The charge of the Graduate Council is to make recommendations concerning graduate program policies, procedures, curricula, and student matters. The Graduate Council functions administratively outside of the shared governance structure and reports to the President through the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. 

Any recommendations by the Graduate Council related to substantive changes in graduate curriculum and procedures should be forwarded to the Shared Governance Executive Committee for comment from the appropriate shared governance committee.

While Graduate Council membership is not governed by directives within the shared governance document, the structure of staggered terms for voting members has worked well in the past and is practical for the future. In continuing with this same approach, the years in which the respective appointments expire are noted with the membership names in the memo sent out to members from the President's office.