Graduate Council

The Graduate Council is the policy and governance body dealing with all graduate education issues according to the duties outlined in the Graduate Council Charter. As the representative governance unit of the Graduate faculty at Minot State University, the Graduate Council considers policy recommendations that govern graduate programs. It supports programs developed in accordance with the vision statement for Graduate Education.

Composition of the Graduate Council

The Graduate Council consists of the head of the Graduate School, one elected graduate faculty member from each graduate program (not including separate tracks within programs), two graduate faculty members appointed by the head of the Graduate School, and three graduate students who are enrolled and in good standing. Faculty are elected by the graduate faculty from their own programs, and both they and faculty appointed by the head of the Graduate School serve for three-year terms. Student members are nominated by the program directors, selected by the head of the Graduate School, and serve one-year terms.

Graduate Student Rights Committee

The Graduate Student Rights Committee examines issues of academic honesty, grade appeals, and other student rights matters as deemed appropriate. The Graduate Student Rights Committee members include the Vice President for Academic Affairs as chairperson (a non-voting member of the committee), the three student members of the Graduate Council, three Graduate Council members elected by the Council, and the head of the Graduate School. A member of the Registrar's Office is a non-voting, ex-officio member of the committee.

Student Senate Members

The Minot State University Student Senate contains representatives from the primary campus constituents, including the Graduate School. The Student Senate deals with issues of student governance on the university campus. Graduate students who are interested in serving on the Student Senate should contact the Graduate School and the Student Association offices for further information.

Charter of the Graduate Council of Minot State University

Preamble

The graduate faculty and the Graduate Council of Minot State University, in an effort to promote high quality student learning at the graduate level and to provide an opportunity whereby graduate faculty and graduate students shall participate in determining the direction of graduate education in the University, hereby adopts this Charter.

Article I
Authority

Section 1.  The official name of the policy and governance body for graduate education is the Minot State University (MiSU) Graduate Council.

Section 2. This Charter becomes effective upon written authorization of the MiSU President. It replaces all previous references to the Graduate Council established prior to Nov. 25, 2019, in any MiSU documents.

Section 3.  The Graduate Council is advisory to the President and reports directly to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Article II
Composition

Section 1.  The Graduate Council consists of the head of the Graduate School who serves as Chair of Graduate Council, one elected graduate faculty member from each graduate program (not including separate tracks within programs), two graduate faculty members appointed by the Chair of the Graduate School, three graduate students who are enrolled and in good standing, and a Parliamentarian appointed by the Chair of the Graduate Council. At a date to coincide with the annual faculty election as defined by the Faculty Senate bylaws of MiSU, faculty are elected by the graduate faculty from their own programs, and both they and faculty appointed by the Chair of the Graduate Council, serve a three-year term. Student members are nominated by Program Directors, selected by the Chair of the Graduate Council, and each serves a one-year term. The Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Parliamentarian are ex-officio non-voting members.

Section 2. To be eligible to serve on the Graduate Council or vote on graduate issues faculty must hold the status of Graduate Faculty. Graduate Faculty members are elected to serve staggered, 3-year terms with one-third (1/3) of the members elected each year. Terms of office for Graduate Council shall be limited to two consecutive three-year terms with one year off before being eligible to serve on Graduate Council again.

Article III
Function

Section 1.  Acting within the policies of the Graduate Council Charter, Minot State University, and the State Board of Higher Education, the Graduate Council is the policy and governance body dealing with matters that affect graduate students and graduate programs for Minot State University.

Section 2.  The Graduate Council cooperates with the Faculty Senate in all matters that lie within the province of both bodies. All graduate curricular issues are approved by the Graduate Council and proceed to the Curriculum Committee and then to the Faculty Senate for final approval.

Article IV
Chair and Secretary

Section 1. The head of the Graduate School chairs the Graduate Council. The chair convenes and presides over all Graduate Council meetings. As the Chair, the head of the Graduate School votes only in the case of a tie. In the absence of the head of the Graduate School, the Vice President for Academic Affairs presides over the meeting. The Vice President of Academic Affairs does not vote on Graduate Council matters.

Section 2. The head of the Graduate School appoints a staff person to serve as Secretary of the Graduate Council.

Article V
Meetings and Procedures

Section 1.  Meetings of the Graduate Council are open to any MiSU student or faculty except when the Chair determines student or faculty privacy may be compromised.

Section 2.  The Graduate Council follows Robert’s Rules of Order in the conduct of meetings.

Section 3. The Graduate Council holds meetings monthly during the academic year. Additional meetings may be called if needed, including during the summer. Meetings of the Graduate Council are called by the Chair of the Graduate Council. The Chair of the Graduate Council shall call a meeting if he/she receives a petition requesting a meeting. The petition must bear the signatures of a least one-fifth (1/5) of the Graduate Faculty members.

Section 4:  Meeting attendance can take place in person or synchronously using virtual technology.

Section 5: Voting on Graduate Council business is conducted by the Graduate Council members. Members may vote in person, by proxy, or synchronously using virtual technology. In unusual cases, when an urgent vote is required for immediate action as decreed by the Chair of the Graduate School, all voting members may cast their vote through email. Voting through email does not replace attendance at monthly meetings.

Article VI
Program Authority

Section 1.  The university departments formulate requirements for graduate degrees within the framework of the Graduate Council, Minot State University policy, and policies of the State Board of Higher Education. These policies include admittance, retention, and degree completion requirements.

Section 2. Each department is responsible for annual evaluation and/or improvement of existing graduate programs and the development of new graduate programs. Programs directors, representing their respective programs, may bring forward to the Graduate Council proposals for new curricula and programs. These proposals will be considered by the Graduate Council. When approved by the Graduate Council, the proposal will proceed through the MiSU curriculum approval process.

Article VII
Committees

Section 1. The Graduate Student Rights Committee is formed each year no later than October 1. Members include the three (3) student representatives on the Graduate Council, three (3) Graduate Council members elected by the Council, and the head of the Graduate School. The Vice President for Academic Affairs is the chairperson and non-voting member of the Committee. A representative of the Registrar’s Office is a non-voting, ex-officio member of the committee. In the event a student rights issue arises from the department of one of the committee members, an alternate member will be chosen by the head of the Graduate School.

Section 2. The Graduate Council will establish other standing or ad hoc committees as needed.

Article VIII
Amendments

Section 1. Proposed amendments to the Graduate Charter may be initiated by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Graduate Council or by petition of one-third (1/3) of the current graduate faculty holding the status of Graduate Faculty.

Section 2. Proposed amendments are distributed by the Secretary of the Graduate Council to the graduate faculty at least seven (7) days prior to a meeting of the graduate faculty. An amendment is approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of approval of those graduate faculty members voting. The amendment takes effect when it is approved by the President of the University.

Article IX
Bylaws

Section 1. By-laws to this charter become effective when they are approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the Graduate Faculty and Professional Graduate Faculty members and approved by the President of the University. Graduate faculty status at Minot State University is based on academic qualifications and/or professional expertise. Three categories of graduate faculty status are available; however, Visiting Graduate Faculty are not eligible to vote or serve on Graduate Council.