Purpose
The University Graduate Council serves as an advisory
body for graduate education at SFA. The Council makes recommendations
concerning:
- Policies and procedures relative to graduate student admission
and programs;
- Membership on the graduate faculty;
- Graduate curriculum including new programs and substantive
changes;
- Graduate theses, exhibitions, performances, and dissertations;
- Graduate student appeals; and
- Other matters pertaining to graduate education as requested
by the Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research,
the Vice President for Academic Affairs, or the President of
the University.
Membership
The Graduate Council shall consist of seven (7) elected and three
(3) appointed members of the graduate faculty. Each college shall
elect one representative from the full members of the graduate
faculty in that col1ege. Three members shal1 be appointed by the
Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research, subject
to the principle of proportionate representation from each col1ege
on the basis offul1 members of the graduate faculty in the respective
colleges, and subject further to the approval of the Vice President
for Academic Affairs.
Both elected and appointed members of the Council shal1 serve
three-year terms. The terms shall be staggered in order to ensure
that only one third of the terms expire each year. Upon the expiration
of a term, the Council member is ineligible for re-election or
reappointment for three years.
A vacancy on the Council shall be filled by election or appointment,
whichever is applicable to the position vacated. A person so elected
to fin a partial term shall be ineligible, at the expiration of
the term, for re-election or reappointment for three years. Should
a vacancy occur at such a time when the unfll1ed portion of a
member's term is one semester or less, the Chair of the University
Graduate Council may appoint a ful1 member of the graduate faculty
from the
appropriate college to fill the partial term. Under these circumstances,
the person appointed to fill the partial term shall be eligible
for re-election or reappointment.
The Registrar, the Director of Libraries, a representative of
the Faculty Senate, and a graduate student shall be ex officio,
non-voting members of the Council. Other ex-officio, non-voting
members may be appointed to the Council as determined by the Associate
Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research, with the approval
of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Officers
CHAIR: The Chair of the University Graduate Council shall be the
Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research. The
Chair shall prepare the agenda and preside over the meetings of
the Council, establish ad-hoc committees, and appoint the membership
of the Council committees. He or she shall serve as an ex-officio,
non-voting member of all committees.
SECRETARY: The Secretary shall be appointed by the Associate
Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research from either the
membership of the Council or from outside of the Council membership.
The Secretary shall have no voting privileges unless he or she
is a member of the Council.
Meetings
Regular meetings of the University Graduate Council shall be held
on the fourth Thursday of each month or as otherwise determined
by the Chair. Members of the Council shall be notified at least
one week prior to a meeting.
All meetings of the Council shall be conducted in accordance
with parliamentary procedure specified in Robert's Rules of
Order.
A simple majority of the ten voting members of the Council shall
be considered a quorum for the purposes of conducting business.
No action of the Council shall be considered valid unless it is
conducted at a meeting at which a quorum is present. If a quorum
is not present, the meeting shall be adjourned and a new meeting
scheduled.
All matters before the Council, except the amendment of by-laws,
shall be decided by a simple majority vote of members present.
Matters before the Council shall be submitted for a first reading
at a regular meeting ofthe Council prior to action being taken.
Action may be taken at the next meeting of the Council.
Committees
The Standing Committees of the University Graduate Council shall
be as follows:
- Academic Affiars Committee
- Faculty Affairs Committee
- Student Affiars Committee
The Chair of the University Graduate Council shall appoint the
chair and membership of each standing committee.
The Chair of the University Graduate Council shall appoint ad-hoc
committees as necessary in order to achieve the goals and objectives
of the Council. [Chairs of all ad-hoc committees shall be voting
or ex-officio members of the Council, but any member of the graduate
faculty is eligible to be appointed to such committees.] Ad-hoc
committees shall cease to exist once a final report has been submitted
to the Council.
The names of the chairs and members of committees must be announced
to the Council before committees may conduct business.
Amendment of By-Laws
The University Graduate Council by-laws may be amended at any
regular meeting of the Council by a two-thirds vote, provided
that the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous
regular meeting, and with the subsequent approval of the Vice
President for Academic Affairs.
