Graduate Council

Committee Charge

The Graduate Council is responsible for reviewing and recommending to the Provost the addition of new or the deletion or modification of existing graduate curricula and graduate policies.  This Council has primary responsibility, as representatives of the faculty, for the content, quality, and effectiveness of graduate programs at Florida Tech.

Specifically, this committee reviews and makes recommendations to the provost regarding:

• Adding graduate academic programs at a new or existing off-campus instructional site
• Adding a new graduate degree, major, certificate, specialization, or concentration to the curriculum or re-opening a program that was previously offered
• Adding a new method of delivery to an existing graduate academic program (face to face, distance (at least 50%))
• Changing co/pre-requisites or credits of a graduate course
• Changing graduation requirements in a graduate program (including changes in program length or credit hours)
• Closing a graduate program (including at an off-campus site or ending a program in a specific modality)
• Requesting an online graduate course to have the same number as an on-campus graduate course
• The academic components of any cooperative academic arrangements (defined by SACSCOC as an agreement with an institution or entity to deliver program content with credit being recorded on our transcript as our own)
• The addition of a new graduate course to the curriculum
• The establishment of a dual degree or joint academic award with another institution
• The need for new or modification of existing graduate policies
• Requests for Master’s level graduate faculty appointments
• Reaffirmation of the full-time graduate faculty appointments (Graduate Faculty Review Committee)
• Appeals for academic misconduct dismissals (Academic Misconduct Dismissals Appeal Committee)
• Requests for deletion of courses from overall GPA of Master’s students who are changing majors (Graduate Standards Committee)

In their reviews and recommendations this committee is careful to ensure that Florida Tech’s educational programs embody a coherent course of study, are compatible with the university’s mission and goals, and are based upon fields of study appropriate to higher education.  The Council ensures that program requirements conform to commonly accepted standards and practices for degree programs.

The Council also ensures that graduate degrees are progressively more advanced in academic content than undergraduate programs and are structures (a) to include knowledge of the literature of the discipline and (b) to ensure engagement in research and/or appropriate professional practice and training.

The Council ensures that all graduate curriculum is reviewed consistently regardless of location or modality.

Committee Membership

The voting membership of the Graduate Council is comprised of one full-time graduate faculty from each academic unit offering main campus graduate programs, one full-time graduate faculty from each academic college offering an online or off-site graduate program, and one full-time library faculty.

College of Aeronautics (COA): 1 representative

COA Online Graduate Programs: 1 representative

College of Business: (COB): 1 representative

COB Online Graduate Programs: 1 representative

College of Engineering and Science (COES):

• Department of Aerospace, Physics & Space Sciences: 1 representative
• Department of Biomedical Engineering & Science: 1 representative
• Department of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering: 1 representative
• Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science: 1 representative
• Department of Mathematical Sciences: 1 representative
• Department of Mechanical & Civil Engineering: 1 representative
• Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences: 1 representative
• COES Online Graduate Programs: 1 representative

College of Psychology and Liberal Arts (COPLA):

• School of Arts & Communications: 1 representative
• School of Behavior Analysis: 1 representative
• School of Psychology: 1 representative
• COPLA Online Graduate Programs: 1 representative

Evans Library: 1 representative

Academic unit representatives are elected by the respective academic unit and nominated by their respective dean to the provost for a committee service term up to two consecutive years on a staggered basis. Re-appointment is possible.

If a member of the Graduate Council cannot complete the two-year, the academic unit head will nominate a replacement for the unexpired duration of the term. If a dean or academic unit head wishes to replace a representative for any other reason, the respective dean will recommend the change with accompanying rationale to the provost for approval.

Graduate Council Chair

The chair of the Graduate Council is elected for a two-year term by the voting members of the Council. The role of the Council chair is to call the meetings, set the meeting agenda, ensure review of curricular proposals, and oversee the operation of the Council to ensure adherence to university policy and accreditation standards. Re-election is possible.

Nominations for the Graduate Council chair are made prior to the March meeting. Self nomination is possible. The election takes place in the March meeting, and the chair-elect co-presides at the April meeting.

Non-Voting, Ex-Officio Members

The Graduate Council chair, academic unit heads/chairs, academic deans, library dean, provost, the Office of Graduate Programs representative, Academic Program Assessment Committee (APAC) chair, registrar, and the university accreditation liaison are ex-officio, non-voting committee members.

Stalemate Votes

If a vote results in a stalemate, the ex-officio members present will vote in the following order:

• First, the academic deans and the dean of library vote.
• If a tie vote still exists, the chair of the Graduate Council will vote.
• An unbreakable tie defeats a motion.

AY2024-2025 Voting Members

College of Aeronautics (COA)

• Dr. Meredith Carroll, Professor
• Dr. Ersoy Subasi, Associate Professor & COA Doctoral Programs Chair

College of Business (COB)

• Dr. Emily Vogt, Assistant Professor & Department Head of COB Graduate Programs
• Dr. Penny Vassar, Assistant Professor & Department Head of Off-Campus and Online Programs

College of Engineering and Science (COES) 

• Dr. Manasvi Lingam, Assistant Professor, Department of Aerospace, Physics, and Space Sciences (APSS)
• Dr. Sujoy Ghosh Hajra, Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Science (BES)
• Dr. Bo Wang, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (CCE)
• Dr. Khaled Slhoub, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS)
• Dr. Son Nguyen, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics and Systems Engineering (MSE)
• Dr. Darshan Pahinkar, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (MCE)
• Dr. Charles Bostater, Associate Professor, Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences (OEMS)
• Dr. Don Platt, Associate Professor and Director of Spaceport Education Center

College of Psychology and Liberal Arts (COPLA) 

• Dr. Ted Petersen, Associate Professor, School of Arts and Communications (SAC)
• Dr. Bryon Neff, Associate Professor and Program Chair of Online ABA Degree Programs, School of Behavior Analysis (SoBA)
• Dr. Patrick Converse, Professor, School of Psychology (SoP)
• Dr. Maria Lavooy - COPLA Online/Off-Campus Programs

Evans Library

• Suzanne Kozaitis, Collection Development & Analysis Librarian

AY2024-2025 Non-Voting, Ex-Officio Members

Graduate Council Chair

• Dr. Youngju Sohn, Associate Professor, School of Arts and Communications (SAC)

Ex-Officio Members

• Dr. John Z. Kiss, Provost and Senior VP for Academic Affairs
• Dr. Munevver Mine Subasi, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs
• Dr. Mark Archambault, Associate Provost for Accreditation
• Ms. Caroline Johnston, Registrar
• Dr. John Deaton, Dean, College of Aeronautics
• Dr. Theodore Richardson, Dean, College of Business
• Dr. John Harris, Dean, College of Engineering and Science
• Dr. Lisa Steelman, Interim Dean, College of Psychology and Liberal Arts
• Dr. Jason Martin, Dean, Evans Library
• Dr. Ratneshwar Jha, Department Head, Aerospace, Physics, and Space Sciences (APSS)
• Dr. Linxia Gu, Department Head, Biomedical Engineering and Science (BES)
• Dr. Jessica Smeltz, Interim Department Head, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (CCE)
• Dr. Brian Lail, Department Head, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS)
• Dr. Gnana Bhaskar Tenali, Department Head, Mathematics and Systems Engineering (MSE)
• Dr. Troy Nguyen, Acting Department Head, Mechanical and Civil Engineering (MCE)
• Dr. Richard Aronson, Department Head, Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences (OEMS)
• Dr. Heidi Hatfield Edwards, Head, School of Arts and Communications & Associate Dean, College of Psychology and Liberal Arts
• Dr. David Wilder, Head, School of Behavior Analysis
• Dr. Julie Costopoulos, Head, School of Psychology

Standing Committees

Graduate Standards Committee

The Graduate Standards Committee is comprised of one graduate faculty representative from each academic college and the library faculty representative serving on the Graduate Council. Members are appointed by the chair of the Graduate Council at the beginning of every academic year and hold office until they leave the Graduate Council or are replaced. The chair of the Graduate Council serves as the non-voting, ex-officio member of the committee.

The Graduate Standards Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the provost regarding:

• requests for deletion of courses from overall GPA of Master’s students if the following three conditions are met
  • the student is no longer enrolled in the same makes as when the course was taken,
  • the course was never applied toward any degree earned by the student,
  • the course is not required by the student’s new graduate program
• other academic and policy related matters referred to the committee by the Graduate Council, the Office of Graduate Programs, or the Office of the Provost.

The procedures for the above duties of the Graduate Standards Committee are described in the Graduate Council’s Procedures document.

AY2024-2025 Graduate Standards Committee Members

• Dr. Youngju Sohn, Graduate Council Chair, Ex-Officio
• Dr. Ersoy Subasi, COA Voting Member
• Dr. Penny Vassar, COB Voting Member
• Dr. Bo Wang, COES Voting Member
• Dr. Bryon Neff, COPLA Voting Member
• Suzanne Kozaitis, Library Voting Member

Appeal Committee for Academic Misconduct Dismissals

The Appeal Committee for Academic Misconduct Dismissals is comprised of one graduate faculty representative from each academic college serving on the Graduate Council. Members are appointed by the chair of the Graduate Council at the beginning of every academic year and hold office until they leave the Graduate Council or are replaced. The chair of the Graduate Council serves as the non-voting, ex-officio member of the committee.

The committee reviews and makes recommendations to the provost regarding an appeal submitted to the Office of the Provost by the student dismissed from a graduate program due to academic misconduct.

The review and recommendation process for the academic misconduct dismissal appeals is described in the Graduate Council’s Procedures document.

AY2024-2025 Academic Misconduct Appeal Committee Members

• Dr. Youngju Sohn, Graduate Council Chair, Ex-Officio
• Dr. Meredith Carroll, COA Voting Member
• Dr. Emily Vogt, COB Voting Member
• TBD, COES Voting Member
• Dr. Maria Lavooy, COPLA Voting Member

Committee for Graduate Faculty Review

The Committee for Graduate Faculty Review is comprised of one graduate faculty representative from each academic college serving on the Graduate Council. Members are appointed by the chair of the Graduate Council for two-year terms. The annually reviews members of the graduate faculty at five-year intervals from their initial appointment and makes recommendations by simple majority vote to the deans of the appropriate college or school, and the Office of Graduate Programs for reappointment. Information regarding the activities of graduate faculty is provided to the committee based on the areas of activity specified in graduate policy on Graduate Faculty, “Appointment Policy".

In cases where a member of the committee is subject to review, the Council will appoint a substitute for that review cycle.

The review and recommendation process for the graduate faculty reappointments is described in the Graduate Council’s Procedures document.

AY2024-2025 Graduate Faculty Review Committee Members

• Dr. Youngju Sohn, Graduate Council Chair, Ex-Officio
• Dr. Meredith Carroll, COA Voting Member
• Dr. Penny Vassar, COB Voting Member
• TBD, COES Voting Member
• Dr. Patrick Converse, COPLA Voting Member

Graduate Student Affairs Committee

The Graduate Students Affairs Committee consists of four graduate faculty, each representing an academic college, a library faculty, and four graduate students nominated to the provost by the respective deans.

The Graduate Students Affairs Committee

• serves as a liaison between graduate faculty, the academic administration, and graduate students,
• assists and collaborates with the Office of Graduate Programs and the Graduate Council in planning university-wide events including the academic, professional, social, and promotional programs,
• deliberate on the selection of the Outstanding Teaching Assistant of the Year Award.

The processes for the above duties of the Graduate Student Affairs Committee are described in the Graduate Council’s Procedures document.

AY2024-2025 Committee Members

• Dr. Vivek Sharma, COA Faculty Representative
• Maureen Namukasa, COA Graduate Student Representative
• Dr. Abram Walton, COB Faculty Representative
• Natalie Shah, COB Graduate Student Representative
• Dr. Darshan Pahinkar, COES Faculty Representative
• Harry Craik, COES Graduate Student Representative
• TBD, COPLA Faculty Representative
• TBD, COPLA Graduate Student Representative
• Robert Sippel, Library Faculty Representative

Meeting Calendar

The Graduate Council meets at least monthly during the academic year. The engagement of Council members is critical to the work of the Graduate Council.  The voting members are expected to be available throughout the academic year to regularly attend meetings and to make best efforts to attend any special meeting outside of the typical academic year. During summer term, minimum of 50% quorum is sufficient to vote for agenda items. The voting members are also expected to have read materials in advance of the meeting and to be aware of relevant university policy.

 AY2024-2025 Graduate Council Meeting Schedule

Meeting Schedule	Agenda Items Due
Thursday, August 29, 2024 1:00-2:00 PM	Thursday, August 22, 2024
Thursday, September 26, 2024 1:00-2:00 PM	Thursday, September 12, 2024
Thursday, October 24, 2024 1:00-2:00 PM	Thursday, October 10, 2024
Thursday, November 21, 2024 1:00-2:00 PM	Thursday, November 7, 2024 APAC Deadline for new graduate programs:  November 6, 2024
Thursday, January 30, 2025 1:00-2:00 PM	Thursday, January 16, 2025 Deadline for 2024-2025 catalog changes
Thursday, February 27, 2025 1:00-2:00 PM	Thursday, February 13, 2025
Thursday, March 27, 2025 1:00-2:00 PM	Thursday, March 13, 2025
Thursday, April 24, 2025 1:00-2:00 PM	Thursday, April 10, 2025

Guests and Open Meetings

The Graduate Council may regularly invite faculty and other guests who are subject matter experts in the curriculum matter being discussed to provide context and answer questions from the Council members.

The Council meetings are open to all Florida Tech faculty, administrators, and staff.  Guests in attendance can contribute to the discussion and provide questions, comments, and other information for the committee to consider as part of their deliberations. After the open discussion, the Council members deliberates and votes. Guests may not disrupt final deliberation and voting.

All faculty and staff are welcome to bring forward prospective items for the Council’s consideration. Those items should be submitted in advance to the Council chair or brought up at the end of the meeting as other business and will be considered for a future agenda.

Meeting agenda, supporting documents, minutes, and recordings of the meetings are made available to the Florida Tech community through the Graduate Council webpage.