The Council is a representative body composed of full-time regular graduate or doctoral faculty members (one each) elected by each school offering graduate programs and one representative from the UMKC library. There is also a student representative, elected by the Graduate Student Council.

Members serve three (3) year terms. In addition, the Chancellor appoints five members; one from each of the following areas of research endeavor: Physical, Mathematical, and Computer Sciences; Biological and Chemical Sciences; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Humanities and Arts; and Administrative and Information Sciences. The Dean of the School of Graduate Studies serves as chair of the Council.

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

Graduate Council Responsibilities

• Confirms academic unit-specific criteria for membership in the UMKC Doctoral Faculty and UMKC Graduate Faculty.
• Upon the recommendation of the academic units, appoints and reappoints Graduate Professorships 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.
• Recommends new graduate programs and graduate program reduction/termination.
• Reviews such other policy matters as are referred to it, for example, major curriculum changes.

Graduate Council Meeting Dates

The meeting time will be 1:00-2:30 p.m. (Typically it is the third or fourth Friday of the month.)

Fall 2025 dates include:

• September 19, 2025
• October 17, 2025
• November 21, 2025
• December 12, 2025

2025-26 Graduate Council