The Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, (hereinafter referred to as Graduate Dean) reports to the Provost and is responsible to that officer for the administration of graduate studies. The Graduate Dean provides leadership for and coordination of all graduate programs on the campus. The Graduate Dean performs these duties with the assistance of the School of Graduate Studies managerial and support staff, the Associate Dean for the School of Graduate Studies (if applicable), the Graduate Council, and the Committee of Graduate Officers. The Graduate Dean as needed may appoint additional committees, individuals, and offices.

Specific duties and functions of the Graduate Dean and his or her designee, as they relate specifically to graduate studies, include but are not limited to the following:

• Chairs the Graduate Council and the Committee of Graduate Officers.
• Supervises the professional staff of the School of Graduate Studies.
• Administers fellowship and scholarship programs for graduate
• In conjunction with the Committee of Graduate Officers, establishes procedures for assuring completion of degree requirements.
• Administers special graduate student awards and honors, including travel funds to enable graduate students to present papers at professional meetings.
• Administers special lecture
• Oversees the gathering of data pertinent to local, regional and national trends in graduate
• Oversees the periodic revision of the graduate catalog and other documents describing graduate studies.
• Coordinates graduate programs within and between the academic units to prevent duplication and to maximize resource utilization.
• Monitors the quality of theses and dissertations through a procedure designed by the Graduate Council.
• Establishes policies for approval of supervisory committees for masters and doctoral
• Admits students to the School of Graduate Studies to pursue the PhD in Natural Sciences and the certificates in College Teaching and Career Preparation and Interdisciplinary Leadership in Disability Studies
• Admits students to the University to pursue graduate programs in their respective academic units.
• Leads campus in monitoring graduate student retention, degree completion, and outcomes.
• In conjunction with the Graduate Council and Committee of Graduate Officers, ensures high quality academic programming and delivery.

1. The Graduate Council

1. Engineering, Computer Science, and Data Science;
2. Physical and Mathematical Sciences;
3. Biological, Chemical, and Health Sciences;
4. Social, Behavioral, and Administrative Sciences; and
5. Arts and Humanities.

Lastly, the Graduate Student Council designates one representative to serve as an ex officio graduate student representative. In the event the Graduate Student Council is inactive, the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies will appoint an ex officio student representative. The Graduate Dean serves as chair of the Council.

The Graduate Council meets on a regular basis throughout the fall and winter semesters. For purposes of reviewing Graduate Faculty and Doctoral Faculty nominations, Academic Unit- specific Graduate Faculty and Doctoral Faculty criteria, and new graduate program proposals, the Graduate Council is subdivided into five subcommittees:

1. Engineering, Computer Science, and Data Science;
2. Physical and Mathematical Sciences;
3. Biological, Chemical, and Health Sciences;
4. Social, Behavioral, and Administrative Sciences; and
5. Arts and Humanities.

These subcommittees take action on nominations for appointment and reappointment to the Graduate and Associate Graduate Faculty and make recommendation to the Graduate Dean on nominations for appointment and reappointment to the Doctoral Faculty.     

The Graduate Council speaks for the faculty on issues related to all graduate programs.

• Confirms academic unit-specific criteria for membership in the UMKC Doctoral Faculty and UMKC Graduate Faculty.
• Every five years, on a rolling basis, conducts a review of unit-specific criteria for membership in the UMKC Doctoral Faculty and UMKC Graduate Faculty to assure that the criteria reflect the current standards in the respective fields.
• Upon the recommendation of the academic units, appoints and reappoints members to the Graduate Faculty and recommends members for the Doctoral Faculty.
• Monitors the quality of graduate programs using periodic reviews based on reports from existing bodies, councils or committees and annual assessment surveys (e.g., annual program assessment and periodic university program review, and minimum requirements for graduate study at UMKC as defined in the School of Graduate Studies portion of the UMKC General Catalog.)
• Recommends new graduate programs and graduate program reduction/termination.
• Reviews such other policy matters as are referred to it, for example, major curriculum changes and changes to graduate policies.

The Committee of Graduate Officers

The Committee of Graduate Officers is the body that coordinates the procedural aspects of graduate studies on the campus. It implements policies established by the Graduate Council and serves as the day-to-day link between the School of Graduate Studies office and the academic units. The committee is composed of the Graduate Officers of the academic units. The Graduate Dean or Associate Graduate Dean chairs the Committee and forwards recommendations to the Provost.

The Committee of Graduate Officers holds regular meetings and determines its own procedures. Specifically, the Graduate Officers Committee:

• Coordinates procedural and administrative matters among the various academic units offering graduate studies.
• Reviews graduate course additions, changes and deletions to check for duplication and impact on other programs.
• Approves academic unit standards regarding admission and retention of graduate students.
• Makes recommendations in such other administrative and procedural matters as are referred to it, including such matters as are assigned to the individual Graduate Officers by the respective academic dean or program director.

3. The School of Graduate Studies

The School of Graduate Studies is the academic home of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D., the Ph.D. in Natural Sciences, and the certificate programs in College Teaching and Career Preparation and Interdisciplinary Leadership in Disability Studies. The School of Graduate Studies managerial and support staff assists the degree and certificate programs housed in the School of Graduate Studies by processing applications, monitoring student progress, and certifying students for graduation. The Ph.D. in Natural Sciences program coordinators committee, which is chaired by the designee of the Graduate Dean, is the policy making body for the program, although the policies set by it must conform to those established by the Graduate Council, which is the policy making body for general graduate academic regulations applicable to all graduate programs on campus.

When the School of Graduate Studies has an Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, that person reports to the Graduate Dean, assists the Graduate Dean in matters pertaining to graduate studies, serves as Graduate Officer for programs housed in the School of Graduate Studies, and performs other duties as assigned.

Other responsibilities of the School of Graduate Studies include, but are not limited to the following:

• Providing a graduate liaison to the Student Affairs’ office.
• Monitoring theses and dissertations for conformance to campus formatting guidelines and quality standards.
• Maintaining accurate information on the web and in the catalog about graduate programs and policies.
• Maintaining electronic databases of information about graduate courses and graduate/doctoral faculty appointments.
• Coordinating the graduate assessment program and providing information to the Graduate Council.
• Managing the selection and award process for the various fellowships and awards administered through the School of Graduate Studies.
• Providing effective teaching training programs for graduate teaching assistants.
• Supporting the work of the Graduate Council, the Committee of Graduate Officers, and its program directors as needed.
• Supporting academic units in marketing and recruitment of graduate programs.
• Supporting academic units in the admissions process and formally admitting students to the University.
• Supporting academic unit efforts to achieve high retention, degree completion, and career outcomes of graduate students.

Authority and responsibility for the content of graduate programs rests with the faculty and Dean of the academic unit in which the program is housed. Each Dean may delegate his or her administrative duties relative to graduate studies to a Graduate Officer who holds a regular faculty appointment and is a member of the graduate faculty. (The Dean appoints the Graduate Officer for the academic unit. The Graduate Officer may be an assistant or associate dean, department or division head, or any regular graduate faculty member.)

1. The Dean and/or Graduate Officers in Academic Units

The Dean and/or Graduate Officer is responsible for executing University and faculty policy on graduate studies. The Dean’s designee serves as a member of the Committee of Graduate Officers.

The Graduate Officer acts for the Dean and faculty and is responsible for all procedural matters pertaining to the academic work of graduate students in the academic unit.

The Deans or Graduate Officers are responsible for review of graduate applications for admission to each academic unit, keeping appropriate records on graduate students (in coordination with the Registrar's Office), monitoring graduate students' progress, and assuring graduate students' completion of departmental, unit, and institutional requirements.

The other duties of the Graduate Officers assigned by the Dean may include:

• Recommending supervisory committees for graduate students
• Appointing advisers to assist graduate students in planning programs of study
• Certifying completion of all degree requirements for graduate degrees
• Reviewing the Graduate Catalog description of programs within the academic unit and recommending change to maintain a current, accurate public document
• Working with the Admissions Office and the School of Graduate Studies to provide information for potential graduate students who are considering attendance at UMKC
• Working with the appropriate bodies within the academic unit to review unit-level policy and procedure in regard to graduate education
• Coordinating appointment of Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants, and Fellows within the academic unit, in compliance with unit and campus-wide regulations
• Working with the Financial Aid Office to coordinate scholarships, grants, or other financial assistance for graduate students within the academic unit
• Forwarding agenda items from the academic unit to the Graduate Dean
• Informing graduate students within the academic unit of programs, requirements, or regulations affecting their programs
• Administering faculty action on course additions, deletions and modifications within the unit
• Transmitting actions to the Committee of Graduate Officers for review and action

2. The Graduate Faculty at UMKC

There are three classifications of Graduate Faculty membership at UMKC: (a) Graduate Faculty, (b) Ex-officio graduate faculty and (c) Adjunct Graduate Faculty. The Dean or designee (usually the Graduate Officer of each school) requests renewal of these appointments and the Graduate Dean approves them on an annual basis.

1. Graduate Faculty

   1. Membership:
      1. Duly appointed members of the faculty who have met the criteria specified by the faculty and university officials, who by virtue of their appointments qualify for membership in the ex-officio graduate faculty.
   2. Criteria:
      1. Hold a regular Faculty Appointment (tenure or tenure-track) at UMKC with the rank of Assistant Professor or higher; or
      2. Hold a benefit-eligible, ranked, non-tenure-track, Faculty Appointment at UMKC; or
      3. Hold an Emeritus Faculty appointment at UMKC; or
      4. Hold a Graduate Faculty appointment from another campus of the University of Missouri; and
      5. Possess a terminal degree appropriate to specialties, or equivalent qualifications and meet the criteria of their academic unit.
      6. Each discipline or academic unit has the responsibility to determine the qualitative and quantitative criteria consistent with the general criteria listed above and to provide the Graduate council with the names of faculty members who meet the criteria.
   3. Selection:
      1. Each discipline or academic unit determines criteria consistent with the general criteria. Nominations will originate with the faculty, proceed through departmental channels for approval, and a list of approved Graduate Faculty members will be submitted to the Graduate Dean through the academic unit Dean or designee on an annual basis.
   4. Responsibilities and Privileges of Graduate Faculty members include:
      1. Serve on the Graduate Council if elected by the Graduate Faculty within the respective academic unit or appointed by the Chancellor.
      2. Teach graduate level courses.
      3. Serve as Academic Advisor for graduate students.
      4. Chair master’s theses and master’s-level examination committees.
      5. Serve as a regular member on supervisory and examining committees for graduate students (any level) unless restricted by the degree program.

2. Ex-officio Graduate Faculty

   1. Membership:
      1. The President, Chancellor, Provost, Vice Chancellors, Vice Provosts, Academic Deans, the Dean of Libraries, Chairpersons/Heads of the academic departments and divisions, and comparable academic officers are ex-officio members of the Graduate Faculty.
   2. Responsibilities and Privileges of Ex-officio Graduate Faculty Membership:
      1. The purposes of having ex-officio graduate faculty members are: (i) to enable the academic administrators, who are not actively involved in academic research (i.e., are not regular or associate graduate faculty members) and the Dean of Libraries to participate in making policies and decisions which influence graduate education and research; and (ii) to enable them to monitor the quality of graduate education and research in their respective units/ departments/divisions. In keeping with these objectives, the responsibilities and privileges of ex-officio graduate faculty membership are to:
         1. Serve on the Graduate Council if selected.
         2. Vote within the academic unit on graduate program matters including awarding degrees.
         3. Serve as non-voting members of supervisory and examining committees for graduate degree programs.
         4. Teach graduate courses.

3. Adjunct Graduate Faculty

   1. Membership:
      1. There are two categories of Adjunct Graduate Faculty. Those with Status "A" must:
         1. Be duly nominated and approved part-time or non-regular members of the faculty (including appointments without compensation)
         2. Possess a terminal degree appropriate to specialties, or equivalent qualifications
      2. Those with Status "B" must:
         1. Possess a terminal degree appropriate to specialties, or equivalent qualifications.
   2. Selection:
      1. Nominations for membership in the Adjunct Graduate Faculty originate with the faculty of an academic unit and are submitted to the Graduate Dean through the appropriate academic Dean. The Graduate Dean makes the appointment.
   3. Responsibilities and Privileges of Adjunct Graduate Faculty members includes:
      1. Those with Status "A" may:
         1. Serve as a regular member on supervisory and examining committees for graduate students (all levels). [Note: The majority of each committee must be regular Graduate Faculty members.]
         2. Teach graduate courses.
      2. Those with Status "B" may:
         1. Serve as a regular member on supervisory and examining committees for graduate students (all levels). [Note: The majority of each committee must be regular Graduate Faculty members.]

3. Doctoral Faculty at UMKC

Major responsibility for assessment of faculty qualifications rests at the department level where nominations for membership are initiated.

1. Membership:

   1. Duly nominated and approved regular (tenured or tenure-track) members of the faculty with the rank of assistant professor or higher; or
   2. Hold a benefit-eligible, ranked, non-tenure-track, Faculty Appointment at UMKC; or
   3. Duly nominated and approved Emeritus members of the faculty.

2. Criteria:

   1. Possess a terminal degree appropriate to the specialty, or equivalent qualifications as determined by the discipline; and
   2. Fulfill discipline-specific criteria as approved by the Graduate Council.

New full-time regular faculty having completed the doctorate degree and dissertation within the past 5 years will receive an initial 5 year appointment to doctoral faculty status. Doctoral Faculty at the Emeritus rank will remain on the review cycle in effect at the time of their Emeritus appointment.

All doctoral faculty, including Emeritus Faculty must reapply at 5 year intervals to maintain doctoral faculty status. Doctoral Faculty at Emeritus rank will remain on the review cycle in effect at the time of their Emeritus appointment. If faculty at Emeritus rank do not reapply for Doctoral faculty status at the end of their current 5-year term, the school or department can nominate them for Graduate faculty status.

Applications for reappointment to the Doctoral Faculty are reviewed by the Graduate Council to determine if applicants have been engaged in scholarly or creative activity (See Table 1) of a professional caliber that meets the unit-specific criteria approved by the Graduate Council. During the previous five years, applicants must meet the minimum standard of four significant scholarly accomplishments. In most instances, these accomplishments are expected to be peer reviewed publications, performances, or juried exhibitions. Although quantity is an important factor in judging the level of scholarship and creative activity, the primary consideration for appointment to the Doctoral Faculty must be the quality of the applicant’s accomplishments. Each discipline or academic unit has the responsibility to determine the qualitative and quantitative criteria for acceptable performance and to provide the Graduate Council with an assessment of how each applicant fulfills the unit-specific criteria.

Individual academic units at UMKC establish the criteria for appointment to the Doctoral faculty. These criteria have been reviewed and approved by the Graduate Council and serve as the guidelines for approval of doctoral faculty appointments.

c. Selection:

Nominations for membership in the Doctoral Faculty originate with the faculty of an academic unit and are submitted to the Graduate Dean through the appropriate academic Dean. The Graduate Council reviews and makes recommendations to the Graduate Dean on nominations for appointment and reappointment to the Doctoral Faculty.

Doctoral Faculty Nominating Committee. The review must begin at the departmental level. Each Department within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Education, Social Work and Psychological Sciences, School of Science and Engineering, Bloch School of Management, Conservatory, School of Dentistry, School of Medicine, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, and School of Pharmacy elects a Doctoral Faculty Nominating Committee. All members of this Committee must hold membership in the campus Graduate Faculty and, where possible, the majority must be comprised of members of the Doctoral Faculty. Units with few or no members on the Doctoral Faculty submit a proposed list of Committee members to the Graduate Council for review and approval.

After completing its review, the academic unit's Doctoral Faculty Nominating Committee forwards nominations to the Dean of the school making the nomination (and the Department Chair, in the case of units with departments).

Academic Dean and Department Chair. The Dean reviews the unit's Doctoral Nominating Committee's comments and recommendation for approval or disapproval and after adding his or her recommendations, forwards the entire nomination packet to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. In the units with departments (e.g., School of Humanities and Social Sciences) the Department Chair adds his or her comments and recommendations prior to transmitting the nomination to the Dean of the unit.

Graduate Council. The Graduate Council reviews nominations for appointment or reappointment to the Doctoral Faculty through its subcommittees and makes recommendations to the Graduate Dean at each regularly scheduled meeting of the Graduate Council. Nominations must be available at the School of Graduate Studies at least three weeks prior to a Graduate Council meeting in order that members of the appropriate Graduate Council Subcommittee may inspect the nominations prior to the official review. This body reviews each nomination packet and votes on the question of supporting the nomination. Negative votes are accompanied by an explanatory statement, and all nominations are then forwarded to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for review.

Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. The Graduate Dean renders an independent assessment of the application. When the Graduate Dean and the Graduate Council are in agreement with a recommendation for appointment or reappointment, there is no further review. When the Graduate Dean and the Graduate Council are in agreement of a negative decision, there is no further review. When the Graduate Dean and the Graduate Council are in disagreement the applicant is so informed and given an opportunity to provide additional material in support of their application before it is forwarded to the Appeal Committee.

d. Responsibilities and Privileges of Doctoral Faculty members include:

e. Doctoral Faculty Membership Appeal Process:

Faculty members whose application for appointment or reappointment to the UMKC Doctoral Faculty receives a negative vote at any campus review level will be so informed by the respective review body. The applicant then has the option of providing additional material in support of his or her application before it is forwarded to the next review level. Applicants who are not approved at the department or school level may appeal to the Graduate Council for review of the case.

The final level of appeal is with an Appeal Committee, constituted on an ad hoc basis by the Dean of Graduate Studies and comprised of members of the doctoral faculty with at least one member representing the same discipline or academic unit as the faculty member making the appeal. The Chair of the Appeal Committee will be a member of the Doctoral Faculty not from the same academic unit or discipline as the faculty member making the appeal. Five faculty will be appointed to this committee. Cases automatically come before the Appeal Committee only when either the Graduate Dean or the UMKC Graduate Council (but not both) dissents with the recommending unit. The dissenting party (Graduate Dean or UMKC Graduate Council) must provide a written statement explaining the reasons for the dissent. This written statement accompanies the dossier sent to the Appeal Committee for review.

The candidate whose case is to come before the Appeal Committee has three alternatives. They may (1) withdraw the application, (2) augment the file with items that give further information or clarification regarding the candidate's scholarship and ability to direct doctoral research, or (3) request that the file be forwarded without changes to the Appeal Committee. The dissenting party is allowed to rebut new information.

f. Duration and Renewal of Appointments:

Appointments to the Doctoral Faculty are reviewed by the Graduate Council throughout the academic year and all appointments are valid for five years. Appointments may be renewed as described above. Doctoral Faculty who leave UMKC in good standing, including retirees without Emeritus rank, retain their doctoral faculty status for one year following their departure. During that year they can continue to chair committees. After one year, the status of Doctoral Faculty who leave UMKC in good standing, including those without Emeritus rank, reverts to Adjunct Graduate Faculty for the remainer of the five-year term in effect at the time of their resignation or retirement. Requests for exceptions must be made to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies by the Graduate Officer representing the School in which the former faculty member held a Doctoral Faculty appointment.

4. Ex-officio Doctoral Faculty

a. Membership:

The President, Chancellor, Provost, Vice Chancellors, Vice Provosts, Academic Deans, the Dean of Libraries, Chairpersons/Heads of the academic departments and divisions, and comparable academic officers are ex-officio members of the Doctoral Faculty.

b. Responsibilities and Privileges of Ex-officio Doctoral Faculty Membership:

The purposes of having ex-officio doctoral faculty members are: (i) to enable the academic administrators, who are not actively involved in academic research (i.e., are not regular Doctoral Faculty members) and the Dean of Libraries to participate in making policies and decisions which influence graduate education and research; and

(ii) to enable them to monitor the quality of graduate education and research in their respective units/departments/divisions. In keeping with these objectives, the responsibilities and privileges of ex-officio Doctoral Faculty membership are:

1. Serve on the Graduate Council if selected.

2. Vote within the academic unit on graduate program matters including awarding degrees.

3. Serve as non-voting members of supervisory and examining committees for graduate degree programs.

4. Teach graduate courses.