Constitution of the Graduate Faculty
| Article I. | Purpose |
| Article II. | Membership |
| Article III. | The College of Graduate Studies |
| Article IV. | The Graduate Council |
| Article V. | Amendment of Constitution |
ARTICLE I. PURPOSE
Section 1. The purpose of the Graduate Faculty of The University of Toledo shall be the advancement of knowledge through research and instruction of the highest quality. The faculty shall seek to foster in students a spirit of inquiry, a recognition of the value of scholarship, and an understanding of the integrity required for the pursuit of scholarship.
Section 2. The constitution shall govern the organization of the Graduate Faculty in the accomplishment of these goals. The Graduate Council (GC) shall be the representative body of the Graduate Faculty and shall legislate for it.
ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. The Graduate Faculty shall include the following ex-officio members: the President of the University, the Chancellor, the Provost, the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies (COGS), and the Vice President for Research.
Section 2. All faculty members of The University of Toledo who are actively engaged in the instruction of graduate students and research shall be eligible to apply for membership to the Graduate Faculty. The standards and the procedures for obtaining and retaining such membership shall be determined by GC.
Section 3. Membership in the Graduate Faculty shall entail the following general responsibilities:
- Recruit students of outstanding academic ability for graduate study;
- Teach graduate courses that will contribute to advanced education and the development of independent scholarly performance;
- Conduct research of intrinsic scholarly merit, as evidenced by scholarly publications, presentations, and/or performances;
- Supervise independent student research, theses and dissertations. This includes projects and internships required for the completion of graduate degrees and graduate certificates granted by this institution;
- Mentor graduate students through academic advising and career development; and,
- Instruct and hold graduate students to the highest standards of integrity and scholarly responsibility expected of educated professionals.
Section 4. Membership in the Graduate Faculty also shall carry functions and privileges, as further defined in the GC bylaws. These include but are not limited to the authority to:
- Chair faculty examination committees for the admission of students to graduate degree candidacy where required;
- Approve the scholarly content of dissertations and theses; and,
- Approve the scholarly content of non-thesis graduate work and certificates.
ARTICLE III. THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES
Section 1. The Graduate Faculty and COGS enjoy a close working relationship. COGS shall be the executive office of the Graduate Faculty. It shall administer the policies of the University that pertain to graduate education and shall administer the decisions of GC as representatives of the Graduate Faculty.
Section 2. The COGS Dean shall be responsible for all administrative matters pertaining to graduate education, which shall include:
- Chief executive officer of COGS. The Dean shall represent issues from the Graduate Faculty to the central administration of the University on all matters pertaining to graduate education;
- Administrative head of COGS. The COGS Dean shall have responsibility for the leadership and direction of COGS, shall administer and enforce its policies and regulations, and shall maintain its records; and,
- Representative of the University and the Graduate Faculty to the Ohio Board of Regents and its committees on subjects relating to graduate education.
Section 3. The COGS Dean shall annually convene a meeting of the Graduate Faculty. At this annual meeting the Graduate Faculty shall receive the reports and plans for the coming year from the COGS Dean in the context of contemporary issues in graduate education.
Section 4. The COGS Associate Deans’ responsibilities and duties will be assigned by the COGS Dean and may represent the COGS Dean in his/her absence.
ARTICLE IV. THE GRADUATE COUNCIL
Section 1: As stated in Article I, Section 2, the Graduate Council (GC) shall be the representative body of the Graduate Faculty and shall legislate for it. Among the duties and functions of GC, but not limited to them, it shall:
- Adopt bylaws for the internal governance of the Council;
- Create standing and special committees, assign their duties and receive their reports and recommendations;
- Adopt policies and procedures concerning graduate education for implementation by COGS, subject to review by the Graduate Faculty;
- Give general direction and provide advice on any matter related to graduate education to COGS; receive the reports and recommendations of the President of GSA and the COGS Dean; and,
- Accept issues for consideration presented by members of the Graduate Faculty and determine questions that should be placed before the Faculty for its advice or decision;
- Ensure the academic quality and integrity of graduate programs through curricular oversight and formal, cyclical program review; for example, GC shall:
- Review and approve new courses and programs; review and approve modifications/changes to existing courses and programs;
- Conduct academic hearings on grade appeals, grievances, and other such matters;
- Advise and make recommendations to COGS regarding fellowships, scholarships, and other financial support for graduate students;
- Advise the Graduate Student Association (GSA).
Section 2. As stated in Article II, Section 2, the GC has the authority to determine membership on the Graduate Faculty and to enumerate the rights, responsibilities and privileges of the Graduate Faculty. Towards this end, the GC shall: (a) review and approve membership applications for new and renewing Graduate Faculty, and (b) establish and review the membership categories, standards and procedures of the Graduate Faculty, making these categories, standards and procedures publicly available in its bylaws.
Section 3. The COGS Dean and the Vice-President for Research shall be voting, ex-officio members of GC and therefore ineligible for election to GC.
Section 4. COGS Associate Deans, as designated by the COGS Dean, shall be non-voting, ex-officio members of GC, but each COGS Associate Dean may be a voting member of GC if elected by his or her academic college.
Section 5. The Associate Dean with primary responsibility for graduate education in each college offering graduate study through COGS shall be a non-voting, ex-officio member of GC, but each Associate Dean representing an academic college may be a voting member of GC if elected by his or her academic college.
Section 6. The GSA President and GSA Vice-President shall be ex-officio members of GC. They shall have full voting privileges and may be chosen to serve on committees, but not as chair.
Section 7. The faculty members of GC must be full members of the Graduate Faculty.
Section 8. Each college offering graduate study through COGS shall be entitled to one representative on GC for every twenty-five members, or fraction thereof, of the Graduate Faculty, not including adjunct or special members, in that college. However, any college offering doctoral degrees shall be entitled to at least two representatives. The COGS Dean shall notify each college during the spring term each year of the number of vacancies and their terms in that college's representation on GC in the following year.
Section 9. The faculty members of GC shall have three-year terms of office, one-third of which shall be filled on a staggered basis each year. In spring semester of each year the Graduate Faculty members of each college and GSA shall elect their representatives to GC in accordance with their own rules of procedure. The names of those elected shall be certified at once by the COGS Dean designee serving as the Secretary of the Council. Temporary or permanent vacancies in the Council shall be filled for the duration of the vacancy in accordance with the rules of the affected college or student body.
Section 10. At the last Council meeting of each academic year, the continuing and newly elected members of the GC shall elect Council officers as described in the Bylaws of the GC. The offices to be filled shall be: Vice Chair, and three At-Large members. The COGS Dean shall designate a COGS staff member to serve as Secretary of the Council.
Section 11. The COGS Dean, the GSA President, and elected officers shall constitute the Executive Committee of GC (GCEC). In extraordinary circumstances, the COGS Dean or GSA President may send a designee in his/her absence. The GCEC shall have the duties of appointing committee members, preparing the agenda for Council meetings, and facilitating the work of the Council. The Chair of GC shall serve as the Chair of GCEC. The COGS Dean shall designate a COGS staff member to serve as Secretary of GCEC.
Section 12. The GC shall meet twice monthly beginning with the start of fall semester in August through the end of spring semester in May and may meet at other times by decision of GCEC.
Section 13. The GC or the COGS Dean may convene a special meeting of the Graduate Faculty at any time to solicit the advice or decision of the faculty about any matter within its jurisdiction concerning graduate education. In addition, upon petition of thirty-five members of the Graduate Faculty, excluding adjunct and special members, to the COGS Dean the latter shall convene a special meeting of the faculty within two weeks for the purpose of reconsidering any action taken by the Council. The COGS Dean shall preside at all special meetings of the Graduate Faculty.
ARTICLE V. AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION
Section 1. For personnel and institutional title changes only, GC may amend the constitution by two-‐thirds majority vote of the GC without the ratification of the Graduate Faculty.
Section 2. For the changes described in Article V, Section 1 and all other changes, the constitution may be amended by simple majority approval of the GC and subsequently by a two-thirds majority of the eligible Graduate Faculty who vote on the issue. A ballot to amend the constitution shall be authorized by Council, but conducted by COGS.
Section 3. Every five years, a committee composed of representatives of COGS, GC, Graduate Faculty, GSA, and external consultants, as defined in the GC Bylaws, shall review the procedures set forth in the Constitution of the Graduate Faculty and the GC Bylaws. Subsequently, the Constitution and Bylaws (Ad Hoc) Committee shall provide a written report on its process and recommendations to GC for inclusion in its minutes.
Adopted April 27, 2012.
History of Constitutional Adoption and Revision
Merged UT (2006 to present)
The constitution of the Graduate Faculty and the bylaws of the Graduate Council of
the merged UT/MUO was Adopted May, 2007, and implemented on August 20, 2007.
Main Campus – pre 2006
The Graduate Faculty Constitution of 2007 replaced the bylaws of the Graduate School
of 1968, as amended in 1984, and subsequently thereafter.
Health Science Campus
The Graduate Executive Committee (GEC) was the governing body for the graduate faculty
and graduate programs of the Medical College of Ohio/Medical University of Ohio. The
GEC had comprehensive roles that included approval of graduate programs, graduate
faculty membership and degree candidates, and recommending of standing and special
committees as well as the rules for procedures and governance. The Handbook of the
Graduate Faculty, last revised in 2001, stated the functions and responsibilities
(bylaws) of the GEC and the duties and responsibilities of the graduate faculty, the
associated deans and the dean of the graduate school/college.
With the merger of MUO with the University of Toledo in 2006 and the merger of the respective graduate colleges in fall 2009, the GEC continues to serve the HSC graduate programs and graduate faculty as a forum for discussion and exchange, and in advisory and recommending roles. The Associate Dean for Health Science Studies chairs the GEC.
Amended February 17, 2014