Policy Committee

Policy Committee

The Dean of the Graduate School charges the Graduate School Council Policy Committee (“Policy Committee”) with advising the Graduate School Council and the Dean on matters of graduate education policy (Faculty Code Section 23‐45.F). The Graduate School Council is an elected body of Graduate Faculty serving in an advisory capacity to the Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School. The Council has legislative authority for all matters pertaining to graduate education requiring a vote of elected representatives (Charter of the Graduate School Council).

The Policy Committee consists of a subset of the Graduate School Council and is chaired by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs or designee. The committee includes ex officio members as described below.

The Graduate School’s Director of Academic Affairs & Policy leads operational oversight of graduate policies and their interpretation, in close coordination with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and the Dean of the Graduate School. The director is responsible for proposing revisions, managing workflow and documentation of policy changes and implementation.

Policy Committee Role

The Policy Committee advises the full Graduate School Council and the Dean of the Graduate School on matters pertaining to graduate education policy. It considers the need for new graduate policies and revisions to existing policies based on input from the graduate community and the Graduate School. The Policy Committee may also advise on the interpretation and implementation of existing policies, as called upon by the Dean and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. In its deliberations, the Policy Committee considers both the policy needs of the institution as well as the impact that policies have on academic and administrative functions across the institution.

Policy Committee Composition

The Policy Committee consists ordinarily of five members of the Graduate School Council, identified by the Associate Dean, and is chaired by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs or designee. Ex officio members advise on the impact policies have on academic and administrative functions and will include representation from the following areas: the Graduate School Office of Academic Affairs; Graduate School Graduate Enrollment Management Services; Graduate Program Advisors; and Graduate & Professional Student Senate. Stakeholders relevant to specific policy discussions will be included on an ad hoc basis.