By-Laws for Northeastern State University Graduate Council

Adopted March 4, 2004
Amended September 1, 2005

Mission

The Graduate College at Northeastern State University strives to maintain a standard of excellence in graduate education by offering quality programs that are relevant and responsive to the needs of the communities served by our institution.  The Graduate College is committed to providing students an environment in which they gain knowledge in intellectual inquiry, critical analysis and creative problem solving while developing their professional integrity.

The mission of the Graduate Council is to insure that the graduate programs offered by Northeastern State University are of the highest quality; are consistent with academic standards of comparable graduate programs throughout the nation, but in particular, comparable graduate programs within the State of Oklahoma.

Goals and Responsibilities

 The primary purpose of the Graduate Council is to act upon graduate level curricular matters that are referred to it by academic departments.

The Graduate Council is empowered, for courses numbered 5000 or higher, to approve a program proposal, reject and return a proposal to the originating department, or amend and approve the proposal.  It must approve all members of the graduate faculty.  Other responsibilities include program planning, curricular control, student appeals, and policy-making for the Graduate College.

Membership of the Graduate Council

The Graduate Council shall consist of the Dean of the Graduate College who serves as Chair, one member of the graduate faculty representing each graduate degree program, and two graduate student representatives.  Each academic college and the Library shall have at least one representative member on the Council.  The term of office for members of the Graduate Council is based upon a three-year rotation.  Graduate Council members are recommended for appointment by the dean of their academic college.

Chairperson of the Graduate Council

The Dean of the Graduate College (or designee) shall serve as chairperson of the Graduate Council. 

Duties

Duties of the Graduate Council shall include:

·     Develop and implement policies and procedures for the improvement of the operation of the Graduate College;

·     Recommend amendments to existing policies and procedures related to the Graduate College;

·     Determine outcomes of student appeals;

·     Develop and regularly review criteria for membership in the graduate faculty;

· Review application for regular graduate faculty status. The Graduate Dan reviews temporary and adjunct applications.

·     Review proposals for new graduate programs and for the addition, suspension and deletion of courses; and,

·      Review and assess existing graduate programs.

Membership

The Graduate Council shall be comprised of voting and non-voting members. All members of the Graduate Council shall have equal voice in the debate of its business. Only voting members, however, shall have the power to vote on matters before the Graduate Council.

Voting Members
Voting members shall include:  faculty council members, graduate student representatives, Director of Library, and the Dean of the Graduate College.

Non-Voting Members
Non-voting members shall include ex-officio members.  Ex-officio members are the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Degree Auditor of the Graduate College.

Proxy Voting
Members may vote by proxy upon written notice to the Dean of the Graduate College. Proxy votes must be submitted in writing to the Dean of the Graduate College a minimum of three business days prior to the scheduled meeting of the Graduate Council.

Officers

Composition of Officers
The Officers of the Graduate Council shall be comprised of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.

Appointment and Election of Officers
The Dean of the Graduate College, or designee, shall serve as Chairperson of the Graduate Council. Subject to the rules governing a quorum, the Vice Chairperson shall be elected by a majority of the voting members present at the last regular meeting of the academic year for the Graduate Council. The Vice Chairperson shall hold office for a term of one academic year and may be re-elected annually but for no more than five consecutive terms.

Article 4. C: Duties of the Chairperson
The Dean of the Graduate College, as Chairperson, shall preside over all meetings of the Graduate Council and shall represent the Graduate Council before all University officers and/or assemblies. 

Duties of the Vice Chairperson
In the absence of Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson shall preside over meetings of the Graduate Council. Upon delegation by the Chairperson or in the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson shall serve as a designee of the Chairperson in the representation of the Graduate Council.

Duties of the Secretary
The secretary of the Graduate Council shall keep a record of the minutes of meetings of the Graduate Council and of its committees. The secretary shall certify the authenticity and assure the safekeeping of the Graduate Council’s by-laws and minutes. The secretary is responsible for keeping the record of appointments of graduate faculty and elections of the Vice Chairperson. The secretary shall perform such duties as from time to time may be assigned by the Chairperson.  The secretary holds the position of Administrative Assistant in the Graduate College or the designee of the Chairperson.

Meetings

The monthly meeting date and time of the Graduate Council shall be determined by the Graduate Dean and Graduate Council members at the beginning of each semester.  The Chairperson of the Graduate Council shall preside over meetings of the Graduate Council. 

Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson of the Graduate Council or by the Chairperson upon request of any member of the Graduate Council for the transaction of only such business as stated in the call for the meeting. 

All meetings of the Graduate Council shall be open to the public except during executive sessions.  The latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern participation at meetings of the Graduate Council. 

An agenda of the matters to come before the Graduate Council shall be sent to each member of the graduate faculty in advance of the meeting.  Any member of the graduate faculty may suggest items to be placed on the agenda, but the final arrangement of the agenda shall be left to the discretion of the Chairperson of the Graduate Council.  Members of the graduate faculty desiring matters to appear on the agenda should submit them to the office of the Dean of the Graduate College at least one week before the Graduate Council meeting. 

Minutes for meetings of the Graduate Council shall be produced and distributed.  They shall consist of a detailed record of actions taken by the council, including (1) the full text of all motions, (2) who made the motions, (3) who seconded the motions, (4) the disposition of the motions.  Minutes to the meetings will be kept on file in the Graduate College office and a copy submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Number of Meetings
Meetings shall be convened by the Dean of the Graduate College as necessary to implement the mission and business of the Graduate Council. Graduate Council meetings will be scheduled by the Dean of the Graduate College.

Notice of Meetings
The Dean of the Graduate College shall provide timely notice of meetings to all of the members of the Graduate Council. The Dean of the Graduate College shall have the discretion, however, to convene emergency meetings on less than two weeks notice where the failure to meet could impair the business of the Graduate Council.

Call Meetings
Upon receipt of a signed petition of two thirds of the voting members, a member may require the Dean of the Graduate College to schedule a call meeting of the Graduate Council. The Dean of the Graduate College with the advice and consent of representatives from among the petitioners shall set the agenda for such meetings.

Quorum

A quorum shall consist of a majority of the voting members of the Graduate Council. Votes of the majority of those comprising a quorum at any meeting shall be considered passed and binding on the Graduate Council with the exception of changes to the By-Laws.

Amendment or Repeal of By-Laws

Subject to the rules governing a quorum, the Graduate Council By-Laws may be amended, revised, or repealed by a two-thirds majority vote of the voting members of the Graduate Council.