Article I: Definition of the Graduate Faculty

1. The Graduate Faculty

   The Graduate Faculty at the University of Northern Iowa exists as part of the total University Faculty which is defined in Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution of the Faculty of the University of Northern Iowa. The primary function of the Graduate Faculty is to provide educational experiences and set policy associated with graduate programs at the University. The Graduate Faculty constitutes the Graduate College, the academic unit responsible for graduate programs at the University. Members of the Graduate Faculty normally hold rank in one of the academic colleges. Membership on the Graduate Faculty is restricted as defined in this constitution.

2. Membership on the Graduate Faculty

   2.1. Membership on the Graduate Faculty shall consist of two types: Associate Members and Regular Members.

   2.2. Associate Members.

   Associate Members can teach specified graduate courses, assist in advising graduate students, and serve on, but not chair, masters thesis committees under specified circumstances. Associate Members are not eligible for membership on the Graduate Council nor eligible to vote in Graduate Faculty meetings.

   Faculty who are Associate Members of the Graduate Faculty as of Spring 1989 who do not hold the terminal degree will permanently retain the Associate status upon recommendation to the Graduate Dean by the Department Head with concurrence of the Graduate Faculty of the department.

   Appointments to Associate Membership. No appointments to Associate Membership will be made after Spring 1989.

   2.3. Regular Members.

   Regular Members can vote in elections and meetings of the Graduate Faculty, teach courses designed only for the graduate level, advise graduate students in their programs, serve on and chair masters thesis committees, serve on, but not chair, doctoral dissertation committees, and serve on the Graduate Council.

   Only tenure track faculty with the appropriate terminal degree at the assistant professor level or above are eligible for Regular Membership on the Graduate Faculty.

   Appointments to Regular Membership. All tenure track faculty with the appropriate terminal degree at the assistant professor level or above will be granted Regular Member status upon recommendation to the Graduate Dean by the Department Head with concurrence of the Graduate Faculty of the department. Regular Membership is granted for a non-specified time period.

   Persons serving as chairs of doctoral committees must have demonstrated substantial involvement in graduate education, including chairing masters theses and serving on both masters thesis and doctoral dissertation committees, and must show evidence of continued scholarly productivity after completion of the terminal degree.

   2.4. Temporary Appointments.

   Temporary one semester appointments to enable a faculty member, adjunct instructor, or lecturer to teach a graduate level course may be made at the discretion of the Graduate Dean.

   2.5. Exceptions.

   Exceptions may be granted with the approval of the Graduate Council upon recommendation by the Graduate Dean.

3. Roster of the Graduate Faculty

   A list of Regular and Associate members of the Graduate Faculty will be kept in the Office of the Graduate Dean. Additions and deletions will be made as they occur with a normal review and revision occurring as soon as is practicable in the Fall semester by action of the Graduate Dean.

Article II: Officers and Duties

1. Chairperson

   The chairperson of the Graduate Faculty will be elected by a vote of the membership in the spring of each year for a one-year term and may serve for no more than two years consecutively. The chairperson of the Graduate Faculty shall convene regular and special meetings of the Graduate Faculty and preside over them. The chairperson of the Graduate Faculty shall prepare, with the assistance of the chairperson of the Graduate Council and the Graduate Dean, agenda for meetings and provide for the distribution of the agenda to the Graduate Faculty prior to the meeting. The chairperson of the Graduate Faculty will act as a spokesperson for the Graduate Faculty and as an ex-officio member of the Graduate Council.

2. Secretary

   The secretary will be appointed by the Graduate Dean and will also serve as secretary to the Graduate Council. The secretary will record minutes of meetings of the Graduate Faculty and of the Graduate Council, and publish and distribute them to the University Faculty with assistance from the Office of the Graduate Dean.

Article III: Meetings

1. Regular Meetings

   One regular meeting of the Graduate Faculty will ordinarily be held during the Spring semester of each academic year. The Graduate Dean will review the status of graduate activities at this meeting. The chairperson of the Graduate Faculty and/or the chairperson of the Graduate Council may also address the meeting. The chairperson of the Graduate Faculty will schedule this meeting in consultation with the Graduate Dean and the chairperson of the Graduate Council.

2. Special Meetings

   Special meetings of the Graduate Faculty may be called by petition of 20 regular members of the Graduate Faculty. The petition is submitted to the chairperson and must specify the reasons for calling the meeting. Such meetings shall take place within 30 calendar days of receipt of the petition.

   Special meetings may also be called by either the chairperson of the Graduate Council or the Graduate Dean.

3. Quorum

   Quorum will be 15 percent of the total Graduate Faculty.

4. Procedures

   Meetings of the Graduate Faculty will be conducted according to normal parliamentary procedure using the latest revision of Robert's Rules of Order.

Article IV: The Graduate Council

1. Function

   The Graduate Council is the principal decision-making body of the Graduate Faculty. The Council acts on behalf of the Graduate Faculty on all graduate education policy and curricular matters. It has the power to act on all matters within the jurisdiction of the Graduate Faculty except to amend this constitution or to set aside decisions made by the Graduate Faculty, except in emergencies and only then by a two-thirds vote. The Council is advisory to the Dean of the Graduate College and responsible to the Graduate Faculty and, through the Graduate Faculty, responsible to the faculty of the university as a whole. The actions of the Graduate Council are subject to review by the Graduate Faculty.

2. Composition

   The elected membership of the Graduate Council consists of two Regular Graduate Faculty members from each academic college, a representative from the Rod Library Graduate Faculty, and two graduate students with one representing the master's programs and one representing the doctoral programs. These members shall be elected by the eligible voting members of the Graduate Faculty from their respective units. The graduate students are elected from the graduate student advisory committee to the Graduate Dean. The Chairperson of the Graduate Faculty is an ex-officio, voting member of the Graduate Council. The following are ex-officio, non-voting members of the Graduate Council: The Graduate Dean; other officers of the Graduate College (Associate or Assistant Deans, and Assistants to the Dean); the Director of Information Systems and Computing Services, or his/her representative; and a designated representative of the Committee of Departmental Graduate Coordinators. Exclusive of ex-officio members, no more than one faculty member of the Graduate Council shall be from the same department or school.

3. Election and Term of Office

   Elected members of the Graduate Council serve for a term of two years, with no member allowed to serve more than three consecutive terms. Elections are staggered so that one member of each academic college is elected in the spring of each academic year. The graduate student representing the doctoral programs serves for two years and the graduate student representing the master's programs serves for one year with no graduate student allowed to serve for more than three consecutive terms. Terms begin and end with the beginning of the Fall Semester. Each academic college conducts its own election and reports the results to the Graduate Dean.

4. Officers

   At the first meeting of the Graduate Council in the Fall Semester, the elected members of the Council will elect a Chairperson and a Vice-chairperson from their ranks.

   4.1 Chairperson.

   The chairperson of the Graduate Council will be elected by the members of the Graduate Council for a one-year term. The chairperson will convene regular and special meetings of the Graduate Council and preside over them. The chairperson will prepare, with the assistance of the vice-chairperson, agenda for meetings and provide for the distribution of the agenda to the Graduate Council prior to any meetings. The chairperson will act as the spokesperson for the Graduate Council.

   4.2 Vice-chairperson.

   The vice-chairperson of the Graduate Council will be elected by members of the Graduate Council for a one-year term. This person will assist the chairperson of the Graduate Council and serve as chairperson in his or her absence.

   4.3 Graduate Dean.

   The Graduate Dean is the executive officer of the Graduate Council and serves as an ex-officio non-voting member.

5. Authority

   Decisions of the Graduate Council in regard to graduate matters are authoritative, subject to the provision of review in Article IV, Section 1, of this constitution, subject to the general authority of the Faculty through the Graduate Faculty, and the rules and regulations of the University of Northern Iowa and of the Board of Regents.

Article V: Ratification and Amendment

1. Ratification

   This constitution will become the official Constitution of the Graduate Faculty of the University of Northern Iowa one month from the date of its adoption by majority vote of the Graduate Faculty at a regular or special meeting, notice of which shall have been given at least one week in advance to the Graduate Faculty.

2. Amendment

   This constitution may be amended, revised, or repealed by a two-thirds vote of those present at a regular or special meeting of the Graduate Faculty, notice of which, including a statement of the proposed amendment, revision, or repeal shall have been given at least one week in advance.

4/27/95