Graduate Council Bylaws (GOV 5.6)

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Policy # [####]
Graduate Council Bylaws (GOV 5.6)

Original Issuance Date: MMMM DD, YYYY
Last Revision Date: MMMM DD, YYYY
Next Review Date: MMMM DD, YYYY

1. PURPOSE

2. RESPONSIBLE OFFICER

3. SCOPE

4. BACKGROUND

5. DEFINITIONS

6. POLICY STATEMENT

GOV 5.6. Graduate Council Bylaws.

Originally passed by the Graduate Faculty, December 10, 1982
Revisions passed by the Graduate Council, February 13, 1990
Revisions passed by the Graduate Faculty, March 9, 1990
Revisions passed by the Graduate Council, March 1, 1994
Revisions passed by the Graduate Faculty, April 15, 1994
Revisions passed by the Faculty Senate, March 28, 1995
Revisions passed by the Graduate Council, July 11, 1997
Revisions passed by the Graduate Faculty, September 1, 1997
Revisions passed by the Faculty Senate, December 2, 1997
Revisions passed by the Graduate Council, 10/10/2001, 10/29/2001
Revisions passed by the Graduate Faculty, 11/30/2001
Revisions passed by the Graduate Council, 3/13/2002
Revisions passed by the Graduate Faculty, 4/15/2002
Revisions passed by the Faculty Senate, 4/23/2002
Revisions passed by the Graduate Council, 3/7/3003
Revisions passed by the Graduate Faculty, 4/11/2003
Revisions passed by the Faculty Senate, 5/7/2003
Revisions passed by the Graduate Council, 12/1/2006
Revisions passed by the Graduate Faculty, 1/3/2007
Revisions passed by the Faculty Senate, 12/11/2007
Revisions passed by the Faculty Senate, May 17, 2011
Revisions passed by the Faculty Senate May 14, 2013

Article I. Graduate Faculty

Section 1. Definition. Graduate Faculty members shall include those persons of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh who are eligible to teach graduate courses and engage in graduate-level activities.

Section 2. Membership. The Graduate Faculty shall consist of two groups:

A. Ranked Faculty

Qualifications for Ranked Faculty

1. The earned doctorate or the appropriate terminal degree in the professional field or discipline and rank of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor

2. A record of productive scholarship, creative endeavor or achievement in practice commensurate with doctoral expectations
3. Ability for graduate-level teaching

B. Instructional Academic Staff

Qualifications for masters-level Instructional Academic Staff

1. A minimum of a masters degree in the professional field or discipline

2. Equivalent experience as defined by college or unit

3. Ability for graduate-level teaching

Qualifications for doctoral or terminal degree-level Instructional Academic Staff

1. A doctorate or terminal degree in the professional field or discipline

2. A record of productive scholarship, creative endeavor or achievement in practice commensurate with doctoral expectations

3. Ability for graduate-level teaching

Section 3. Appointment and Renewal Process

A. Assignment to teach graduate-level courses and participate in graduate-level activities will follow standard University and College personnel and administrative protocols.

B. On an annual basis by October 1st, each college/unit shall provide the Dean of Graduate Studies a list of new nominees, continuing members, and deleted members of the Graduate Faculty.

Section 4: Responsibilities. Responsibilities may include but are not confined to: assignment to graduate classroom instruction; graduate curricular oversight and assessment; graduate admissions decisions and recommendations; graduate student academic advisement; facilitation of graduate student growth and development; Graduate Council and/or departmental graduate committee activities; candidacy and comprehensive examination responsibilities; involvement with field projects, theses, seminar or clinical papers.

Article II. Graduate Council

Section 1. Membership and Leadership. The Graduate Council is a body representative of the University’s graduate programs. The Council consists of:

A. Coordinators of active graduate degree programs (or a substitute from that program who is designated by the coordinator for that meeting which the designee attends) will serve on the Graduate Council as a voting member. “Active program” is defined as having over the last three years, on average at least five students taking classes within that program. The term for all Graduate Council members is indefinite concurrent with their term as coordinator for their respective program. The term is September 1 through August 31.

Each Graduate Program Coordinator shall identify an alternate who may serve in lieu of the Graduate Council member on the Council and on committees.

B. Two graduate students who shall be nominated by the Graduate Council and appointed by the Oshkosh Student Association (OSA) to serve as voting members for a one-year term that begins each year on September 1.
Each Graduate Student Representative shall identify an alternate who may serve in lieu of the Graduate Council member on the Council and on committees.

C. One graduate faculty member or administrative appointee who holds graduate faculty status from each college shall be chosen by the College Dean. The term for a Council appointee shall be one year from September 1 through August 31.
Each Dean’s Representative shall identify an alternate who may serve in lieu of the Graduate Council member on the Council and on committees.

D. Dean of Graduate Studies and the Director of Graduate Studies, who are ex officio non-voting members.

E. A Chairperson who is elected by a majority of the Graduate Council to a 3-year term. Elections will be held during the spring semester in the last year of a Chairperson’s term. A term for the Chairperson shall be September 1 through August 31 at the end of the third year. The Chairperson will represent the Council, assist in developing agendas for meetings, preside over meetings, and lead the Executive Committee. The Chairperson is a voting member of the Council.

Section 2. Rights and Responsibilities. The Council is responsible for formulating the policies concerning the graduate programs of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, and it serves as an advisory body to the Provost and Vice Chancellor and the Dean of Graduate Studies concerning the implementation of these policies. The Council has the function and power to:

A. Establish goals and directions at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh that are supportive of program quality including overall consistency of standards for graduate education.

B. Provide oversight regarding developing, executing or implementing the strategic plan for graduate studies and initiatives, action steps or activities necessary to achieve the goals of the strategic plan.

C. Advise the Provost and Vice Chancellor and the Dean of Graduate Studies on matters related to planning and coordinating graduate education.

D. Request that the Provost and Vice Chancellor and the Dean of Graduate Studies direct specific activities to be undertaken on matters of concern to the Council.

E. Review and approve new program proposals, revised programs, and program reviews.

F. Serve as an appellate body for exceptions to the Office of Graduate Studies’ policies.

Section 3. Meetings

A. The Council shall meet once per month during each semester or at the discretion of Council members, the Chair, or the Dean of Graduate Studies.

B. As a public agency, the Graduate Council at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh is subject to the state’s open meeting law (19.81 et seq., Wis. Stats.). This law requires advance notice of meetings of the governance organizations and certain University committees; the law also restricts and limits the circumstances under which these “governmental bodies” may meet in closed session.

C. Minutes of the proceedings of the Graduate Council shall be recorded, maintained, and distributed through the Office of Graduate Studies.

D. In order to conduct business, a quorum, which consists of a majority of voting members, must be present.

Article III. Committees

Members of the Graduate Council or their alternates shall serve on Graduate Council standing and special committees when duly selected or by procedures established by these bylaws, by the Graduate Council, by the Dean of Graduate Studies, or by the committees.

Section 1. Executive Committee

A. The Executive Committee shall be composed of a representative from each College approved annually by the Council at its first fall meeting, a student member, the Chairperson, and the Dean of Graduate Studies as ex-officio.The term for an Executive Committee member shall be from September 1 through August 31.

B. The Executive Committee shall:Serve as a planning and advisory resource to the Graduate Council Chairperson and Dean of Graduate Studies regarding administrative policies and procedures, programs, and current issues facing the Office of Graduate Studies.

1. Ensure a biennial review and subsequent amending of the Graduate Council bylaws.

2. Oversee the completion of an annual report for the Office of Graduate Studies.

3. Meet at the call of the Chairperson, and when a time-sensitive matter needs resolution before the full Council meets, the Executive Committee may act on time-sensitive matters. The decisions are subject to the review of the full Council.

4. The Chairperson of the committee or designee shall make an oral report on the committee’s most recent actions to the Graduate Council at the Council’s first meeting after the committee meeting.

Section 2. Curriculum Approval Committee

A. The Curriculum Approval Committee shall be composed of a Graduate Council member from each College and one graduate student Council member selected annually at the first fall meeting by the Graduate Council. The Chairperson of the committee shall be elected by the committee members.

B. The committee shall have the authority and responsibility to approve or not approve changes in curricula, program reviews, program credit requirements, and admissions criteria; make decisions that support program quality and consistency of standards in the graduate programs and review other curricular matters; and report actions to the Graduate Council.
The committee shall meet at the call of the Chairperson and may conduct business in person or electronically.

C. The Chairperson or designee shall make an oral report on the committee’s most recent actions to the Graduate Council at the Council’s first meeting after the committee meeting.

D. If the committee cannot reach a decision regarding any action, the full Council will review the action and vote to come to a decision.

Section 3. Distinguished Research Award Review Committee

A. The Distinguished Research Award Review Committee shall be composed of a Graduate Council member from each College and selected annually at the first fall meeting by the Graduate Council. The Chairperson of the committee shall be elected by the committee members.

B. The committee shall have the authority and responsibility to:

1. Select annually the University’s most distinguished thesis, clinical paper or field report

2. Select annually the University’s most distinguished scholarship by graduate students who did not complete a thesis, clinical paper or field project

3. Review graduate student nominees for the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) annual competition

4. Meet at the call of the Chairperson and may conduct business in person or electronically.

C. The Chairperson or designee shall make an oral report on the committee’s most recent actions to the Graduate Council at the Council’s first meeting after the committee meeting.

Section 4. Graduate Studies Travel Fund Review Committee

A. The Graduate Studies Travel Fund (GSTF) Review Committee shall be composed of one Graduate Council member from each College and selected annually at the first fall meeting by the Graduate Council. The Chairperson of the committee shall be elected by the committee members.

B. The committee has the authority and responsibility to establish criteria for use of the funds, to develop the process for submitting requests and to approve/disprove requests for use of the GSTF. The committee shall meet at the call of the Chairperson and may conduct business in person or electronically.

C. The Chairperson or designee shall make an oral report on the committee’s most recent actions to the Graduate Council at the Council’s first meeting after the committee meeting.

Section 5. Graduate Studies Initiatives Program

A. The Graduate Studies Initiatives Program (GSIP) shall be composed of a Graduate Council member from each College and one graduate student member selected annually at the first fall meeting by the Graduate Council. The Chairperson of the committee shall be elected by the committee members.

B. The committee shall have the authority and responsibility to review proposals for more than $2000, make a recommendation, with rationale, to the Graduate Council regarding funding. The Dean of Graduate Studies will approve items $2000 and under.

C. The committee shall meet at the call of the Chairperson and may conduct business in person or electronically.

D. The Chairperson or designee shall make an oral report on the committee’s most recent actions to the Graduate Council at the Council’s first meeting after the committee meeting.

Section 6. Other Committees. Ad hoc committees may be established for limited terms by the Graduate Council.

Article IV. Reviewing and Amending the Bylaws

The bylaws are reviewed biennially by the Executive Committee and subsequently amended by a majority vote of all eligible voting members of the Graduate Council. Standard practice shall be that this vote occur after at least one reading or discussion of the proposed amendment(s) during at least one meeting of the full Council at which the bylaws change(s) are discussed. However, the Graduate Council Chairperson may request a waiver of one reading/discussion and/or one meeting. A majority vote of all eligible members of the Graduate Council is needed to grant the waiver. The final vote for any amendment(s) may be held at a meeting or through written or electronic ballot.

Article V. Parliamentary Authority

The current edition of the Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure governs this organization in all parliamentary situations that are not provided for in the law or in the charter, bylaws, or adopted rules.

7. REFERENCES

8. PROCEDURES

9. REVISION HISTORY

Policy

UW Oshkosh Policies

Personnel Materials (Handbooks)