Constitution

The name of the organization shall be Metropolitan State University of Denver Graduate Council, hereinafter the Graduate Council.

The mission of the Graduate Council is to promote graduate education, scholarship, and research; to support individuals, departments and programs in the pursuit of excellence; to foster innovative, multidisciplinary, and interdisciplinary activities; and to maintain high ethical and academic standards in graduate studies.

The Graduate Council shall advise the Associate Vice President – Graduate Studies regarding the configuration of graduate degrees, graduate certificate programs, and graduate micro credentials. In addition, the Council shall monitor the degree to which these programs further the University’s mission, avoid unwarranted program duplication, pursue means by which graduate programs can be strengthened, and establish, monitor, and maintain academic standards across the graduate curricula.

The Graduate Council shall recommend policies including, but not limited to: the structure and quality of graduate curricula, procedures concerning graduate student appeals, and policies governing the initiation and termination of graduate degree programs. The Graduate Council shall be responsible for the promotion of a positive graduate culture that supports scholarly inquiry, education, mentorship and advanced practices. Furthermore, the Graduate Council shall be responsible for approving all sustainability studies for new graduate program proposals.

Section 1: Representation

Members of the Graduate Council shall consist of:

• The Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies
• A faculty representative appointed by each academic Dean of a School or College that offer graduate program(s)
• A Chair representative selected from an existing graduate program
• Two rotating graduate program representatives*
• A representative appointed by the Faculty Senate
• The Associate Vice President for Curriculum and Policy Development
• A representative from the Office of the Provost
• A representative from the Division of Administration, Finance, and Facilities
• A representative from the Office of the Registrar
• A representative from the Office of Graduate Studies
• The president of the Graduate Student Association

There shall be no more than two members from any department on the Graduate council at any given time.

Requests for commentary from a non-council member must be submitted to the Council Chair 48 hours in advance or be brought forth by a council member at a meeting.

Section 2: Chair of the Graduate Council

The chair of the Graduate Council will be the Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies.

Section 3: Committees of the Graduate Council

• 3.1 Formation. The Graduate Council shall have the power to form ad hoc committees.
• 3.2 Powers and Duties. The Graduate Council may assign powers and duties to these committees.
• 3.3 Rules of Operation. The Graduate Council shall have the power to adopt its own rules of operation to carry out these assigned responsibilities.

*Until the Graduate Student Association is formed, there will be three rotating graduate program representatives

An amendment to the Constitution or the Bylaws may be initiated by any member of the Graduate Council. Proposed amendments to the Constitution or the Bylaws shall be presented in writing to the members of the Graduate Council at least three (3) business days prior to the Graduate Council meeting at which the vote will be taken. Amendments to the Constitution or the Bylaws shall require an affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the voting members of the Graduate Council present at the meeting.