NOTE: This section, plus the sections on Academic Policies & University Information, Graduate Degree Requirements, Graduate Certificate Policies, Graduate Policies & Procedures and Graduate Admissions Requirements, constitute the “Graduate Student Manual”. All graduate students are expected to become familiar with these policies and procedures, as they describe the rights and responsibilities of graduate students at Missouri State University. It is not possible to cover all potential situations in these pages, so graduate students (current and future) should contact the Graduate College for clarification or more information. Specific departments and graduate programs may have additional policies, procedures, and requirements not covered in these sections.
In fulfilling its mission, the University adheres to a set of educational and administrative policies which are essential to the maintenance of a learning environment and which fosters a sense of community and public accountability.
The University is committed to freedom of thought and inquiry for both faculty and students. This commitment ensures that faculty have the freedom to teach, conduct research, exercise creativity, and publish in their professional capacity without restraint or fear of reprisals. Academic freedom is essential to the University’s instructional and research activities. An open instructional environment is essential for the protection of the rights of faculty to teach and of the students’ freedom to learn. Freedom in research and creativity is fundamental to the advancement of truth.
In return, faculty and students conducting research or other creative/scholarly activity as part of the academic enterprise do so in a responsible and ethical manner. Responsible conduct of research includes (but is not limited to) compliance with federal regulations related to the health/safety of the researchers, their subjects, and the environment. Training for specific compliance requirements, and information to prevent research misconduct or unethical research activities are available from the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs.
As a state-assisted public institution of higher education, Missouri State University is accountable for the fiscal management of funds received from public, business, philanthropic, and private sources. The University also recognizes its responsibility for educational outcomes relevant to individual and social needs, and for the effective administration of its programs. The University is committed to the concept of public accountability in the broadest sense. Such a commitment obligates the University to: (1) define institutional goals and priorities, (2) determine the degree to which goals are achieved, (3) identify and measure the outcome of its programs, and (4) measure the costs and benefits of programs. Inherent in those obligations is a commitment to systematic institutional planning and to continuous program review and evaluation to ensure maintenance of quality and excellence.
While it is impossible to specify all relevant University policies, the more salient ones are herein identified.
SELECTED UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Graduate Council
The Graduate Council is the faculty governance structure that recommends policies governing graduate study to the Dean of the Graduate College. Each department offering a graduate program has one faculty representative on the Graduate Council. Each interdisciplinary program also has a representative on the Council. The Graduate Council acts on curriculum matters, new programs, general policies and appointments to the Graduate Faculty. The Graduate Council is proactive in representing the needs of graduate education and proposing strategies to allow the Graduate College to fulfill its mission.
Graduate Faculty
Appointment to the Graduate Faculty is required for persons to teach courses open only to graduate students and to guide graduate students as advisors or as members of graduate advisory committees. Faculty members holding an earned terminal degree, with recognized competence in an area of specialization appropriate to graduate study, and meet the approved departmental criteria, may be approved as members of the Graduate Faculty. Normally, the Graduate Faculty is composed of individuals with the academic rank of Assistant Professor or higher in departments that offer graduate degree programs or supporting graduate courses. A limited number of faculty members without earned terminal degrees, but who are widely recognized as leaders in their academic disciplines, may become members of the Graduate Faculty. Faculty who are not full time employees of Missouri State University can become members of the Graduate Faculty through the same process, after being appointed as an Adjunct Faculty member through the Office of Human Resources. Refer to the Graduate Faculty Appointment (/FacultyStaff/FacultyAppointment.htm) web site for recommendation forms to initiate the process for Appointment to Graduate Faculty.
Graduate Student Senate
The purposes of the Graduate Student Council are to enhance communication among graduate students, to be a liaison between students and the Graduate Council, and to promote the general interests of graduate students.
Meetings are open to all currently enrolled graduate students in good standing at Missouri State University. The president of the Graduate Student Council (or designee) is a representative on the Graduate Council and is responsible for conveying the ideas, requests, questions and proposed policies from/to the Graduate Student Council. The Graduate Student Council provides a representative to the Faculty Senate, two representatives to the Senate of the Student Government Association, and makes appointments to several other committees. In addition, they sponsor several awards for graduate assistants and graduate mentors.
Frank Einhellig Graduate Interdisciplinary Forum. Annually, in the spring semester, the Graduate Student Senate, in conjunction with the Graduate College, co-hosts the Frank Einhellig Graduate Interdisciplinary Forum (IDF). This public affairs event allows graduate students to give oral and poster presentations of their research and creative projects. This forum is a tremendous educational experience for graduate students; participation is voluntary. Approximately 200 students present each year. For complete information on the IDF, see graduate.missouristate.edu (under Interdisciplinary Forum).
Additional information about the Graduate Student Council and the IDF may be obtained online at graduate.missouristate.edu (under New and Current Students).
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