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About Graduate Council

The Graduate Council ensures the quality and appropriateness of graduate courses and graduate degree programs. The Graduate Council provides recommendations concerning the establishment and maintenance of requirements for graduation; allocation of privileges such as scholarships, honors, awards, and grants-in-aid for graduate students; and the establishment of grade standards to be maintained by graduate students.

The Graduate Council meets from 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the Graduate School Conference Room (RM 410) in the Museum Building. To submit a proposal, contact the Graduate Council member for your college/school.

Current Members: Effective August 2024

Members  Affiliation Term Expires
Dr. Tracy Collum Interim Dean of the Graduate School (Chair) N/A

Anna Siddoway

Interim Director of the Graduate School (Ex-Officio) N/A
Amy Clark

Administrator

N/A

Bridget Fitzpatrick

Graduate Student Representative May 2025
Dr. Shin Kue Ryu College of Arts & Letters (Social and Behavioral Sciences) May 2026
Dr. Carmen Febles College of Arts & Letters (Fine Arts and Humanities) May 2025

Dr. Karl Geisler

College of Business  May 2025
Dr. Robin Lindbeck College of Education May 2026
Dr. Amir Ali College of Science and Engineering (Engineering) May 2025
Dr. Rene Rodriguez College of Science and Engineering (Sciences) May 2026
Dr. Dani Moffit Kasiska Division of Health Sciences (College of Health) May 2026

Dr. Danny Xu

College of Pharmacy  May 2025
  At Large May 2025

Fall 2024

  • September 4, 2024 (submission deadline: August 21, 2024)
  • September 18, 2024 (submission deadline: September 4, 2024)
  • October 2, 2024 (submission deadline: September 18, 2024)
  • October 16, 2024 (submission deadline: October 2, 2024)
  • October 30, 2024 (priority submission deadline for inclusion in next graduate catalog cycle AY 25-26: October 16, 2024)
  • November 13, 2024 (submission deadline: October 30, 2024)
  • December 4, 2024 (submission deadline: November 13, 2024)

Spring 2024

  • January 17, 2024 (submission deadline: January 10, 2024)
  • January 31, 2024 (submission deadline: January 24, 2024)
  • February 14, 2024 (submission deadline: February 7, 2024)
  • February 28, 2024 (submission deadline: February 21, 2024)
  • March 13, 2024 (submission deadline: March 6, 2024) CANCELLED
  • March 27, 2024 (submission deadline: March 20, 2024)
  • April 10, 2024 (submission deadline: April 3, 2024)
  • April 24, 2024 (submission deadline: April 17, 2024) - last council meeting of the year

Fall 2023

  • September 6, 2023 (submission deadline: August 20, 2023)
  • September 20, 2023 (submission deadline: September 13, 2023)
  • October 4, 2023 (submission deadline: September 27, 2023)
  • October 18, 2023 (submission deadline: October 11, 2023)
  • November 1, 2023 (submission deadline: October 25, 2023)
  • November 15, 2023 (submission deadline: November 8, 2023)
  • November 29, 2023 (submission deadline for inclusion in next graduate catalog cycle AY 24-25: November 22, 2023)

Fall 2024

Spring 2024

Fall 2023

Spring 2023

Fall 2022

Spring 2022

Fall 2021

Spring 2021

Fall 2020

Spring 2020

Fall 2019

Spring 2019

Fall 2018 

Fall 2024

Spring 2024

Fall 2023

Spring 2023

Fall 2022

Spring 2022

Fall 2021

Spring 2021

Fall 2020

Spring 2020

Fall 2019

Spring 2019

Fall 2018 

BYLAWS OF THE GRADUATE FACULTY 

ARTICLE I: NAME OF ORGANIZATION 

The name of this body shall be the GRADUATE FACULTY OF IDAHO STATE  UNIVERSITY. 

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY 

SECTION 1. The Graduate Faculty, within the scope of its authority to act for the  Graduate School of the University, shall provide recommendations concerning: 

a) the admissions policy for graduate students, 

b) approval of graduate courses of instruction, 

c) the establishment and maintenance of requirements for graduation, 

d) the allocation of privileges such as scholarships, honors, awards and grants-in-aid  for graduate students, 

e) the establishment of grade standards to be maintained by graduate students. 

As a general rule, such recommendations will come to the Graduate School through the  duly elected Graduate Council Member representing the faculty member’s college.  However, this does not supersede the right of Graduate Faculty to follow the petition  process outlined in Article V Section 2 to bring a recommendation before the full  Graduate Faculty of the institution, nor does it supersede the right of Graduate Faculty  members to appear at meetings of the Graduate Council to voice recommendations in accordance with the procedure outlined in Article VI Section 1. 

SECTION 2. It is the general responsibility of members of the Graduate Faculty to be  productive scholars in the areas of instruction and research and to be effective leaders  in the graduate programs of their various fields. The specific duties of members of the  Graduate Faculty are as follows: 

a) to conduct courses which are offered exclusively for graduate credit, b) to guide graduate seminars, 

c) to supervise the research problems of graduate students and to serve as thesis  advisors and members of thesis committees, inclusive of service as a Graduate  Faculty Representative – GFR

d) to conduct graduate examinations (both written and oral), inclusive of service as a  Graduate Faculty Representative – GFR 

e) to serve occasionally as members of the Graduate Council, 

f) to be responsible for other policies relevant to the academic welfare of the  Graduate School. 

SECTION 3. The Graduate Faculty may review and amend the policies adopted by the  Graduate Council (See Article V for appropriate processes). 

SECTION 4. The Graduate Faculty can overrule an action of the Graduate Council; any  such overruling can be done by and only by majority vote of the Graduate Faculty carried out in accordance with the process described in Article V. 

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP 

SECTION 1. Nominations presented to the Graduate Council for membership on the Graduate Faculty shall be made by the chairperson or head of the candidate’s  department with the approval of the majority of the Graduate Faculty members of the  department. Any candidate whose chairperson or head of the department is not a member of the Graduate Faculty may be nominated by the appropriate academic dean with  the concurrence of the Dean of the Graduate School. The following principles for  nomination to the Graduate Faculty shall be adhered to: 

a) Ordinarily an individual shall possess the highest degree usually earned by scholars in his/her particular field. 

b) An individual shall have demonstrated professional productivity and scholarly maturity. 

c) An individual shall have had successful experience in upper-division college or university teaching or equivalent teaching experience. 

d) Any individual who no longer has Graduate Faculty responsibility may be dropped  from Graduate Faculty status. 

SECTION 2. The Dean of the Graduate School is charged with appointing nominees to  the Graduate Faculty following a majority vote in the affirmative of the Graduate  Council. 

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS 

The Dean of the Graduate School of Idaho State University, or a member appointed by  the Dean, shall be chairperson of all general meetings of the Graduate Faculty. The dean 

of the Graduate School shall appoint a parliamentarian to act in general meetings of the  Graduate Faculty. 

ARTICLE V: GRADUATE FACULTY MEETINGS 

SECTION 1. Call of Regular Meetings. The Graduate Faculty may hold meetings during  the academic year, the day and time to be determined by the Dean of the Graduate  School. 

SECTION 2. Call of Special Sessions. The Dean of the Graduate School shall call a  special session of the Graduate Faculty at any time during the academic year (as  defined by the Idaho State Board of Education as Trustees for Idaho State University).  Items will be considered only if presented to him/her/them by signed petition from ten  (10) or more of the Graduate Faculty members. In addition, the Dean of the Graduate  School may bring forward items for consideration of the Graduate Faculty convening in a special session. Special sessions must be called and convened within ten (10) class days following receipt of the petition(s). 

SECTION 3. Action Items. Motions from the Graduate Faculty regarding academic  policy within the Graduate School must be submitted in writing to the Dean of the  Graduate School prior to discussion upon them.  

ARTICLE VI: QUORUM 

A quorum shall be reached if thirty-five percent (35%) of the members of the Graduate  Faculty at Idaho State University are in attendance at a Graduate Faculty meeting. A  quorum may also be considered to have been constituted if a recording of the Graduate  Faculty meeting is made, distributed to all Graduate Faculty, and at least 35% of the  members of the eligible Graduate Faculty vote within a week’s time of the distribution of  that recording on all proposals on the meeting’s agenda. Voting should occur via secret ballot. 

ARTICLE VII: GRADUATE COUNCIL 

SECTION 1. Duties. The Graduate Council is charged with carrying out the duties and  responsibilities of the Graduate Faculty as stipulated in Article 2 Section 1. In addition  to these, the Graduate Council shall distribute communications to the Graduate Faculty  to inform them of the results of its deliberations. Representatives to the Graduate  Council are expected to consult with their constituent Graduate Faculty members. Any  Graduate Faculty member may upon notice to his representative on the Graduate  Council and the Dean of the Graduate School appear before the Graduate Council on any matter pertaining to the Graduate School and its policies or programs. 

SECTION 2. Membership. 

1) Eight teaching members of the Graduate Faculty elected by majority vote and secret ballot on a representational basis by the following units: 

a) Two representatives of the College of Arts and Letters, (one representative  from the areas of Fine Arts and Humanities, and one representative from the  areas of Social and Behavioral Sciences) 

b) One representative of the College of Education, 

c) One representative of the College of Business, 

d) Two representatives of the Division of Health Sciences, (one representative from the College of Pharmacy, and one representative from the other areas of  the Division), 

e) Two representatives of the College of Science and Engineering, 

2) The Dean of the Graduate School who shall serve as chairperson. 

3) One representative-at-large appointed from the Graduate Faculty by the Dean of the Graduate School. 

4) One graduate student representative. 

5) The Associate Dean of the Graduate School, to serve as an ex-officio (non-voting member). 

SECTION 3. Editorial Change Committee. The Editorial Change Committee will consist  of three individuals elected yearly by the Graduate Council from among its officio and  ex-officio members. The responsibility of the Editorial Change Committee is to  expedite minor editorial changes in the catalog copy that do not constitute program or  curricular changes (such as semester listings changes in course descriptions, course  numbers, dropping or adding cross-listings within course descriptions in departments  other than the originating department, and correcting minor errors in catalog text). A  report on all actions taken by the Editorial Change Committee will be presented to the  Graduate Council. Should any Graduate Council member wish to bring an action taken  by the Editorial Change Committee to the floor for deliberation by the full Graduate  Council they may do so by notifying the Chair of the Graduate Council who shall bring it  forward. Following deliberation, the Chair shall call for a vote on whether to sustain or  reverse the action in question. 

SECTION 4. Terms. The terms of college representatives shall be two years, arranged  so that approximately half of the Council members are elected each year. The election  of representatives from and by the various colleges shall be completed prior to May 1st 

and the appointment of the representative-at-large (one-year term only) shall be made prior to September 1 of each year. All elected terms shall begin June 1st. 

SECTION 5. Election of Members.  

a) Graduate Council Faculty Representatives. The Graduate Faculty within each of  the above-named units shall nominate candidates from within its membership to  represent that unit on the Council by submitting a nominating ballot to the Dean  of their respective college. The Dean of the College shall then conduct an  election by secret ballot of each appropriate unit from the nominees. The  candidate receiving the highest tally of the vote cast by the Graduate Faculty of  the particular unit shall serve as the representative to the Graduate Council. If  the unit is allowed more than one representative, the candidate who receives the  second highest tally of the vote will be the second representative. The candidate  receiving the third highest tally of the vote will serve as an alternate in the absence of a representative. In the event of a tie between the top two candidates, a run-off ballot vote shall be cast between the three nominees receiving the  greatest number of votes cast in the first ballot.  

b) Graduate Council Student Representative. The Graduate Student Representative  shall be elected by the graduate student body. The election of the Graduate  Student Representatives shall be conducted by May 1st of each year. The  candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall then serve a one-year term  on the Graduate Council. The candidate receiving the next highest number of  votes shall serve as an alternative in the absence of the representative. In the  event of a tie between the top two candidates, a run-off election will be  conducted between the top two candidates on the initial ballot.  

c) Vacancies. If vacancy of both representative(s) and alternate on the Council  occurs between annual election periods, the vacancy shall be filled through May  31st with a temporary appointment by the Dean of the appropriate college and  unit. If the vacancy occurs in the first year of the two-year term, a representative  and an alternate elected for one year will succeed the appointed and complete  the original term of office. 

ARTICLE VIII: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY 

Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 12th Edition, 2020, shall be the authority on all  matters not covered by the bylaws until such time as a new authorized edition of said text is issued, at which time the new edition will become the prevailing authority. 

ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS OF THE BYLAWS

These bylaws may be amended at any Graduate Faculty meeting by a two-thirds  affirmative vote of the quorum, provided that such an amendment shall 1) have been  submitted in writing to the membership not less than seven days prior to the vote, and  2) moved at a meeting of the Graduate Faculty for discussion prior to acting upon them.

Approved April 2021