School of
Graduate Studies

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council is the policy-making body for graduate studies at the campus level.

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

Council meeting time will be 1:00 – 2:30 pm. (Generally the third or fourth Friday of the month).

Fall 2024 dates include:

  • Friday, September 20th
  • Friday, October 18th
  • Friday, November 15th
  • Friday, December 20th

2024-25 Graduate Council

Graduate Council Members
Academic Unit Term Expires Faculty/Divisional Representative Phone
School of Humanities & Social Sciences 2027 Whitney Terrell 2764
Conservatory 2026 David Thurmaier 2898
School of Science and Engineering 2026 Zhu Li
Bloch School of Management 2025 Roozmehr Safi 2671
School of Education, Social Work & Psychological Sciences 2025 LaVerne Berkel sitting in for Ekaterina Strekalova-Hughes
School of Dentistry 2027 Mary Walker 2825
School of Law 2027 Jeff Thomas 2378
School of Nursing and Health Studies 2027 Carol Schmer 1713
School of Pharmacy 2027 Gerald Wyckoff 1962
School of Medicine 2027 Julie Banderas 5249

 

Graduate Council Members At-Large
Academic Unit Term Expires Faculty/Divisional Representative Phone
Physical/Mathematical Science 2025 Megan Hart (Engineering) 1270
Biological/Chemical Science Vacant
Social/Behavioral Science 2025 Erin Hambrick (Psychology) 1321
Humanities/Arts 2026 Cristina Albu (Art History) 2985
Administrative/Info. Science Vacant
Graduate Council Ex-Officio Members
Academic Unit Faculty/Divisional Representative Contact
Dean, School of Graduate Studies Dr. Christine Getz (Chair) 1301
University Libraries Tracey Hughes 2064
Administrative Liaison Stephen Dilks, SGS Assoc. Dean 1301
Graduate Student Council appointed student representative Kiel Corkran
International Student Affairs Mark Daly 1498

 

Graduate Council Subcommittees
Humanities Social Sciences Natural Sciences

Cristina Albu (Chair)
David Thurmaier
Whitney Terrell

Erin Hambrick
Charles Murnieks
Roozmehr Safi
Carol Schmer (Chair)
LaVerne Berkel (for Ekaterina Strekalova-Hughes)
Jeff Thomas

Julie Banderas
Megan Hart (Chair)
Zhu Li
Mary Walker
Gerald Wyckoff

Graduate Council Minutes