Maya 2016 Missing Layer Panel

Interstella

I 'm using a stand alone standard Student Version of Maya 2016.
The default  layer panel below the channel box is not there. See image.
I've tried : restarting, resetting preferences. ????

Interstella

throttlekitty

If you hover the mouse at the base of the channel box, do you get the  "vertical resize" cursor? I notice on my end that if you drag the layers portion down, it stops at a point, and will snap completely off if you drag all the way down.