Iowa State University

Graduate College Handbook

Appendix A: THE GRADUATE COLLEGE

The Graduate College and graduate faculty at Iowa State University are responsible for the quality of graduate education, for administering students’ graduate programs, and for promoting research support from various governmental, industrial, and private agencies.

Administration and Advisory Groups

The Graduate College and the Dean of the Graduate College

The Dean of the Graduate College and the Dean’s staff administer the policies and procedures of the Graduate College. These policies and procedures are developed by the graduate faculty through the Graduate Council and the Graduate College staff.

While the various functions of the Graduate College are located in Beardshear Hall and Pearson Hall, the main office is located in 1137 Pearson Hall. Functions and services include :

Graduate Faculty

The graduate faculty in various programs handle admission and classification of graduate students, establish requirements for advanced degrees, and have charge of instruction and research at the graduate level. Graduate faculty members also teach graduate courses, serve on program of study (POS) committees, and direct work of master’s and doctoral students. All graduate courses offered for major or nonmajor credit are taught by graduate faculty members or graduate lecturers.

The graduate faculty include the president, the provost, vice provosts and associate provosts, the Dean of the Graduate College, deans and associate deans of the other eight colleges, the deans of library services, and the directors and associate directors of research institutes as members. Executive officers of departments, assistant deans, and other members of the faculty may be elected to membership in recognition of accomplishments in their respective disciplines. For more information on graduate faculty membership, see Appendix G.

Directors of Graduate Education (DOGE)

DOGEs are the graduate program coordinators of majors and interdepartmental programs. Responsibilities include signing for the major, approval of POS committees and programs of study, and general oversight of the graduate major. DOGEs also call meetings of program faculty and lead discussions of issues important to the health of the major. DOGEs may be department executive officers or other members of the graduate faculty. Periodic meetings of the DOGEs are scheduled during the academic year to discuss issues important to graduate education and to exchange information about graduate education and research.

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council is a representative body consisting of fifteen elected members of the graduate faculty and four elected graduate student members. The Graduate Council serves as the executive committee of the graduate faculty and sets policy that concerns the direction and process of graduate education at Iowa State University. Meeting at least monthly during the academic year, the council provides a mechanism for interaction among graduate students, graduate faculty members, and the administration of the Graduate College. Meetings are open to any interested members of the graduate faculty, staff, or student body.

1. To serve as the executive committee of the graduate faculty.
2. To initiate and implement new Graduate School policies, to revise existing policies, and to act upon any questions affecting those policies.
3. To establish and publish rules governing graduate programs, including the revision and updating of the Graduate College Handbook in accord with policy changes approved by the Graduate Council and changes in Graduate Office administrative procedures.
4. To submit recommendations to the Faculty Senate regarding proposals for adopting, altering, or abolishing courses and curricula involving graduate credit.
5. To evaluate and review new graduate programs and to evaluate revisions in existing programs, including interdepartmental programs.
6. To approve, modify, or reverse actions taken by its standing committees.
7. To foster the relationship between graduate education and scholarly research.
8. To assist and advise the dean.
9. To participate in grievance procedures and disciplinary matters at the request of the Dean of the Graduate College.
10. To review and approve nominations for graduate faculty membership.
11. To recommend to the Graduate Dean the award of fellowships and graduate scholarships.
12. To review and approve candidates for graduate degrees.

Some of the work of the Graduate Council is carried out by two standing committees: Graduate Curriculum and Catalog Committee and the Graduate Faculty Membership Committee. Members of these committees are appointed by the Graduate Council and are not restricted to concurrent members of the Graduate Council. The Graduate Curriculum and Catalog Committee consists of representatives from each college; nominations for membership are made by each college dean.

Departmental and Program Graduate Committees

Many of the programs offering graduate degrees have standing committees that deal with policy matters related to graduate education, e.g., curriculum, departmental requirements, evaluation procedures, professional standards, and the placement of graduates. A combination of faculty and student members is encouraged so that student input is available to the graduate committee along with faculty experience and expertise. Subcommittees of a departmental graduate committee may also hear student grievances according to procedures outlined in Chapter 9.

Graduate College Committees

Graduate Term Faculty Membership Committee

Non-tenure track faculty members may be nominated to term graduate faculty membership by the department chair or by other members of the graduate faculty ( see Appendix G). While most term graduate faculty nominations are handled administratively in the Graduate College, the Graduate College may appoint an ad-hoc term membership committee, composed of members of the Graduate Council, to review particular nominations for term memberships of two to five years. The committee’s recommendations are presented to the Dean of the Graduate College for approval.

Graduate Curriculum and Catalog Committee

Members of this committee represent each of the eight academic colleges at ISU. In addition, there is a chair who presides at meetings and serves on the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee. There may be more than one committee member from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in order to represent the wide diversity among the curricula of that college. Each college dean suggests several graduate faculty members as candidates from whom the Dean of the Graduate College appoints committee members and a chair each year. The Dean of the Graduate College (or his designee) also serves as an ex-officio member of the committee. The committee reviews all material dealing with Graduate College curricula: the ISU Catalog; experimental courses; and proposed new majors, minors, areas of specialization, degree programs, and interdepartmental programs. It reports its recommendations to the Dean of the Graduate College and the Graduate Council. The committee also participates in the post-audit review of graduate programs or majors five years after their approval by the State Board of Regents.

Previous: Chapter 10 - Postdoctoral Appointments or Table of Contents
Next: Appendix B - Graduate College Forms and Publications

Central campus is home to ISU's distinctive campanile, several wireless access points, and dozens of events throughout the year.