Skip to main content

Graduate Council

Charge 

The charge of the Graduate Council is to review all policy matters affecting the graduate program and all proposals for new courses, new programs, and graduate faculty status. The Council also advises the Provost concerning matters affecting the quality and development of the graduate program.

Membership

Two representatives elected by the graduate faculty of each college and two additional representatives elected in any college for each twenty-five percent of total graduate hours produced. Faculty will serve three -year terms. (Due to the limited number of graduate faculty, faculty may succeed themselves on this committee.) The Dean of Kent Library, the Director of International Education & Services, the Chairperson of the Faculty Senate Academic Affairs Committee, Registrar, Admissions, and the Thesis Reader are non-rotating members. The student representative is nominated by the members of the Graduate Council, will serve a one-year term, and is appointed by the chair. The * represents other members that may not be in the current membership verbiage.

non-rotating members

  • Jason Wagganer, Interim Vice Provost, Interim Dean of Graduate Studies* (Chair)
  • Paul Sharpe, Dean, Kent Library
  • Kevin Timlin, Executive Director, International Education and Services
  • Mike Taylor, Vice-Chair, Faculty Senate Academic Affairs Committee
  • Chrissy Rutledge, Registrar
  • Alisa McFerron, Associate Director, Admissions
  • Chelsea McNeely, Director, Online and Graduate Services*

Faculty members

This table displays current Graduate Council Faculty members
Term Member
F24-SP27 Reshmi Mitra
Harrison College of Business and Computing
F26-SP29 Gillian Nicholls
Harrison College of Business and Computing
F24-SP27 Charlotte Cervantes
Education, Health, and Human Studies
F26-SP29 Joel Ramdial
Education, Health, and Human Studies
F26-SP29 Dixie McCollum
Education, Health, and Human Studies
F26-SP29 VACANT
Education, Health, and Human Studies
F24-SP27 Debrah Raschke
Humanities and Social Sciences
F26-SP29 VACANT
Humanities and Social Sciences
F26-SP29 Yvonne Randolph
Harrison College of Business and Computing
F26-SP27 Indranil Roy
Harrison College of Business and Computing
F24-SP27 Emmanuel Thompson
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
F26-SP29 Jamila Baig
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
F24-SP27 Amber Cook
Holland College of Arts and Media
F24-SP27 Nancy Palmeri
Holland College of Arts and Media

Student representatives

This table displays current Graduate Council student representatives
Term Member
F26-SP27 Nishesh Bhattarai
F26-SP27 Sophie Martin

Minutes

Graduate Council: September 9, 2026

Graduate Council: October 1, 2026

Graduate Council: November 5, 2026

Graduate Council: December 3, 2026

Graduate Council: February 4, 2027

Graduate Council: March 4, 2027

Graduate Council: April 1, 2027

Graduate Council: April 29, 2027


Graduate Council: September 18, 2025

Graduate Council: October 10, 2025

Graduate Council: November 20, 2025

Graduate Council: January 15, 2026

Graduate Council: February 19, 2026

Graduate Council: March 19, 2026

Graduate Council: April 23, 2026

Graduate Council: May 4-5, 2026 (Electronic)

Location

Office

Academic Hall 132

Mailing Address

One University Plaza, MS 3400
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701