Office of the President

Graduate School Constitution; Supercedes EM 76-017 and EM 77-007

Executive Memorandum 09-001 January 20, 2009

From: Paul J. Zingg, PresidentSubject: Graduate School Constitution; Supercedes EM 76-017 and EM 77-007

Upon recommendation of the Academic Senate and the Provost, I approve the revisions to the Graduate School Constitution for effective immediately. This Executive Memorandum supercedes EM 76-017 and EM 77-007.

Definitions

“Postbaccalaureate” refers to study after the baccalaureate and subsumes the term “graduate,” which means “pursuit of a degree beyond the baccalaureate.”

Responsibilities

The Graduate School encourages postbaccalaureate education and the production, dissemination, and application of new knowledge with appropriate regard for the autonomy of colleges, schools, and departments in postbaccalaureate matters consistent with policies established by the University and the Graduate School.

The Graduate School administers three programs:

  • Postbaccalaureate studies
  • Programs designed to increase participation in postbaccalaureate education by students from underrepresented groups
  • CSU Student Research Competition

Postbaccalaureate Studies

The Graduate School:

  • Serves as admissions and evaluations office for postbaccalaureate students
  • Administers regulations of the California Administrative Code, Title 5. Education, as applicable to postbaccalaureate education
  • Oversees master’s degree programs and postbaccalaureate certificates
  • Cooperates with the College of Communication and Education on credential programs
  • Ensures high standards in graduate programs through systematic assessment procedures and other evaluations
  • Stages master’s commencement
The Graduate School develops and administers university wide graduate policies, standards, and procedures conducive to quality graduate programs. The Graduate School coordinates, with the colleges, schools, and departments, the policies, standards and procedures of the University that relate to graduate studies. It recommends new postbaccalaureate certificates and master’s degree programs and options to the Provost and the Academic Senate. The Graduate School facilitates ongoing systematic program assessment and oversees the review of graduate programs, prepares the University Strategic Plans for graduate studies, and makes recommendations to the Provost and the Academic Senate. The Graduate School coordinates joint doctoral program development with colleges, schools, and departments and with doctoral granting institutions.

The Graduate School administers programs designed to increase participation in postbaccalaureate education by students from underrepresented groups, e.g. Graduate Equity Fellowships, pre-doctoral scholar program, CSU Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program.

The Graduate School organizes the annual campus CSU Student Research Competition with funding from the IRA program. The Graduate School coordinates with the CSU system-wide research competition organizers to send up to ten CSU, Chico students and a faculty supervisor to the statewide competition.

Organization

The Graduate School includes the following units:

  • Graduate School Office
  • Graduate Council
  • Council of Graduate Students
  • Graduate Committees in colleges, schools, and departments

Graduate School Office

The Graduate School office provides services to postbaccalaureate students from inquiry and application to graduation and commencement. It also engages in outreach and recruitment efforts including, but not limited to, education fairs and advertising.

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council is the University’s official policy making and curriculum review body for graduate programs. It ensures that faculty participate in the formulation of graduate policies.

The Graduate Council consists of:

  • The Dean of the Graduate School, who serves as chair
  • The Director of Graduate and International Student Services
  • Graduate coordinators of every master’s degree program, including Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Two student representatives chosen by and from the Council of Graduate Students
  • One member designated by the Academic Senate selected from the Educational Policies committee

Council of Graduate Students

  • The Director of Graduate and International Student Services
  • All matriculated students in master’s programs
Only the student members vote.

The Council of Graduate Students elects two voting student representatives to the Graduate Council.

Graduate Committees in Colleges, Schools, and Departments

Colleges and departments may establish graduate committees according to their own consultative procedures and in accordance with university approved graduate policy.

Graduate committee recommendations will be transmitted to the office of the college dean. The functions of the graduate committee may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Developing proposals for new graduate programs, options, and courses; planning resources and facilities; and making recommendations for transmission to the Graduate School and the Graduate Council
  • Reviewing graduate offerings and programs in conjunction with the Graduate School
  • Developing and maintaining policies and procedures for the internal operation of graduate programs and activities, including program reviews and assessment
  • Making recommendations on matters before the Graduate Council
  • Coordinating the advising of graduate students
  • Maintaining liaison with the Dean of the Graduate School
  • Maintaining high standards of quality for graduate study
  • Reviewing of graduate student applications to the master’s program and post-baccalaureate certificate programs and recommendation for admission
Proposals for new graduate programs and reviews of existing programs are submitted from the College Dean to the Dean of the Graduate School, the Graduate Council, the Academic Senate, the Provost, and the Chancellor’s Office.

In accordance with Graduate School policy, each college or department will set a policy regarding membership on student master’s degree program committees and eligibility to serve as committee chair. Colleges and departments with graduate programs will identify faculty who are eligible to serve on master’s committees. Petitions for exceptions to Graduate School policy may be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School, or designee.

Meetings

Regular meetings of the Graduate Council and the Council of Graduate Students will be scheduled by the Graduate School each academic year. Minutes of each meeting will be distributed to that council’s members and be available in the Graduate School to all members of the University.

Fifty percent of the voting membership of any Graduate School council or board constitutes a quorum for that body.

Dean of the Graduate School

Duties

The Dean of the Graduate School will:

  • Formulate and pursue current goals of the Graduate School
  • Recruit diverse, high quality students
  • Ensure effective service to all postbaccalaureate students, graduate programs, and academic units

The Dean may be assisted by an Associate Dean of the Graduate School.

Selection and Review

Selection and review of the Dean will be conducted by the Executive Management Selection Committee and Executive Management, Evaluation, and Development Committee, respectively, as defined in a separate Executive Memoranda.

Constitution Adoption, Revision, and Amendments

This Constitution and its revisions will become the official document of the Graduate School after adoption by two-thirds vote of the Graduate Council followed by ratification by the Academic Senate and approval by the President.

This Constitution may be amended by two-thirds vote of the Graduate Council followed by ratification by the Academic Senate and approval by the President. Amendments become effective immediately unless another effective date is specified in the amendment.