ARTICLE I
The name of this organization is the College of Arts and Sciences Council for Research and Graduate Studies.

ARTICLE II
Object
The College of Arts and Sciences Council for Research and Graduate Studies will represent the graduate faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Memphis in the governance of research and graduate studies in the College. Its duties and responsibilities shall include the following:

1. Approve or disapprove proposals in the following areas and forwards those approved to the Dean of the College and upon his/her approval to the University Council for Research and Graduate Studies.
   

• Admission requirements within academic units
  
• Curricula and programs, including courses, majors,  degrees, concentrations, graduate certificate programs, and other academic programs
  
• Graduate policy and procedures
  
• Research policy and procedures
  

2. Recommend to the Dean of the College and the University Council for Research and Graduate Studies the College-level criteria, the procedures for membership on the graduate faculty, and appointments of individuals to that faculty.
   
3. Nominate candidates from the College for the University of Memphis Alumni Association Awards for Distinguished Research and Creative Achievement, and Excellence in Engaged Scholarship.
   
4. Determine recipients of the College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Research Award.
   
5. Determine recipients for the College of Arts and Sciences Early Career Research Award.
   
6. Determine recipients for the College of Arts and Sciences Travel Enrichment Awards.
   
7. Nominate candidates from the College for graduate student awards.
   
8. Act as liaison between the University Council for Research and Graduate Studies and departments within the College. Elect a new representative each year to the Professional Development Assignment Selection Committee which makes recommendations to the Dean. The PDA subcommittee will consist of a continuing member from the previous year, a member newly appointed by the Dean, and a member newly elected by the Council. As a group, the subcommittee will include a representative from the Humanities, the Social Sciences, and the Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
   

ARTICLE III
Membership Sections

1. The Council shall be composed of one elected representative from each department with a graduate program in the College and the Director of Research and Graduate Studies of the College. The Director will serve as chair of the Council and will vote only in the case of a tie.
   
2. The representatives will be elected by their respective full and associate graduate faculty to serve two-year terms on the Council. Terms of the representatives will be staggered so that approximately half of the Council members will begin their term at the beginning of each academic year.
   
3. Only faculty members who are associate or full members of the graduate faculty are eligible to serve on the Council.
   
4. Full and associate graduate faculty members are eligible to vote in the election of their department’s Council Representative.
   
5. Representatives to the Council may serve successive terms.
   
6. Any departmental representative who is absent from three meetings in an academic year will be excused from the Council, and her/his department will not have representation for the remainder of that academic year. A Council representative may send a substitute to Council meetings provided that the substitute meets the department’s criteria for election to the Council. Substitutes will be allowed to vote, and the attendance of a substitute will be regarded as attendance by the regularly elected Council representative. The Director of Research and Graduate Studies will inform the department chair, the departmental director of graduate studies, and the Council representative when the representative has two absences.
   

ARTICLE IV
Officers
The officer of the Council shall be a chair (the College Director of Research and Graduate Studies). Minutes will be recorded and maintained by a staff member from the Dean's Office.

ARTICLE V
Meetings
(Sections)

1. The regular meetings of the Council shall be held on the first Monday of each month from September through May unless otherwise ordered by the Chair or a majority vote of the Council. Changes in meeting dates and specially called meetings shall be communicated electronically and/or by telephone at least one week in advance of the meeting.
   
2. Two-thirds of the membership of the Council shall constitute a quorum.
   

ARTICLE VI
Parliamentary Authority
(Sections)

1. The rules contained in the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Council in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws or any special rules of order the Council may adopt.
   
2. The business of the Council is open to all graduate faculty members, but visitors may be asked to leave during executive sessions and voting. Any Council member may request an executive session and/or secret ballot at any time and such requests must be granted by the Council Chair.
   

ARTICLE VII
Amendments to By-Laws
These Bylaws can be amended at any regular meeting of the Council by a two-thirds vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing by a member of the Council during a previous (regular) meeting.
Approved September 13, 2010

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