Modifications of Program Governance

3.3B  Programs may at any time propose a change in their structure within the requirements of the Governance document of The Graduate School provided that changes are submitted by a majority of the program’s Executive Committee, and after timely notification to the program’s faculty and students of the proposed changes, to the Committee on Structure for review and recommendation to Graduate Council for its consideration.

3.3C  If at least 30 percent of the doctoral faculty or 30 percent of the matriculated students in a program sign a proposal to change the program’s structure, the proposal shall be considered by the Committee on Structure of the Graduate Council.  If the Committee on Structure approves the proposal, it shall forward the proposal with its recommendation to Graduate Council for its approval.

 

General Provisions for Program Governance

3.2E. Program committees shall be governed by the latest version of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised. A quora for each committee shall be defined as one more than half of the number of seats on the committee. A motion shall be considered valid only if it receives a total of affirmative votes equal to or greater than one more than one half of the number of seats on the committee. Regarding executive sessions, minutes shall not record discussion and all individuals present during executive session are honor-bound not to divulge the discussion that occurs.

“A member of a society can be punished under disciplinary procedure if he violates the secrecy of an executive session. Anyone else permitted to be present is honor-bound not to divulge anything that occurred. The minutes, or record of proceedings, of an executive session must be read and acted upon only  in executive session, unless that which would be reported in the minutes–that is, the action taken, as distinct from that which was said in debate–was not secret, or secrecy has been lifted by the assembly.” (Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 11th Edition, p. 96)

 

Executive Committee

3.5A  The Executive Committee of each program shall be constituted as required by each program’s governance after approval by the Graduate Council Committee on Structure and by Graduate Council in accordance with the following provisions. There shall be established in each program an Executive Committee to be composed of at least five members.  It shall include at least one faculty member from each senior college substantially participating in the program (“substantially participating” is defined as having six members on the faculty of the program) (Section 9.4, CUNY Board of Trustees Bylaws).  In programs in which the doctoral faculty includes two or more faculty members (other than the Executive Officer) who hold Graduate School appointments, at least one member of the Executive Committee shall be elected from this category.  Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected for a term not to exceed three years, but may be reelected.

Please note the composition and representation from participating campuses and the importance of having balanced representation across campuses. The Executive Officer serves as chair.

The Executive Committee must establish an elections committee to elect the faculty and student representatives of the Program to the Graduate Council. From the Graduate Council Bylaws:

2.1D Faculty and student representatives shall be elected according to the following procedures.

1. In each program the Executive Committee shall establish an Elections Committee composed of the Executive Officer, three faculty members, and three student members. This committee shall have responsibility for nominations and election procedures.

The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a semester with students.  Student members have the right to participate in all discussions on matters of policy and on individual candidates for appointment, reappointment, promotion and tenure, BUT may not vote on individual candidates. From the GC Governance:

5.2    Student members of the Executive Committee have the right to participate in all discussions on matters of policy and on individual candidates for appointment, reappointment, promotion, and tenure, but may not vote on individual candidates.

It considers recommendations for faculty appointment, reappointment, promotion, and tenure on Graduate School lines assigned to the Graduate School.

The Executive Committee in coordination with the Faculty Membership Committee shall conduct a continuing review of the faculty relevant to the program.

The Executive Committee shall recommend policies and procedures on dissertations.

It shall call at least one meeting a year of the faculty and present a report to the faculty.  At any meeting of program faculty, a quorum shall consist of 25 persons or 50 percent of the faculty whichever is smaller.

3.5F  In the fall semester of the final year of the Executive Officer’s current term, the Executive Committee of each program shall undertake a review of its program governance to ensure that it reflects current governance practice and remains in compliance with the most recent Graduate School governance, Board of Trustees policy, and New York State law, making any necessary amendments and revisions.

 

Program Standing Committees

The list of the committees that each program is required to have is listed in the Graduate School Governance, Section 3.6.

3.6  Program Standing Committees

Each degree program shall have the following Standing Committees, and such other committees as its faculty, its governance structure, or its Executive Committee may determine. The committees’ responsibilities are as follows:

3.6A  Faculty Membership: To nominate members of the program’s faculty as provided for in Section 6.1 below with a view toward including in the doctoral program faculty newly appointed at the colleges; to maintain a roster of potential doctoral faculty appointments; to record annually the status of those faculty members currently designated; to review all other actions taken in regard to membership on the doctoral faculty.

3.6B  Curriculum and Examinations: To review curriculum and to submit curriculum recommendations for action; to recommend procedures and standards for the conduct of examinations.

3.6C  Admission and Awards: To recommend admission and awards procedures and standards for the program; to administer these procedures in accordance with these standards.

3.6D  Elections: To conduct all program elections.

Faculty Responsibilities

Please include from the GC Governance:

6.3B  The faculty, through its members on the Standing Committees of the program, shall have responsibility to establish policies for the program.  At any meeting of the faculty, a quorum being present, the faculty of each program may vote to make direct recommendations without Executive Committee approval to the appropriate committee of Graduate Council or to the administration on any matter that affects them.

6.3C  The Executive Committee of the Graduate Council may receive motions for action directly from program faculty or from a program’s Executive Committee.

Student Responsibilities

Please include from the GC Governance:

6.4B  The students shall have responsibility through student representatives to the Executive Committee and the Standing Committees of each program to make known their views on the policies of the program.  All students on these committees shall be chosen by means of an election by mail, email, or other electronic means by the students in the program.  Any matriculated student shall be eligible to serve. Students of any program may make direct recommendations to the appropriate committee of Graduate Council or to the administration for immediate consideration on any matter that affects them if at least 10% of the students in that program support those recommendations.

Please specify under each committee what the limits of the student voting and voice are on each committee. From the GC Governance:

3.2B  Formal provisions shall be made for the expression of student opinions on decisions affecting appointments, promotion, and tenure of individual faculty members.

Faculty Membership Committee

In addition to including language from governance please delineate whether Executive or Faculty Membership Committee reviews continued membership of each faculty member in accordance with Faculty Membership policy AND stipulate whether nominations for appointment are made by the Faculty Membership Committee, the Executive Committee or the Executive Committee after recommendation by the Faculty Membership Committee.

From the GC Governance:

3.6A  Faculty Membership: To nominate members of the program’s faculty as provided for in Section 6.1 below with a view toward including in the doctoral program faculty newly appointed at the colleges; to maintain a roster of potential doctoral faculty appointments; to record annually the status of those faculty members currently designated; to review all other actions taken in regard to membership on the doctoral faculty.

Curriculum and Examinations

Reviews curriculum and to submit curriculum recommendations for action and recommends procedures and standards for the conduct of examinations.

Admission and Awards

Recommends admission and awards procedures and standards for the program and administers these procedures in accordance with these standards.

Elections

Conducts all program elections.

The Elections Committee shall conduct all program elections and shall have responsibility for nominations and election procedures.  The Elections Committee shall be composed of the Executive Officer,  three faculty members and three student members elected.  From the Graduate School Bylaws:

2.1D Faculty and student representatives shall be elected according to the following procedures.

1. In each program the Executive Committee shall establish an Elections Committee composed of the Executive Officer, three faculty members, and three student members. This committee shall have responsibility for nominations and election procedures.

2. The election shall take place no later than April 1 for service in the subsequent academic year or years.   Faculty members shall be eligible to vote for faculty representatives only; students shall be eligible to vote for student members only. Students or faculty members on leave of absence shall not be eligible to vote.  The Executive Officer shall report the election results to the Secretary of Graduate Council no later than April 15.