week before end)

• Reminder of incomplete request procedures if needed
• Registration reminders for the upcoming semester
• Upcoming graduation deadlines
• Annual meeting reminders (if fall)
• Contact / advising information

6.2.2 Incomplete and Withdrawal Processing

• Faculty and student coordinate and agree.
• Advising staff provides appropriate form.
• Form signed by all parties with specific completion dates.
• Submitted to Toulouse Graduate School.
• Copy stored digitally and in student's physical folder.

6.2.3 Graduation Clearance

• Applied for graduation via my.unt.edu
• Filed all required TGS dissertation paperwork (formatting, approval, submission)
• Generated the Toulouse Oral Defense Form (auto-generated upon graduation application; required at least 2 weeks before defense)
• Confirmed regalia rental/purchase deadline met
• Registered for the LT Graduate Reception if participating

6.3 Annual Face-to-Face Meeting (Distributed Students)

Mandatory for distributed students; satisfies the Texas state residency requirement. Held the last week of September, four days approximately (40 hours total in-person engagement). Draft website: fall2026res.systemly.space.

Annual Meeting Planning Timeline

• March: begin planning. Confirm target dates (last week of September). Identify venue options.
• April: reserve the venue through UNT Facilities. Contact potential speakers: alumni presenter(s), Educational Research Exchange plenary speaker, and keynote. Obtain speaker approvals.
• June: confirm food and catering arrangements. Reserve hotel room block. Confirm faculty and student session presenters (ongoing through July).
• July 1: send the Educational Research Exchange call for proposals to current students and alumni. Proposal deadline: August 1.
• July: finalize the faculty and student session schedule. Confirm all speaker logistics.
• August 1: proposal submission deadline. Review and select proposals for ERE sessions.
• August: finalize the full meeting agenda. Communicate logistics to attendees. Update meeting website.
• Last week of September: annual meeting. Document attendance for TGS residency compliance.

Meeting Content

• Coursework-stage students: program requirements overview, major professor and committee guidance, degree plan finalization, portfolio development, research development.
• Dissertation-stage students (ABD): dissertation timeline review, research progress check-ins, graduation planning.
• Educational Research Exchange: student and alumni research presentations selected through the call for proposals process.
• Documentation: Collect and file attendance records with TGS to satisfy residency requirement.

6.4 Adjunct Preparation

• What course materials must the adjunct prepare vs. what is pre-designed?
• Confirm paperwork is filed: I-9, chair/dean/HR approvals as required.
• Provide job aid with due-date adjustments, syllabus updates, and course launch checklist.
• Communicate one month before course start.

7.1 Doctoral Handbook Annual Revision (August)

• Review all sections against current university catalog, TGS policies, and Texas Administrative Code (especially §5.46 residency requirements).
• Update the faculty roster on page 3, confirming all names, titles, and the AGF list.
• Review and update any policy changes approved by department or TGS over the past year.
• Update degree plan course lists if any new courses were added or retired.
• Save new version with August year stamp.
• Distribute to all current doctoral students at or before fall annual meeting.
• Collect signed Appendix D (Notice of Doctoral Handbook Compliance) from all new students.

7.2 Annual Enrollment Count (July-August)

• Active coursework students, broken down by residential vs. distributed
• Doctoral candidates (post-portfolio)
• ABD candidates (post-proposal, in dissertation stage)
• Graduates in calendar year

Track against prior years for trend analysis. Report to Chair.

7.3 Graduate Tally

Reconcile the graduated students list against the current students list. Confirm all graduation paperwork was successfully processed by TGS.

7.4 Annual Executive Report (Fall)

Produce a 5-10 page executive report covering:

• Enrollment trends by offering (residential vs. distributed)
• Admissions data: number admitted, time from application to admission
• Graduation data: number graduated, time-to-degree
• Portfolio/qualifying exam outcomes
• Dissertation proposal defense outcomes
• ARC actions taken
• Handbook and policy changes made
• Professional development and recruiting activities
• Recommendations for the coming year

Present to Chair and faculty each fall.

7.5 Conference & Recruiting Review

• Conferences attended and cost per trip
• Number of prospective PhD students contacted
• Number who applied; number admitted
• Evaluate return on investment and make recommendations to Chair for next year's conference budget

7.6 Website and Materials Review

• lt.unt.edu doctoral program pages
• TGS doctoral program listing
• Any program brochures or physical recruiting materials
• Verify all linked forms, handbook versions, and contact information are current

Quick reference for advising students on where they are in the program and what comes next.

The PhD program uses rolling admissions. Reviews happen monthly (twice during semester-start months). If a date falls on a weekend, move to the following Monday. Holiday weeks (March, November) shift to the week before.

Doctoral Admissions Requirements Checklist

• Bachelor's degree from accredited institution
• GPA of 3.0+ overall undergraduate, or 3.0+ on last 60 hours, or 3.5+ completed master's degree
• Placement test scores and/or GRE scores if GPA requirement not met (TGS provisional acceptance may apply)
• At least two letters of recommendation (per department recommendation form)
• Resume or CV
• Personal statement addressing goals, research expectations, and career plans
• International students: equivalent 4-year bachelor's degree; all documents submitted 6 months before enrollment; contact International Admissions Office

Compressed reference for high-frequency situations. For full detail, refer to the relevant numbered section above.

11.1 A Student Contacts You With a Problem: Decision Tree

11.2 ARC Trigger Checklist

ARC members: Major Professor + Doctoral Program Director + additional faculty appointed by Director. Possible outcomes: dismissal, coursework requirement, one-semester dismissal, remediation plan. Student may appeal using grade appeal process starting with program director.

11.3 Distributed Student Semester Sequence

Distributed students take a defined course sequence. Two courses per semester (fall, spring, summer) = 6 courses per year = 3-year coursework completion. Any deviation requires an approved LOA or transition plan. Do not allow students to skip semesters without paperwork.

11.4 Dissertation Enrollment Rules

• LTEC 6950 cannot be taken until portfolio defense is successfully passed.
• Minimum 3 credit hours of 6950 each fall and spring after candidacy.
• Maximum 9 credit hours of 6950 in any fall or spring semester.
• Summer enrollment required if using UNT facilities/faculty time that summer.
• Only 12 hours of 6950 are applied to the degree, though students may accumulate more.
• Failure to maintain continuous enrollment (without approved LOA) = invalidated dissertation credit or dismissal.

11.5 Key Dates Summary