12.04.99.R0.03 The Graduate Council
Effective September 1, 1996
Reviewed by Graduate Council FY03
Revised September 14, 2006
Supplements System Policy 12.04

1. Purpose.

The Graduate Council formulates and recommends policies and procedures related to graduate education to the President of the University.

2. Membership Qualifications.

Faculty membership on the Graduate Council shall be limited to senior and associate members of the graduate faculty. Student membership shall be limited to those graduate students who are classified as full-time resident students as defined by University regulations. All official Council members shall have full voting rights.

3. Membership Composition.

The Graduate Council shall be composed of the following:

a. Four elected members from each of the three colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business and Technology, and Education.

b. One faculty member from each college appointed by the Dean for Graduate Studies and Research in consultation with the dean of the respective college.

c. Two graduate students, one at the master's level and one at the doctoral level.

d. The Dean for Graduate Studies and Research shall be a non-voting Ex Officio member and shall serve as Chair of the Graduate Council.

e. The Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies and Research shall be a non-voting Ex Officio member and shall serve as Vice Chair of the Graduate Council.

f. The Faculty Senate may, if it chooses, send a nonvoting member to the Council meetings as an observer.

4. Elections.

a. Faculty.

Only senior and associate graduate faculty members are eligible to vote in Graduate Council elections. Each college shall, in April of each year, nominate and elect by ballot in a manner prescribed by the Dean for Graduate Studies and Research the number of faculty members to fill vacant seats or expired terms allotted to that college. (No department in any college shall contribute more than one member to the Council.)

b. Students. Student members shall be elected in September of each year in a manner prescribed and supervised by the Dean for Graduate Studies and Research provided that master's students shall elect one master's representative on the Council and doctoral students shall elect one doctoral representative on the Council.

5. Term of Office. All elected members of the Graduate Council shall hold office for three calendar years from September 1 following their election, with the following exceptions:

a. Student members shall hold office for a one-year term only.

b. Membership shall be terminated on the date that any member relinquishes his/her faculty appointment, or is appointed to an administrative position in which teaching or research is not the major function.

c. Membership shall be terminated when a member begins a leave of absence for a period of one regular semester or longer.

d. Membership shall be terminated from the date a member resigns from the Council.

e. Appointed members shall serve three-year terms.

f. If faculty membership is terminated, a special election shall be held to fill the vacancy. If a student membership is terminated, the Chair of the Graduate Council shall appoint someone from the list of nominees from the previous election to serve the unexpired term.

6. Number of Terms. The terms of the Chair and Vice Chair of the Graduate Council are unlimited. Faculty members of the Graduate Council may succeed themselves in office for as many times as elected. The doctoral representative may serve no more than three terms; the master's representative may serve no more than two terms.

7. Meetings.

There shall be one meeting of the Graduate Council each month of the fall and spring semesters and one meeting during the summer term. The agenda for each regular and special meeting shall be prepared and distributed to each member of the Graduate Council no later than one week prior to each meeting.

Special meetings of the Graduate Council shall be called by the Chair of the Council:

a. Upon the initiative of the Chair of the Council.

b. Upon the petition of three or more members of the Council.

c. Upon the request of the Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs or the President of the University.

8. Quorum.

The presence of a majority of the voting membership of the Graduate Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business. In case of an unavoidable absence, a member may send a substitute provided the member has notified the Chair of the Graduate Council. The substitute representative, who has voting rights, must meet the requirements for membership on the Graduate Council.

9. Officers.

Officers of the Graduate Council shall be the Chair, the Vice-Chair, the Secretary and other such officers as the Council deems necessary.

a. Chair: The Dean for Graduate Studies and Research shall serve as permanent Chair of the Graduate Council.

b. Vice-Chair: The Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies and Research shall serve as permanent Vice Chair of the Graduate Council.

c. Secretary: The Assistant to the Dean for Graduate Studies and Research shall serve as Secretary of the Graduate Council and shall be a non-voting member.

10. Duties.

a. The Chair of the Graduate Council shall call meetings of the Council; shall preside at all meetings of the Council; shall, in emergencies, appoint members to ad hoc committees; shall report to the Council all pertinent communications from the administration; and shall transmit to the Provost, the President and all graduate faculty members the published minutes of each meeting of the Council or any other communications as the Council shall direct.

b. The Vice-Chair of the Graduate Council shall call and preside at all meetings of the Council in the absence of the Chair, shall preside over meetings when the Chair shall vacate the chair and shall serve as Chair of the Committee on Committees.

c. The Secretary shall record the minutes of each meeting of the Council and handle any other communications as directed by the Chair or the Council.

d. Duties of other officers designated by the Council shall be determined by the Council.

11. Committees.

The Chair shall appoint a Committee on Committees, subject to Council approval, with representatives from each of the three colleges. This committee shall, subject to Council approval, establish standing committees and such ad hoc committees as are deemed necessary for the operation of The Graduate School. These committees shall be composed of members selected from the total graduate faculty. Chairs of all committees, however, shall be members of the Graduate Council. Standing committees shall be appointed at the first meeting of the Graduate Council and shall serve one calendar year. Ad hoc committees shall serve until their final reports are presented or until they are dismissed by the Council.

12. Amendments.

This procedure for the Graduate Council shall be amended by a two-thirds vote of the voting membership of the Graduate Council or at a general meeting of the graduate faculty of the University assembled for that purpose. At least one week's public notice of the proposed change shall be given, and a majority of the entire graduate faculty must attend, and of those present and voting, a simple majority may approve the change.

13. Additional Provisions.

The Council shall adopt such rules or procedures for the conduct of its business as it shall please, provided there is no conflict with the provisions of this document. References: Prior ETSU Policy B-66; Procedure A12.06

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CONTACT FOR INTERPRETATION: Dean for Graduate Studies and Research