>

BRET Policies and Recommendations

The BRET Office is both an advocate for trainees as well as a partner to faculty. We work with several stakeholders to establish policies for trainees and faculty as well as recommendations for best practices in training.  

Graduate Student Policies

  • Changing Research Groups

    Experience has taught us that despite our rotation system for choosing a mentor, not all mentor-mentee matches are successful in the long-term. If a student has consulted with their thesis committee chair (provided they are sufficiently advanced to have one), their Director of Graduate Studies, and the Chair of the Department, and come to the decision that changing mentors will allow them to thrive in their graduate studies, the student and DGS should contact Senior Associate Dean Walter Chazin.  Once approved, the BRET Office will provide financial support to the student during the transition to a new group. Specifically, the BRET office will support students who matriculated through the IGP or QCB, to conduct one or two rotations over the period of 4 weeks in the laboratory of a faculty member on the Open Lab List that has expressed an interest in considering the student for pursuit of their thesis research. If this proves to be unsuccessful, the student should arrange a meeting with Senior Associate Dean Chazin at least one week before the end of additional rotation to consider options.

    Effective 6/1/2026

  • Parental Leave Guidelines

    Following childbirth or adoption of a child, the primary care giver (female or male) is allowed to take 60 calendars days (equivalent to 8 work weeks) of parental leave with full stipend and continued health insurance coverage. This is in line with the NIH Grants Policy Statement. In the event of a graduate student wishing to extend the leave beyond this period she/he has the option of leave without pay, but can continue health insurance benefits by arranging with HR to continue payment of the employee contribution. Graduate student health insurance is purchased in academic year increments so they would not need to make extra payments for continued health insurance during an extended leave.

    Kirschstein-NRSA trainees and fellows must provide advance notification to Vanderbilt University prior to taking parental leave.

    Students are not employees and thus are not subject to the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

    Advance notice and approval

    The student must request a parental leave from her or his departmental chair, through the Director of Graduate Studies, at least three months prior to the beginning of the anticipated leave or, in the case of adoption, as soon as the adoption is confirmed. The request must be made in writing and, once approved by the department chair and Director of Graduate Studies, forwarded to the school dean’s office for approval and notification of the Graduate School. Students should also make appropriate arrangements as needed with their course instructors to make up any missed coursework during the leave period.

     
  • Vacation and Sick Day Guidelines

    Based on NIH guidelines, the BRET Office suggests that students receive 15 days of sick leave and three weeks (15 calendar days) of vacation leave annually, in addition to University Official Holidays. It is also suggested that sick leave accrue from year to year. However, the graduate student should determine with their mentor(s) the accumulation, accounting and use of these leaves. Sick leave may be used for the medical conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth.

  • Allowable Student Activities

    Allowable Student Activities

  • Steps to Graduation

    Graduate School Guidelines on Graduation

  • Vanderbilt Student Handbook

    Vanderbilt Student Handbook

  • Student Internship Policy

    BRET graduate programs recognize that students may wish to obtain practical experience outside of the program, as well as prepare for potential employment opportunities, by participating in an internship, which typically takes place over the summer. Graduate students receiving Vanderbilt University financial support or services must devote full-time effort to graduate study, which may include one or more internships. Students cannot accept jobs for pay within or outside the University unless prior approval is given by their thesis advisor and the Director of Graduate studies (DGS). Engagement in outside employment without obtaining approval may result in loss of financial support, including stipend. To participate in an internship, students should be making good academic progress in the program. Students who wish to undertake an internship must discuss it with their mentor prior to applying, obtain approval from the mentor before signing an offer, and notify their PhD Program Manager. In addition, outside unpaid internships or other career development activities that require students to be away for more than brief period must be approved by the DGS. Full-time paid internships require approval from the DGS and the Senior Associate Dean, and require completion of the BRET Financial Termination Survey to discontinue their VU stipend while being paid by an outside organization.

Faculty/Trainee Policies and Good Practices

  • New Faculty Quick Start Guide on Training Students

    Check out our full page devoted to the steps new training faculty must complete before taking rotation students.

  • Trainee Vacation and Sick Day Guidelines

    Based on NIH guidelines, the BRET Office suggests that students receive 15 days of sick leave and three weeks (15 calendar days) of vacation leave annually, in addition to University Official Holidays. It is also suggested that sick leave accrue from year to year. However, the graduate student should determine with their mentor(s) the accumulation, accounting and use of these leaves. Sick leave may be used for the medical conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth.

  • Trainee Parental Leave Policies

    Following childbirth or adoption of a child, the primary care giver (female or male) is allowed to take 60 calendars days (equivalent to 8 work weeks) of parental leave with full stipend and continued health insurance coverage. This is in line with the NIH Grants Policy Statement. In the event of a graduate student wishing to extend the leave beyond this period she/he has the option of leave without pay, but can continue health insurance benefits by arranging with HR to continue payment of the employee contribution. Graduate student health insurance is purchased in academic year increments so they would not need to make extra payments for continued health insurance during an extended leave.

    Kirschstein-NRSA trainees and fellows must provide advance notification to Vanderbilt University prior to taking parental leave.

    Students are not employees and thus are not subject to the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

    Advance notice and approval

    The student must request a parental leave from her or his departmental chair, through the Director of Graduate Studies, at least three months prior to the beginning of the anticipated leave or, in the case of adoption, as soon as the adoption is confirmed. The request must be made in writing and, once approved by the department chair and Director of Graduate Studies, forwarded to the school dean’s office for approval and notification of the Graduate School. Students should also make appropriate arrangements as needed with their course instructors to make up any missed coursework during the leave period.

     
  • Minors in the Laboratory

    All guidelines for minors in laboratories is found on our Student Observer site.

  • Policy on Faculty sponsoring Direct-Admit Students

    When a faculty member sponsors direct admission of a student into a PhD program, the faculty member takes full financial responsibility for the student throughout their graduate career. The appointment requires sign-off by the Chair of the faculty member’s home department confirming financial backup if the faculty member loses funding. If a direct admission student leaves the mentor’s laboratory, it is the responsibility of the sponsoring faculty member (or department) to cover the student stipend until a new laboratory is found or the student leaves the program. The BRET Office will not support rotations to find a new laboratory. 

  • Trainees Changing Research Groups

    Experience has taught us that despite our rotation system for choosing a mentor, not all mentor-mentee matches are successful in the long-term. If a student has consulted with their thesis committee chair (provided they are sufficiently advanced to have one), their Director of Graduate Studies, and the Chair of the Department, and come to the decision that changing mentors will allow them to thrive in their graduate studies, the student and DGS should contact Senior Associate Dean Walter Chazin.  Once approved, the BRET Office will provide financial support to the student during the transition to a new group. Specifically, the BRET office will support students who matriculated through the IGP or QCB, to conduct one or two rotations over the period of 4 weeks in the laboratory of a faculty member on the Open Lab List that has expressed an interest in considering the student for pursuit of their thesis research. If this proves to be unsuccessful, the student should arrange a meeting with Senior Associate Dean Chazin at least one week before the end of additional rotation to consider options.

    Effective 6/1/2026