Graduate College Purpose (Archived 2016-17 Graduate Catalog)

The goal of graduate education is to develop the resourcefulness and responsibility of post-baccalaureate individuals by furthering in them the ability to effectively handle the materials of their field and related human interactions, and to critically use the reports of others, judging both their value and their limitations.

Graduate study involves mastering levels of complexity and generalization that reflect and extend the knowledge and intellectual maturity of accomplished baccalaureate degree holders. Moreover, graduate study must occur in the company of students interested and capable enough to analyze, explore, question, reconsider, and synthesize old and new knowledge and skills.

Graduate work is, therefore, much more than the passing of a particular number of courses and the fulfillment of certain minimum requirements. One of the important goals of the Graduate College is to help students make the best use of the University’s resources in their pursuit of a mature and thorough understanding of significant problems. Students should consider themselves co-workers with other students, scholars, and teachers in cooperative intellectual endeavors on a high level.

The Dean of the Graduate College reports directly to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. As stated in the Academic Charter, the duties of this position include responsibility for:

• “providing academic leadership to ensure that the highest possible quality is achieved and maintained in teaching, research, and degree-granting functions of the Graduate College;” and
• “coordinating the operations of the Graduate College with those of other units of the University and of agencies outside of the University.”

Under the leadership of the Graduate Dean, the Graduate College carries out University and faculty policies regarding graduate education and research. It has oversight responsibilities for graduate program quality and the recruitment and admission of high caliber graduate students. The Graduate College also appoints the graduate faculty and allocates graduate student assistantship funds to Colleges and Departments, communicates with the office of Enrollment Management staff who create graduate assistantship contracts.

Graduate Faculty

The Graduate Faculty is composed of those members of the University faculty who are actively engaged in creative activity/research and teaching at the graduate level. Membership constitutes recognition of scholarly excellence and professional creativity.

Members of the Graduate Faculty may teach courses at the 5000 through the 7000 levels, serve as members of master’s and doctoral committees, direct master’s theses and doctoral dissertations, vote in Graduate College elections, and serve on the Graduate Council. Duties and privileges of Graduate Faculty are described in Article VIII of the Academic Charter. In order to maintain the Graduate Faculty as a viable body, the qualifications of the members are reviewed periodically.

The Graduate Coordinator

The Graduate Coordinator serves as the liaison between the Graduate College and the degree program on all matters relating to graduate study and graduate students in the degree program.

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council considers proposals for the establishment, modification, or discontinuance of graduate programs; ensures that reviews and evaluations of all graduate degree programs are conducted periodically; establishes standards for graduate faculty status and approves credentials; and reports regularly to the Faculty Senate through the Committee on Academic Affairs on the issues discussed and on actions taken by the Graduate Council.