The Graduate Council, reporting to the Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs, in consultation with the Dean of the Graduate School, defines graduate education policies at the University in alignment with university regulations and state governing bodies. This includes criteria for student admission, retention, and program completion, as well as policies on graduate faculty membership, program revisions, degree requirements, courses, and assistantships. The Council also advises the Dean of the Graduate School on graduate education matters.
Membership
The Council comprises 27 members, including 14 elected faculty members, seven dean-appointed faculty members, three graduate faculty members appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School, two graduate student representatives, and the Dean of the Graduate School as an ex-officio member. Deans of academic colleges are ineligible for Council membership. The Council elects a chairperson annually from its members.
Meetings
The Council typically convenes on the second Tuesday of each academic month. Additional meetings may be scheduled by the Chairperson, Dean of the Graduate School, or Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Standing Committees
The Council's standing committees include:
Appeals Committee
Curriculum Committee
Fellowships Committee
Graduate Faculty Membership Committee
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Committee
Committee members, including the chairpersons, are appointed by the Council Chairperson for an academic year, with reappointment possible. Each standing committee includes members from each academic college. Faculty members on these committees must be continuing, full-time members of the Graduate Faculty.
Additional Committees
The Council reserves the right to establish and appoint other standing or ad hoc committees as needed.
Current Members for 2024-2025:
Elected Members
Name | Department | College |
|---|---|---|
| Catherine Roche-Wallace | MUS | Arts |
| Wesley Bradford | MUS | Arts |
| Ignatius Cahyanto | MKTG | Business Administration |
| Brian Bolton | ECFN | Business Administration |
| Natalie Keefer | EDCI | Education |
| Amanda Shuford Mayeaux | EDFL | Education |
| Peng Yin | MCHE | Engineering |
| Farzad Ferdowsi | EECE | Engineering |
| Elena Babatsouli | CODI | Liberal Arts |
| Nathan Rabalais | MODL | Liberal Arts |
| Scott Sittig | HLSI | Nursing & Health Sciences |
| Frances Stueben | NURS | Nursing & Health Sciences |
| Rui Zhang | GEOS | Sciences |
| Nicholas Kooyers | BIOL | Sciences |
Academic Dean Appointed Members
Name | Department | College |
|---|---|---|
| Ashlie Boelkins | ARCH | Arts |
| Javier Portillo-Elias | ECFN | Business Administration |
| Marietta Adams | EDCI | Education |
| Mark Zappi | CHEE | Engineering |
| Laurel Ryan | ENGL | Liberal Arts |
| Christy Lenahan | NURS | Nursing & Health Sciences |
| Beenish Chaudhry | CMIX | Sciences |
Dean of the Graduate School Appointed Members
Name | Department | College |
|---|---|---|
| Raju Gottumukkala | MCHE | Engineering |
| Robin Koytcheff | MATH | Sciences |
| Meng Ru Shih | CJUS | Liberal Arts |
Graduate Student Members
| Name | Graduate Program |
|---|---|
| Clement Okolo, GSO President | PhD Student, Computer Sciences |
| Gracie Babineaux, Graduate Student Rep | PhD Student, Earth and Energy Sciences |
Ex-Officio Member
| Name | Office | College |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Farmer-Kaiser | Dean of the Graduate School | Graduate School |