Graduate Council
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 these areas of research endeavor:
- Administrative, Behavioral, and Social Sciences;
- Arts and Humanities;
- Biological, Chemical, and Health Sciences;
- Computer Science, Data Science, and Engineering; and
- Physical and Mathematical Sciences.
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 meetings are typically held from 1:00-2:30 p.m. on the third or fourth Friday of the month.
Fall 2026 dates include:
- September 18, 2026
- October 16, 2026
- November 20, 2026
- December 11, 2026
2026-27 Graduate Council
Graduate Council Members
- Bloch School of Management — Ranjit Christopher (Term expires 2028)
- Conservatory — David Thurmaier (Term expires 2029)
- School of Dentistry — Mary Walker (Term expires 2027)
- School of Education, Social Work, and Psychological Sciences — Daniel Maitland (Term expires 2028)
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences — Whitney Terrell (Term expires 2027)
- School of Law — Jeff Thomas (Term expires 2027)
- School of Medicine — Julie Wright (Term expires 2027)
- School of Nursing and Health Studies — Carol Schmer (Term expires 2027)
- School of Pharmacy — Gerald Wyckoff (Term expires 2027)
- School of Science and Engineering — Zhu Li (Term expires 2027)
- University Libraries — Marie Thompson (Term expires 2028)
Graduate Council Members At-Large
- Administrative/Info. Science — Tracey Hughes (Term expires 2028)
- Arts/Humanities — Matthew Vangjel (Term expires 2028)
- Biological/Chemical Science — Shizhen “Jeff” Wang (Term expires 2028)
- Social/Behavioral Science — Elizabeth Neilson (Term expires 2028)
- Physical/Mathematical Science — Yusuf Sarwar Uddin (Term expires 2028)
Graduate Council Ex-Officio Members
- Dean, School of Graduate Studies (SGS) — Christine Getz (Chair)
- Associate Dean, SGS — Stephen Dilks
- Graduate Student Representative — Tiana Ford
- International Student Affairs — Mark Daly
- Office of the Registrar — Amy Cole/Laura King
- Administrative Liaison, SGS — Sarah Beach
Graduate Council Subcommittees
Administrative, Behavioral, and Social Sciences
- Daniel Maitland
- Elizabeth Neilson
- Marie Thompson
Arts and Humanities
- Tracey Hughes
- Whitney Terrell
- Matthew Vangjel (Fall 2026)
- David Thurmaier (Spring 2027)
Biological, Chemical, and Health Sciences
- Carol Schmer
- Shizhen “Jeff” Wang
- Gerald Wyckoff
Computer Science, Data Science, and Engineering
- Zhu Li
Physical and Mathematical Sciences
- TBA
Graduate Council Minutes
Please sign in with your UM System SSO to view these minutes.
If you would like to see meeting minutes from previous years, please reach out to the School of Graduate Studies at umkcsgs@umkc.edu.