Introduction:


The academic cluster for graduate studies in Hydrologic Sciences is a unique interdisciplinary program designed to broaden the skills of science and engineering students who are interested in all aspects of water; i.e., occurrence, distribution, circulation, and use on and in earth. The Hydrologic Sciences deal with all issues pertinent to both quantity and quality of water.

Justification:


Because of the geophysical ubiquity of water and its significance in all aspects of life, research and educational programs in Hydrologic Sciences must involve the cooperative efforts of various natural science disciplines (e.g., geology, pedology, geography, limonology, and atmospheric sciences), engineering disciplines (e.g., civil, environmental, agricultural, and coastal/marine engineering), social sciences (e.g., resource economics, political science), and law. Thus, participation of faculty in several UF Colleges in the Hydrologic Sciences cluster is envisioned. The emphasis of the degree programs is on imparting to the students a thorough understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of hydrologic processes occurring at a broad range of spatial and temporal scales, as well as on developing skills in hydrologic management and policy based on a strong background in natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, and law.

Two problems are common to most of the existing university educational programs related to water. First, theoretical developments (understanding) in Hydrologic Sciences have followed, rather than led, applications promoted by engineers. As a result, the elaboration of the scientific basis for Hydrologic Sciences, the education of its practitioners, and the creation of its research culture have all been driven primarily by pragmatic approaches in engineering hydrology. Second, research and educational efforts have been fragmented into a variety of discipline departments located in several colleges. The need to overcome these constraints by developing interdisciplinary programs in Hydrologic Sciences has been articulated in a report published in 1991 by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). This report has catalyzed the development of interdisciplinary graduate programs at a number of U.S. universities, including MIT, University of California (Berkeley, Davis), University of Nevada (Reno), and University of Colorado (Boulder). Programs at other universities are in various stages of planning and approval. While these programs have many similarities, each has been designed to take full advantage of the faculty expertise available on the campus, and to promote cross-departmental collaboration to overcome the usual administrative constraints.

Back to Top

Overview of the Program:


The academic cluster in Hydrologic Sciences emphasizes broad training, but not at the expense of rigor in specific areas of expertise. Furthermore, the program requirements were developed in recognition of the diversity in academic backgrounds and the professional goals of the students. Thus, flexibility in selection of courses is an essential feature of the program, allowing students to develop individualized academic plans of study in order to meet the overall goals and objectives of the Hydrologic Sciences cluster.

The NAS report challenges the universities to train hydrologic scientists who can address emerging problems at the national and global scales, such as climate change, ozone depletion, ocean circulation, etc. Our more modest goal, at least for the first few years, is to bring together UF faculty to train students who are able to address hydrologic resource issues at the state and regional scales. Some examples of problems at this scale include: management and protection of the Everglades National Park; development of sustainable commercial agriculture and silviculture on the Florida central ridge and the Everglades Agricultural Area; water resource management in coastal environments; protection of rivers from industrial discharges; restoration of eutrophic lakes (e.g., Lake Okeechobee) and rivers (e.g., Kissimmee); reallocation of water among competing interests; and many other problems that focus on conflicting uses of renewable resources.

Back to Top

Management of the Cluster Programs:


The cluster program is managed by the Hydrologic Sciences Faculty Committee (HSFC), comprising at least seven elected members (six faculty plus one doctoral student), ensuring that each of the six Topics of Hydrologic Sciences, and the contributing departments are represented. Faculty serve three-year terms on the committee, while the doctoral student serves a 1-year term. One of the faculty members on the committee serves as chair (2-yr term), and this responsibility will be rotated among the committee members such that the six Topics are represented.

Back to Top

Participating Departments:


College of Agriculture
Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Food and Resource Economics
Forest Resources and Conservation
Horticultural Sciences
Soil and Water Science

College of Engineering
Civil Engineering
Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering
Environmental Engineering Sciences
Center for Wetlands

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Geography
Geology

Back to Top
By-Laws and Guidelines


Article I: Cluster Name
This graduate studies academic cluster shall be known as the "Hydrologic Sciences Academic Cluster" (HSAC). Back to Top
 
Article II: Purpose

The University of Florida academic cluster for graduate studies in Hydrologic Sciences is a unique interdisciplinary program designed to broaden the skills of science and engineering students who are interested in all aspects of water; i.e., occurrence, distribution, circulation, and use on and in earth. Hydrologic Sciences deal with all issues pertinent to both quantity and quality of water. Back to Top
 
Article III: Faculty Membership

 All interested graduate faculty at the University of Florida are invited to participate in the HSAC. Applicants will be required to apply on-line at http://www.hydrology.ufl.edu/index.html) and submit condensed curriculum vitae for inclusion in the collective curricula vitae for the HSAC.  The Hydrologic Sciences Faculty Committee (HSFC) will review all applications and approve admission by a simple majority vote.  Admission will be based solely upon the demonstrated research and teaching interests of the applicant that are pertinent to the HSAC purpose.  
All members shall be accorded full voting privileges, should be available for service upon HSAC committees, and are responsible for ensuring HSAC graduate students’ compliance with HSAC academic requirements and policy. Back to Top

Article IV:  Student Membership

Section 1. Admission

Graduate students seeking admission into the Hydrologic Sciences Academic Cluster must meet the minimum requirements established by the UF Office of the Registrar, the UF Graduate School, and the department in which the student will receive the graduate degree.  Students will not be admitted to degree program unless one of the Hydrologic Sciences faculty members agrees to be the student's advisor.
The HSFC may establish additional qualifications for admission into the HSAC program (e.g., adequacy of undergraduate training; GRE scores; GPA, etc.).  Students not meeting these requirements may be admitted on a conditional basis, and they will be allowed to make up the identified deficiencies. Graduate students will be admitted into the department in which the student's major professor holds an appointment and are subject to departmental requirements for the given graduate degree.  By student’s petition and at the discretion of the HSFC, the HSAC requirements may be made flexible enough to allow a student to meet most of the degree requirements of both the host department and the HSAC.
The chair of the participating department may choose to limit the numbers of students participating in the HSAC.
 
Section 2: Plan of Study

The HSAC students shall be required to complete a core course requirement.  These requirements shall be posted on the official HSAC website (http://www.hydrology.ufl.edu/curriculum/index.asp) at all times. The student shall be required to complete a plan of study with their application for admittance into the HSAC. This plan is to be submitted to the HSFC for approval by a simple majority vote.
 
Section 3: Graduate Student Funding
Graduate students and their faculty advisor(s) shall be responsible for finding funding in a participating department or by other means. Back to Top
 
Article V: Hydrologic Sciences Faculty Committee

Section 1: Selection and Role of Hydrologic Sciences Faculty Committee

The HSFC shall be comprised of eight members.  Six members shall be elected from among the HSAC faculty members to represent each of the six separate hydrologic areas: a) Subsurface Hydrologic Systems, b) Surface Hydrologic Systems, c) Hydrologic Chemistry, d) Hydrologic Biology, e) Hydrologic Analysis and Techniques, and f) Hydrologic Policy and Management.  These members shall be elected to three-year terms by a simple majority vote of the entire HSAC Faculty membership.

One additional HSFC committee member shall be elected from among the active HSAC student members that are candidates for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy within the cluster.  The HSFC student member shall be elected to a one-year term by a simple majority vote of active HSAC student members.   The final committee member will be the Director of the University of Florida Water Institute.  The University of Florida Water Institute Director will be a permanent voting member.
Elections of the Faculty members will be held on a rotation schedule.  Two positions reserved for area representatives and the student position shall be elected each year.  The positions reserved for the representatives for Surface Hydrologic Systems and Hydrologic Analysis and Techniques shall be elected in the A rotation.  The positions reserved for the representatives for Hydrologic Biology and Hydrologic Policy and Management shall be elected in the B rotation.  The positions reserved for the representatives for Subsurface Hydrologic Systems and Hydrologic Chemistry shall be elected in the C rotation. 
Section 2. Meetings and Responsibilities

The HSFC shall meet at least twice per year, and post meeting minutes on the web-site (http://www.hydrology.ufl.edu/archives/index.html). The HSFC is responsible for approving new faculty members, approving courses for inclusion into the HSAC curriculum, approving HSAC students’ applications for admission into the cluster, plans of study and course petitions, and promoting HSAC policy.

Section 3. Chair

The Chair of HSFC shall, when present, preside at all meetings of the HSAC committee and the HSAC faculty.  The duties of the Chair shall include, but not be limited to: (1) providing leadership and direction for the HSAC; (2) appointing committees to oversee selection and recruitment of faculty and students to join the HSAC; (3) maintaining and improving the curriculum and cluster program; and 4) other duties as shall from time to time be assigned by the HSFC.

Section 4. Chair-Elect

The Chair-Elect shall succeed as Chair at the completion of the current Chair's term of office. In the event of absence of the Chair, the Chair-Elect shall preside at all meetings of the HSFC Committee and HSAC faculty. The Chair-Elect shall also perform such other duties as shall from time to time be assigned by the HSFC.
Each year the HSFC will select a Chair-Elect from among the 6 HSAC faculty members. The Chair-Elect will serve one year as Chair-Elect of the HSFC and the subsequent year as Chair of the HSFC.  The Chair is not eligible for immediate re-election as Chair-Elect at the expiration of his or her term. If during this cycle, the term of office as a member of the HSAC committee of the Chair-Elect/Chair expires, this person shall automatically be entered onto the ballot for re-election to another three-year term as a member of the HSFC. In the event that person is not re-elected as a committee member and that person is about to become the Chair, then the term of the current Chair will be automatically extended by 1 year, even if that requires extending his or her term on HSAC committee by 1 year. Back to Top

Article VI: Relationships of the HSAC with Discipline Departments

Section 1: Faculty

The HSAC faculty shall participate in both the activities of the HSAC and their respective discipline department(s).  Effort expended by the faculty member on the HSAC shall be considered to be contributing to the overall program of the respective discipline department(s) in terms of faculty advancement, tenure, and promotion.
The Chair of the respective discipline department may choose to limit the numbers of faculty participating in the HSAC at any level deemed appropriate.

Section 2: Graduate Students

HSAC graduate students are considered to be members of the departments and colleges of their respective Supervisory Committee Chairs.  The student will receive the appropriate graduate degree in their department and college.  The curriculum requirements for graduate students in the HSAC shall be determined and administered by the membership of the HSAC faculty in concert with existing departmental graduate programs.  The respective departments shall be responsible for providing normal fiscal, personnel, clerical and administrative services for HSAC graduate students except for strictly HSAC matters.  Departmental and college responsibilities of the student regarding research facilities and office space will be the same for all students within a given department regardless of graduate program affiliation.
The Supervisor for a candidate for the course-work only M.S. degree must be a member of the HSAC faculty.  The Supervisory Committee for a candidate for the thesis and non-thesis M.S. degree  and the Ph.D. degree within the HSAC shall be comprised of no fewer than two HSAC faculty. Back to Top
 
Article VII: Administrative Procedures

The University of Florida Water Institute will provide administrative services to the HSAC including maintaining the HSAC website and housing the HSAC student, faculty and meeting records. Back to Top

Article VIII: HSAC Policy

In addition to UF Graduate School policies and participating department policies, the HSAC shall maintain policies relating to admission requirements, curriculum requirements, and other matters relating to students and faculty in the HSAC. Current academic requirements and policy are outlined on the official HSAC website at all times. This information will be maintained and can be modified by the HSFC to meet current course offerings. Back to Top
 
Article IX: Amendments, Voting and Quorum Policy

Section 1: Bylaws Adoption

These Bylaws and Guidelines shall be adopted by a simple majority vote of the entire voting faculty membership.

Section 2: Amendment Adoption

Amendments to the bylaws and guidelines must be approved by a simple majority vote of the entire voting faculty membership. Proposed amendments shall be circulated to all faculty members at least two weeks prior to the vote.

Section 3: Quorum

Faculty meetings, both physical and electronic, must be announced to the membership at least 2 weeks in advance.  Faculty present at such meetings shall constitute a quorum. Binding votes at such meetings shall require a simple majority of a quorum.

Section 4. Electronic Voting

Electronic voting by the HSAC faculty and the HSFC may be conducted at the discretion of the HSFC Chair and in accordance with these bylaws. Back to Top