Office of the Provost

Faculty and Unclassified Staff Handbook Chapter 2 -- Academic Affairs

OPERATING PAPER FOR THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

Section One – Introduction

Purpose and Functions of the Graduate School

1. The Graduate School is the central agency for organizing and supervising the graduate instructional program of the University and for developing that program toward the highest level of excellence.

2. The Graduate School is also the central agency for facilitating, encouraging, and coordinating the research effort of the University and for developing that effort toward the highest level of excellence.

3. The Graduate School has a primary concern with meshing graduate instruction and research into mutually-supporting programs and also with integrating both programs into the total effort of the University.

Relation of the Graduate School to Other Agencies of the University

1. The Graduate School serves all colleges of FHSU.

2. The Dean of the Graduate School has responsibility for coordinating, encouraging, and stimulating graduate and research programs in the other academic units of the University.

Section Two – Organization of the Graduate School

Organization for the Formulation of Policy

1. The Graduate Faculty

a. Membership in the Graduate Faculty

1. Members of the graduate faculty at the time of the adoption of these bylaws shall retain their membership in the graduate faculty unless they specifically request that they be excused.

2. The graduate faculty shall include the president of the University, the provost, the dean of the graduate school, the deans of the colleges, the assistant provost, the dean of the Virtual College, chairpersons of departments offering graduate work and the director of libraries as ex officio members with voting privileges.

3. Following the adoption of these bylaws, new members of the graduate faculty shall be chosen by a majority vote of the Graduate Council. These new members shall first be nominated by the departmental graduate committee.

4. In order to be considered for membership in the Graduate Faculty, candidates should meet the following criteria:

• Normally, faculty rank of Assistant Professor or higher with a full-time appointment.
• An earned graduate degree that is normally considered a terminal degree in the appropriate field.
• Being engaged in teaching and scholarly activities. ("Scholarly activities include research, writing, publication and creative activities appropriate to the faculty unit member's discipline or interdisciplinary work in either traditional or electronic publications of recognized value to the University and the faculty member's discipline" [current MOA]. When reviewing Graduate Faculty nominations from department other than Art or Music, the Graduate Council places particular emphasis on publication.)

5. Membership other than ex officio will normally continue as long as the individual is employed by the University and remains active in teaching and scholarly productivity, subject to the review of the Graduate Council.

6. Members of the University faculty who are not members of the graduate faculty may be requested to teach specific graduate courses and serve on advisory committees upon recommendation of the department graduate committee concerned and approval of the dean of the graduate school. These assignments must be reviewed at least every four years.

b. Probationary Graduate Faculty Status

In some instances, the FHSU Graduate Council may award Probationary Graduate Faculty Status to terminal-degree holding faculty members who do not currently meet the scholarship requirement for election into the FHSU Graduate Faculty (as outlined in item 3 on the amended list of Graduate Faculty qualifications).  Probationary Status is particularly appropriate for Assistant Professors who have recently completed doctorates and who have not yet established a record of scholarship necessary for election to Regular Graduate Faculty Status.

All faculty members who receive Probationary Graduate Faculty Status will be subject to review by the Graduate Council for a maximum of four years after Probationary Status is conferred.  During this four year period, faculty members who have received Probationary Status may, at any time, apply for Regular Graduate Faculty Status.  Probationary Status is non-renewable; after four years of Probationary Status, professors will either be elected into the FHSU Graduate Faculty as regular members (because they now meet the scholarship requirement) or denied entry, which means that they will no longer be able to advise graduate students or to serve as voting members on graduate committees of any kind.  Faculty members may reapply for Regular Graduate Faculty Status only.

Probationary Graduate Faculty Status carries the same rights and responsibilities as Regular Graduate Faculty Status.  Faculty members who are elected on a probationary basis may teach graduate courses, advise graduate students, serve as voting members of examination or thesis committees, and chair graduate committees.

c. Powers of the Graduate Faculty

1. The graduate faculty is empowered to determine academic policy on all matters having to do with the graduate program, except as authority is otherwise assigned by the Board of Regents, or as its autonomy is limited by proper academic and administrative relations with other units of the University.

2. Academic responsibility for graduate standards, for recommending establishment of new graduate programs and for graduate degree requirements rests with the graduate faculty.

3. The graduate faculty may delegate its powers to the Graduate Council, reserving these rights:

• To nominate and elect members of the Graduate Council.
• To receive in advance the agenda of each Graduate Council meeting and to receive minutes of each Graduate Council meeting.
• To receive an annual written report of Graduate Council activity.
• To refer agenda items and issues to the Graduate Council.
• To review Graduate Council actions.
• To meet on call but normally at least once each year.

d. Officers of the Graduate Faculty

The chairperson and secretary of the Graduate Council shall serve in the same capacities as officers of the graduate faculty.

2. The Graduate Council

a. Composition and Term of Office

1. Composition

• In order to secure a broad representation of academic disciplines, the voting members shall be graduate faculty members in designated subject-matter areas.
• These members shall be nominated and elected by the graduate faculty members in the respective areas.
• Representatives shall be elected from each of the following areas:

  Humanities, comprising the Departments of Art, Communication Studies, English, Modern Languages, Music, and Philosophy

  Natural Sciences, comprising the Departments of Agriculture, Biological Sciences, Allied Health, Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Physics

  Social and Behavioral Sciences, comprising the Departments of History, Justice Studies, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology

  The College of Business and Leadership

  The College of Education and Technology

• Two members shall be chosen from each of these areas.
• Two graduate students chosen by the Graduate Council, non-voting, but otherwise fully participating.
• Ex officio members, without vote, include:

  The provost

  The dean of the graduate school

  The director of libraries

2. Term of Office

• *Graduate Council members shall be elected to three-year terms. Terms shall be staggered in such a manner that not more than one-third plus one member will complete their terms of office in any one year. Student members will be chosen annually and may succeed themselves.
• Terms of office shall begin at the start of the fall semester.
• A member shall be eligible to serve a second full term only after the lapse of one or more years following the last period of service.
• A person serving part of a term as a replacement shall be eligible for election to an immediately following term.
• If a vacancy on the Graduate Council occurs between regularly scheduled elections, the person who had received the next largest number of votes for the position shall serve as a replacement until the next regular election.
• The Graduate Council shall be empowered to determine whether a vacancy exists.
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  *For the first election, the one-, two-, and three-year terms shall be determined by lot, such that no area shall have the terms of both its representatives expiring in the same year.

b. Powers and Functions of the Graduate Council

1. The Graduate Council is empowered to act as agent for the graduate faculty with delegated power to formulate policy with regard to:

• Establishing policy governing new programs at the graduate level and recommending the institution of specific programs subject to requisite administrative and Board of Regents approval.
• Establishing policy for graduate major field curricula.
• Establishing policy governing course approval.
• Establishing overall policies for student entrance into graduate degree programs and for continuance in such programs.
• Establishing such other overall policies related to graduate academic standards as may prove to be necessary.
• Establishing policy on matters within Graduate School jurisdiction regarding graduate teaching and research assistants.
• Making recommendations to the appropriate administrative officers concerning graduate faculty workloads and related matters.
• Maintaining a continuing two-way flow of information and recommendations between the Graduate Council and the graduate dean, the graduate faculty, the colleges, departments and faculties, the central administration, and other interested parties.
• Maintaining a continuing review and evaluation of graduate programs, standards, and administration.
• Maintaining a continuing self-scrutiny concerning the procedural and substantive effectiveness of the Graduate Council.
• Maintaining a continuing study of effective means of enlisting the services and ideas of graduate faculty members not serving on the Graduate Council, as well as all other interested parties.
• Removing a person from membership on the graduate faculty when the person fails to meet the membership criteria of SECTION TWO paragraph I. A. 1. d.

c. Committees of the Graduate Council

1. The Graduate Council shall be empowered to establish and terminate its own committees and subcommittees, both standing and ad hoc.

2. The Graduate Council shall elect the chairpersons of the standing committees from the Graduate Council. The chairperson of the Graduate Council, in consultation with the committee chairpersons, shall appoint members of the committees including ad hoc members as appropriate.

3. The following standing committees shall be established:

• The Committee on Assistantships and Fellowships

  The duties of the Committee on Assistantships and Fellowships shall be as follows:

  - To review and recommend acceptance or rejection of assistantships as suggested by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Reasearch.

  - To make periodic reviews and recommendations concerning the stipends and regulations governing graduate assistantships.

• The Committee on Curriculum

  The duties of the Committee on Curriculum shall be as follows:

  - To review, hold hearings and propose acceptance or rejection of new courses carrying graduate credit or new graduate degree programs.

  - To review periodically and hold hearings on the graduate degree programs and curricula and make suggestions for their improvement or recommendations for their deletion.

  - To articulate its work with that of the Faculty Senate curriculum committee with regard to such matters as courses and programs which affect both the undergraduate and graduate divisions.

• The Committee on Academic Standards

  The duties of the Committee on Academic Standards shall be as follows:

  - To review and recommend standards for admission to the Graduate School.

  - To review and recommend regulations and requirements for graduate degrees.

  - To act as a review board to make recommendations to the dean of the graduate school concerning appeals arising because of dismissal from or denial to the Graduate School.

• The Committee on Research and Publications

  The duties of the Committee on Research and Publications shall be as follows:

  - To make recommendations to the dean of the graduate school for allocation for meritorious proposals from funds designated for that purpose.

  - To oversee editorial boards for scholarly periodicals published by the University.

  - To review and make recommendations concerning institutional grant funds and scholarly publications of the University.

d. Officers of the Graduate Council

The dean of the graduate school will serve as chairperson and the Graduate Council shall elect annually its own secretary.

3. The Departmental Graduate Committee

a. Composition and Term of Office

1. Composition

The composition of the committee is to be determined by the department. The committee shall be composed of faculty members eligible to teach graduate courses.

2. Term of Office

The term of office of departmental graduate committee members is to be determined by the department.

b. Powers and Functions

1. The committee serves as the liaison agency between the department and the Graduate School.

2. The committee, or its delegate, will assume the responsibility of determining the admissibility of applicants to the graduate program of the department.

3. The chairperson of the committee will serve as the academic advisor for each new graduate student in the department until such time as a permanent advisor is assigned.

4. The committee will ensure that current records are maintained for each graduate student and that these records are available for examination by graduate faculty members upon request.

5. The committee is responsible for each candidate's advanced degree plan and will maintain a continuing review of each candidate's program.

6. The committee will specify the style and form of theses and research papers filed in lieu of theses and will share the responsibility with the advisor for having theses and research papers meet standards established by the department and the Graduate School.

7. The committee will review applications for departmental graduate assistantships.

8. The committee will maintain a continuing review and evaluation of the department's graduate program and make recommendations to the appropriate administrative officers.

Organization for the Administration of Policy

1. The Dean of the Graduate School (a.k.a., the Graduate Dean): Selection and Appointment

a. In case of a vacancy in the graduate deanship, the Graduate Council shall nominate graduate faculty members for an ad hoc search committee that will assist and advise the provost.

b. The provost will determine the number of names to be submitted by the Graduate Council, will choose the membership of the ad hoc committee from that slate, and will give the committee its charge.

c. The ad hoc committee will work with the provost in such a manner as may be helpful, significant and a meaningful reflection of the joint concern of faculty and administration.

2. The Graduate Dean: Powers and Responsibilities

a. The graduate dean as chairperson of the Graduate Council carries out established policy and also exercises leadership in the development of graduate education and research in the University.

b. The graduate dean as administrative head of the Graduate School has all powers and responsibilities appropriate to that role and is accountable to the provost. Specifically, the graduate dean is empowered, subject to the approval of the provost and the president and to the availability of external funds, to do the following:

1. Award research professorships.

2. Promote the research of selected faculty members for a period not to exceed one year.

3. Allocate special research assistantships to departments or individual faculty members.

4. Award release time for meritorious activities of individual faculty members.

3. The Graduate Dean: Functions and Duties

Illustrative of the specific functions and duties of the graduate dean are the following:

a. Recommending new policies or modifications of existing policies to the Graduate Council.

b. Working with the Graduate Council in assembling the factual bases and acquiring the perspectives necessary for effective policy formulation.

c. Exercising continuing efforts to maintain and improve overall educational standards, in cooperation with the Graduate Council and the faculties and administrations of all academic units involved in the graduate program.

d. Monitoring and reviewing the University's graduate programs.

e. Participating with academic deans in the allocation of graduate awards such as regular teaching assistantships.

f. Maintaining all necessary records concerning students, the graduate faculty, the Graduate Council, research activities, and other matters of importance.

g. Maintaining and providing a system of procedures in the graduate office that is effective, efficient, and acceptable to students, faculty, and others within the University community.

h. Representing the Graduate School in dealings with other universities, professional associations, fund-granting agencies, or other persons and bodies outside the University.

i. Seeking funds to support the activities noted in paragraph II. B. 2.

Section Three – Rules of Procedure and Bylaws

Rules of Procedure and Bylaws for the Graduate Faculty

1. Calling of Meetings

a. The graduate dean shall call meetings of the graduate faculty.

b. The graduate faculty will meet on call but normally at least once each year.

c. Meetings may be called at the request of the Graduate Council, the graduate dean, the provost, the president, or upon petition by 10 percent of the membership of the graduate faculty.

2. Agenda for Meetings

a. The agenda for any graduate faculty meeting shall be set by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Reasearch, in consultation with the Graduate Council.

b. The agenda of any graduate faculty meeting must be circulated to all members of the graduate faculty at least one week in advance of the meeting.

c. Items shall be placed upon the agenda at the initiative of the Graduate Council, the graduate dean, the provost, the president, or upon petition by five percent of the membership of the graduate faculty.

3. The Conduct of Meetings

a. The Dean of Graduate Studies and Reasearch shall preside unless the president is present and elects to preside.

b. Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall be used and assistance to the presiding officer shall be rendered by a parliamentarian appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Reasearch.

c. One-third of the graduate faculty shall constitute a quorum.

4. Nomination and Election of Members of the Graduate Council

a. Nomination of Candidates

1. When balloting for nominees from a subject-matter area, each member of the graduate faculty from the area to be represented shall receive a list of the graduate faculty members from that subject-matter area. Each such member of the graduate faculty shall also receive a ballot on which one person from the above-mentioned list is to be named as area representative.

2. The three persons in each area receiving the largest number of votes for area representative shall be the candidates of that area. If fewer than three are nominated, additional candidates will be appointed by the Graduate Council.

b. Election of Members

1. Each member of the graduate faculty from the area to be represented shall receive a ballot listing the candidates from that area. Each will cast a vote for one candidate.

2. Candidates receiving a plurality of the votes cast will be declared elected.

3. Students are to be recommended by departmental graduate committees and chosen by the Council.

c. Supervision and Time of Balloting

1. An ad hoc committee on faculty service shall conduct nominations and elections subject to rules as set forth in this section as interpreted by the Graduate Council.

2. Nominations and elections shall be held annually in the spring semester, normally not less than four weeks prior to commencement, at a time set by the Graduate Council.

Rules of Procedure and Bylaws for the Graduate Council

1. Calling of Meetings

a. The graduate dean shall call meetings of the Graduate Council.

b. The Graduate Council shall meet at least twice each semester during the academic year.

c. Meetings shall be requested by the graduate dean, the provost, the president, or upon petition by three members of the Graduate Council or 10 percent of the graduate faculty.

d. Meetings are open to any member of the graduate faculty.

2. Agenda for Meetings

a. The agenda for any Graduate Council meeting shall be set by the graduate dean.

b. The agenda of any Graduate Council meeting must be circulated to all members of the graduate faculty at least three days in advance of the meeting.

c. If matters not on the announced agenda are to be discussed, action should not be taken until a subsequent meeting except under unusual circumstances and then as governed by the rules of order adopted by the Graduate Council.

d. Items shall be placed upon the agenda at the request of the graduate dean, the provost, the president, or upon petition by three members of the Graduate Council or five percent of the graduate faculty.

3. The Conduct of Meetings

a. The graduate dean shall preside.

b. The Graduate Council shall adopt its own rules of order.

c. One more than half of the number of voting members of the Graduate Council shall constitute a quorum.

4. All other rules of procedure and bylaws for the Graduate Council that prove to be necessary, and are not in conflict with the rules and bylaws listed above, are to be formulated by the Graduate Council and require no ratification except by that body.

Section Four – Amendment

Any change of the policy-making or administrative structure herein described is subject to approval by the graduate faculty and requisite administrative approval.

1. Such a proposed amendment may be initiated by the Graduate Council, the graduate dean, the provost, the president, or by petition of 10 percent of the graduate faculty.

2. Proper notice of the contemplated change must be given and adequate opportunity for expression of opinion must be provided in an open meeting. The proposed amendment must be approved by two-thirds of those graduate faculty members who respond in a mail ballot or by a number equal to one-half of the total membership of the graduate faculty, which number are present and voting at a graduate faculty meeting.

The rules of procedure and bylaws of the graduate faculty and the Graduate Council contained in this document may be amended by action of the graduate faculty, with proper notice of the contemplated change and adequate opportunity for expression of opinion. A two-thirds vote of approval by those graduate faculty members who respond in a mail ballot or by a number equal to one-half of the total membership of the graduate faculty, which number are present and voting at a graduate faculty meeting, is required.

The rules of procedure and bylaws of the Graduate Council, other than those contained in this document, may be amended by action of that body, with proper notice to all members of the contemplated changed and adequate opportunity for discussion. A majority vote of the Graduate Council is required.

Approved by President Gerald W. Tomanek (04-27-81).

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