Bylaws

  1. Department Directory
  2. Graduate Committee
  3. Bylaws

The mission of the Graduate Committee is to oversee graduate curricula and programs and to advance the interest of graduate programs and students at Rhode Island College.

A. Powers and Duties

The Committee shall:

  1. Be responsible for the approval of graduate curricula, including Certificates of Graduate Study Programs. The Committees' recommendations will be sent to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs for approval. Implementation of Graduate Committee decisions regarding graduate curricula is subject to action by the President of the College. Courses which carry both a 400- and 500-level number will require the approval of the Curriculum Committee and the Graduate Committee.
  2. Initiate study of new graduate curricula or changes in graduate curricula, and consider suggestions for graduate curriculum development from the administration, divisions, departments, individual faculty members, and students. The Graduate Committee shall consult faculty concerned with particular graduate curriculum proposals under consideration.
  3. Initiate semi-annual reports to the faculty on the decisions of the Committee and subsequent actions on these decisions, and list of proposals which remain on the calendar.
  4. Meet at least once a month during the academic year to review and evaluate the graduate curriculum in general, to consider important problems and deficiencies in the graduate curriculum, and to discuss its major goals and directions. Additional meetings may be conducted largely under suspension of rules and without a formal agenda of specific proposals. Any faculty member may attend any meeting.
  5. The recorded minutes of each meeting and meeting agenda will be posted on the Graduate Committee website.
  6. Periodically or as needed, review and interpret policies pertaining to graduate studies at Rhode Island College, and shall recommend changes to the Dean of Graduate Studies as appropriate.
  7. Seek to maintain high standards of quality of program, including recruitment, admissions, and assessment of graduate programs, in coordination with the Dean of Graduate Studies.
  8. Review and promote uniformity among graduate program so far as it is consistent with quality in coordination with the Dean of Graduate Studies.
  9. Advise the Deans of the Schools and the Vice President for Academic Affairs on other matters of mutual concern.
  10. Have the responsibility, through the proper and appropriate channels, of dealing with matters which extend beyond the scope of any one department and are entirely or predominantly concerned with graduate studies.
  11. Except in emergencies specified in the call of the meeting, an agenda shall be printed in the Briefs one week prior to each meeting.

B. Membership

The Committee shall consist of 9 voting members and 2 non-voting members:

  1. Three graduate program directors or graduate faculty members elected from among the graduate programs in the School of Education. (3)
  2. Three graduate program directors or graduate faculty members elected from among the graduate programs in the School of Arts and Sciences. (3)
  3. One graduate program director or faculty member elected from the School of Management. (1)
  4. One graduate program director or graduate faculty member elected from the School of Nursing. (1)
  5. One graduate program director or graduate faculty member elected from the School of Social Work. (1)
  6. Dean of Graduate Studies. (1; non-voting)
  7. One graduate student accepted in a graduate program, appointed annually as directed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. (1; non-voting)

The elected members of the Committee shall serve for two years in such a manner as to provide for staggered terms.

C. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair of the Graduate Committee and two other elected members.​​