CONSTITUTION   OF   THE  GRADUATE   COUNCIL
TEXAS   A&M   UNIVERSITY - KINGSVILLE

Purpose

+ The Graduate Council shall be the body responsible for recommending policy standards, criteria, regulations, and procedures for graduate study in accordance with policies of the Board of Directors.

RESPONSIBILITIES

It is the responsibility of the Graduate Council to review all proposals for graduate degree programs and courses and, at its option, existing programs; to establish and review (subject to approval of the Graduate Faculty) the criteria for membership on the Graduate Faculty. Furthermore, the council is to establish the minimum admission standards, the standards for continuation of graduate students, and the residency requirements; to act upon petitions and appeals from the decision of the Graduate Dean; to consider any other matters relevant to the College of Graduate Studies; and to authorize, recommend, or instruct the Graduate Dean to take appropriate actions to effect the results of its decisions.

COMPOSITION

The Graduate Council shall be composed of sixteen members, as follows:

1. The Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.
2. Two representatives from each of the five undergraduate colleges:
One representative shall be appointed by the Dean of each college, and one representative shall be elected by the Graduate Faculty members of each college.
3. Five at-large members elected by the Graduate Faculty, with no more than two members from any one undergraduate college.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership, and Term of Office:

*All members of the Graduate Council shall be full, associate, or adjunct members of the Graduate Faculty. The term of elected members shall be three years from the beginning of the fall semester following their election. A one year waiting period shall be required before a person whose three year term has expired is eligible for re-election to the Graduate Council. When vacancies occur, elections will be held to complete the unexpired terms. Persons filling unexpired terms are immediately eligible for re-election to a new three year term. The Deans' representatives will serve on a continuous basis unless the Graduate Dean is otherwise notified.

*All full, associate and adjunct members of the Graduate Faculty are eligible to vote in Council elections.

*(As Amended April 27, 1982
+(As Amended November 23, 1982)

ELECTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS

College Representative (Elected)

College representatives to the Council shall be elected by April 21 of the appropriate year of selection. When a vacancy occurs, an undergraduate college shall, as soon as possible, nominate and elect by ballot, in a manner prescribed by the Graduate Dean, the Graduate Faculty member to fill a vacancy.


At-Large Representative (Elected)

The Graduate Dean shall conduct the election for vacancies among members at-large by April 21st.


Dean's Appointed Representatives

Vacancies among the Dean's appointed representative shall be filled by May 1st.


MEETINGS

There shall be at least one meeting of the Graduate Council each month of the Fall and Spring Semesters and one meeting during each of the two terms of the Summer Sessions. The agenda for each meeting shall be prepared and distributed to each member of the Graduate Council no later than one week prior to the meeting. The time and place of each meeting shall be announced to the General Faculty no later than one week prior to each meeting.

Special meetings of the Graduate Council shall be called by the Chairman of the Council in the following manner:

1. Upon his initiative.

2. Upon petition of three or more members of the Council submitted in writing to the Graduate Dean.

3. Upon written request of the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs.

QUORUM

The presence of a majority of the total 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 in his place provided the member has notified the Chairman of the Graduate Council either in writing, in person, or by phone. The substitute representative must meet the requirements for membership on the Graduate Council. The substitute shall have the voting proxy of the member.

COMMITTEES

The Graduate Council shall elect from its membership an Executive Committee with one representative from each of the undergraduate colleges at the May meeting of each academic year to assume responsibility at the beginning of the following academic year. Members may succeed themselves. This committee shall then establish such standing and ad hoc committees as are deemed necessary for the operation of the Graduate College and shall also:

A. Set the agenda for each Council meeting.
B. Request, hear, and act on reports from other committees.
C. Study all graduate policy matters that have either been brought before the council or initiated by the Committee itself as worthy of consideration.

Appointed standing and ad hoc committee shall be composed of members selected from the total Graduate Faculty. Chairmen of all committees, however, shall be members of the Graduate Council.

Standing committees shall be appointed at the first meeting of the Graduate Council in each academic year and shall serve one year.

Ad hoc committees shall serve until their final reports are presented and they are dismissed by the Council.

All reports of committees shall be presented to the Council in writing.


OFFICERS

Chairman:

The Dean of the Graduate College shall serve as permanent
Chairman of the Graduate Council.

Vice-Chairman:

The Vice-Chairman shall be a member elected at the last regular meeting of each academic year, shall take office at the beginning of the following academic year, shall serve for a one-year term shall be eligible to succeed himself and shall serve as representative from his college on the Executive Committee.

Secretary:

The Secretary shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Graduate Council.

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

The Chairman of the Graduate Council shall call and preside at all meetings; shall, in emergencies, appoint members to ad hoc committees; shall report to the Council communications from the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs' and shall transmit to the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs and to all faculty members the published minutes of each meeting of the Council or any other published communications as the Council may direct.

The Vice-Chairman of the Graduate Council shall call and preside at all Council meetings in the absence of the Chairman, or shall preside over the meetings when the Chairman shall vacate the chair and call on him to preside. He shall also serve as Chairman of the Executive Committee.

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


BY-LAWS

The Council may adopt by-laws, regulations, rules, or procedure for the conduct of its business provided that they do not conflict with the provisions of this document.

AMENDMENTS

This Constitution for the Graduate Council may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the total membership of the Graduate Council or at a general meeting of the Graduate Faculty of The University assembled for that purpose by the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs. At least two weeks public notice of the proposed change shall be given, and a majority of the entire Graduate Faculty will constitute a quorum. A simple majority of those present and voting may approve the change.

*An amendment shall become effective one month after its adoption unless held in abeyance or disapproved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

*As amended May 13, 1982 by VPAA)
February 1994

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