Graduate Council By-Laws
(Revised November 1996)
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 Affairs Committee
- Faculty Affairs Committee
- Student Affairs 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.
Council Roster
| Member | College | Phone | Box | Term Ends | Selection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | Graduate School | 2807 | 13024 | - | - |
| Mary Nelle Brunson | Graduate School | 2707 | 6079 | - | Chair |
| - | Fine Arts | 1186 | 13043 | 2015 | Elected |
| Dana Cooper | Faculty Senate Representative | 2224 | 13013 | - | Ex Officio |
| Greg Miller | Sciences and Mathematics | 1860 | 13040 | 2013 | Appointed |
| Jeanie Gresham | Education | 1759 | 13017 | 2013 | Elected |
| Shirley Dickerson | Library Director | 1414 | 13055 | - | Ex Officio |
| Joe Musser | Sciences and Mathematics | 2015 | 13044 | 2013 | Elected |
| Kevin West | Liberal Arts | 2498 | 13007 | 2013 | Appointed |
| Brittany Peden | Graduate Student Representative | 2807 | 13024 | - | Ex Officio |
| DawnElla Rust | Education | 1495 | 13015 | 2013 | Appointed |
| Perky Beisel | Liberal and Applied Arts | 2093 | 13013 | 2014 | Elected |
| Emmerentie Oliphant | Liberal and Applied Arts | 2291 | 6104 | 2015 | Elected |
| Jack Ethridge | Business | 1820 | 13005 | 2014 | Elected |
| Lynda Langham | Registrar | 2120 | 13050 | - | Ex Officio |
| Erin Brown | Forestry and Agriculture | 3705 | 13000 | 2014 | Elected |