Graduate Council

Overview

The Graduate Council consists of:

  • Ten members of the graduate faculty (selected by the Fitchburg State University Faculty Association)
  • Three administrators (appointed by the university’s president)
  • A degree-seeking graduate student

The Graduate Council makes recommendations on the following matters:

  • New programs and program changes
  • New policies and policy changes
  • New courses and course changes
  • Course removals

Forms

Graduate Council forms are used to propose new or revised courses, programs, and policies. Proposals must be submitted including supporting documentation as noted on the forms. Please contact School of Graduate, Online and Continuing Education at gce@fitchburgstate.edu with any questions.

Please note: The forms below are in an electronic format. If you want to create a form for sharing with others such as a curriculum committee prior to submitting choose the save progress option at the bottom of the form.

To get a PDF copy of the saved form, go to print and choose save as PDF copy rather than print.

To access the saved form at a later time for editing or to finalize submission visit forms.fitchburgstate.edu to login.

  • New Course Proposal Form (Google Doc)
    This form is required when proposing a new graduate course for the University Catalog. See the Graduate Syllabus Guidelines (PDF) for reference. 
  • Course Change Proposal Form (Google Doc)
    This form is required when proposing a change to an existing course.
  • New/Change Policy Proposal Form (Google Doc)
    This form is required when proposing a new graduate policy or change to an existing graduate policy.
  • New Program Proposal Form (Google Doc)
    This form is required when proposing a new graduate program.
  • Program Change Proposal Form (Google Doc)
    This form is required when proposing changes to an existing graduate program. Please use the Side-by-Side Plans of Study Template (Google Doc) for presenting side-by-side plans of study with proposals.
  • Course Removal Proposal Form (Google Doc)
    This form is required when proposing the removal of a graduate course or courses. Elimination of a course that is required for a program also requires submission of a program change proposal.
  • Graduate Curricula Non Substantive Change Form (Dynamic Form)
    This form should be used to submit all Non-Substantive Change Requests. This form can only be submitted by the Department or Program Chair. Simple course title changes (that do not change the basic nature of the course). Simple catalog description changes (that do not change the substance of the course). Equivalent courses within the same department (that would only require the same department curriculum committee vote). Course prerequisite and co-requisite removals (when all courses are within the same department and the changes only impact that department). Elective courses removed from catalog if not taught in the past five years (only by department request).

Meeting Dates, Council Members, and Reference Information

2025/2026 Council Action Summary (PDF)

  • Mojdeh Bayat (Academic Affairs - Dean, School of Education)
  • Brady Chen (Computer Science)
  • Becky Copper Glenz (Academic Affairs - Dean, SGOCE)
  • Barbara Cormier (Academic Affairs - Registrar)
  • Christine Dee (EHPS)
  • Jane Fiske (Humanities)
  • Eileen Kirk (Behavioral Science)
  • Nirajan Mani (Engineering Tech)
  • Kyle Moody (Comm Media)
  • Shirajum Munira (Student Representative)
  • Daniel Sarefield (EHPS)
  • Renee Scapparone (BSAD)
  • Robert Shapiro (Education)
  • Deborah Stone (Nursing)

Per Agreement between the boards of higher education and the Massachusetts Teachers Association/NEA Massachusetts State College Association---July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2017

Establishment of a Graduate Education Council  

With effect on September 1, 2014, there shall be established at each University at which there is a graduate education program a Graduate Education Council.  

The membership thereof shall be as follows:  

  • The President of the University shall appoint three (3) administrators who shall serve at his/her discretion.  
  • Under the auspices of the Association, ten (10) members of the graduate faculty shall be selected from among all members of the graduate faculty of the University, provided, however, that in the case of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, the Graduate Education Council shall be composed of five (5) members of the graduate faculty; and  
  • The members of the council selected pursuant to the foregoing provisions shall elect one (1) member who shall be a student at the University enrolled in two (2) or more graduate courses in a semester.  The terms of office of members of the council shall commence on the September 1 following said selection and shall end on the next following August 31. Whenever a vacancy shall have occurred in the membership of the council, such vacancy shall be filled pursuant to the applicable provisions of the foregoing paragraph.

Responsibilities of the Graduate Education Council

Matters in respect of which the council may make reports and recommendations shall be the following:  The changing of course requirements within the existing graduate curricula. The addition of new courses and identification of the department to which the courses are to be assigned and the deletion of existing courses within such curricula; and the criteria to be applied in designating as such members of the graduate faculty. The council shall receive and may solicit from the academic departments of the University recommendations pertaining to the preceding item (iii). The council shall also hear appeals from graduate students to the University’s graduate program.

Reporting Procedure Applicable to the Graduate Education Council  

Anything in this Article VII to the contrary notwithstanding, every report and recommendation made by the Graduate Education Council shall be transmitted directly to the President of the University through the Vice President, and a copy thereof shall be transmitted to the Chapter President and to the Department Chair of each department that sponsors a graduate program.  No such report or recommendation shall be required to be transmitted to the All-University Committee or to any standing or other committee thereof.  The Graduate Education Council shall send copies of minutes and its agenda to the All-University Committee.  

Prior to the end of the first week of the semester, the instructor will distribute to each student in each course and section a written and dated course syllabus, which must contain at least the following information:

  1. The instructor’s name, department/program, course number and title, credit hours, semester/days/time of class, office location, office hours, email address and telephone number.
  2. Official course description.
  3. Course goals and learning objectives.
  4. The instructor’s attendance policy for the course (e.g. no attendance taken, number of absences allowed, any penalty for extensive absence, etc.).
  5. A list of texts and/or additional resources such as software for the course, indicating which are required and which are optional.
  6. The course requirements for assessment, such as papers, projects, and examinations (with due dates if possible).
  7. A statement on the nature of the final exam (e.g. exam, project report)
  8. A list of topics to be covered and the activities expected from the students.
  9. The method by which student’s final grade in the course will be determined.
  10. The instructor’s policy on work handed in late, makeup examinations, and the like.
  11. Any special rules, regulations, or procedures of the course.
  12. A statement indicating each student is responsible for completing all course requirements and for keeping up with all activities of the course (whether a student is present or not).
  13. A statement regarding the University Academic Integrity policy.
  14. A statement regarding the University Disability policy.

Rationale

NEASC and secondary accrediting bodies (e.g., International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Council for Standards in Human Service Education), are focusing and requiring significant commitment to assessment of all aspects of college academic programming. Fitchburg State University has identified academic program planning and assessment as priorities of the Strategic Plan and has devoted resources at the academic department and administrative level to develop academic plans that include comprehensive assessment systems. Assessment of academic programs and courses at all levels cannot proceed without first identifying suitable goals, defined as broad statements of program and course purposes, as well as measurable objectives/outcomes. The guidelines will also serve as another attempt on the part of the college community to improve academic quality. 

Approved by Graduate Council and President – May 2007
Effective Fall, 2007

Archived Past Meetings, Proposals, and Council Action Summaries

Graduate Council meetings, proposals and actions, which were created before April 26, 2027, shall be deemed archived for reference, research, or recordkeeping purposes, without meeting WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards.

All meetings will be remote. See Google Meet links next to meeting dates.

Questions? Get in Touch!

If you have any questions regarding past proposals, please contact our office, the School of Graduate, Online and Continuing Education.