Council composition & powers
The Council of the School of Graduate Studies is the governing body for all graduate programs at the University. See the Council's current membership.
The Council is composed of:
- The Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Chair, ex-officio;
- The President - Honorary Chair;
- The Provost and Vice-President;
- The Associate Deans of Graduate Studies;
- The Director of Research Services;
- The Assistant Registrar;
- A member of the decanal team involved in graduate studies from each Faculty appointed by the Dean of the Faculty;
- Five faculty members involved in graduate studies from the Faculty of Arts and Science, with at least one from each of the sciences, the humanities, and the social sciences, each appointed for a three-year term by Faculty Council;
- Five faculty members involved in graduate studies from the John Molson School of Business, each appointed for a three-year term by Faculty Council;
- Five faculty members involved in graduate studies from the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, each appointed for a three-year term by Faculty Council;
- Five faculty members involved in graduate studies from the Faculty of Fine Arts, each appointed for a three-year term by Faculty Council;
- Five graduate students, each appointed for a one-year term by the Graduate Students’ Association, with at least one from each Faculty;
- Five Graduate Program Directors, each elected for a one- or two-year term by the Graduate Program Directors, with at least one from each Faculty.
The Council of the School of Graduate Studies shall have the power to:
- establish committees, and delegate any of its responsibilities to committees; receive, consider and act upon the reports of its committees;
- consider, approve and recommend to Senate:
- the establishment and implementation of any program of graduate studies by any academic unit;
- the modification or discontinuance of any program of graduate studies by any academic unit;
- the awarding of graduate degrees;
- establish university-wide standards and procedures for admission to graduate programs;
- establish university-wide standards and procedures for graduation from graduate programs;
- establish university-wide standards and procedures for the evaluation of all graduate work, including theses, reports, projects and comprehensive examinations;
- establish university-wide standards and policies which ensure that graduate program directors, graduate supervisors, instructors and tutors for graduate courses have the requisite qualifications and experience;
- establish any other university-wide standards for graduate programs that the Council deems appropriate;
- establish policies, procedures and mechanisms for:
- promoting interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or inter-university graduate programs; and
- managing those graduate programs of an interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or inter-university dimension, which are under the supervision of the School of Graduate Studies;
- establish rules and procedures governing requests for exemption from academic regulations. Such rules and procedures take precedence, with respect to graduate students, over similar rules and procedures established by Faculty Councils. The Council and the School shall submit an annual report to Senate on the disposition of exemption requests;
- establish procedures for the conduct of its own affairs;
- make recommendations to Senate concerning the following matters:
- the composition of the Council of the School of Graduate Studies;
- the establishment of graduate fellowships and bursaries;
- the establishment of post-doctoral programs;
- the conduct of periodic academic appraisals of all graduate programs;
- priorities and directions for the development of graduate studies at Concordia University.
As approved by the Board of Governors on 6 September 1973 and amended by the Board of Governors on 20 November 1991 and 16 June 1999.
