Previous agendas and minutes of the George Mason University Graduate Council are arranged in a directory in a public Blackboard folder. Look up historical information about when, why, and how a program, course, or degree changed. For additional information, please contact the Office of Accreditation and Program integrity. We are currently in the process of transferring the archives. We anticipate that the transfer will be completed by the end of June. For more information, please contact provgrad@gmu.edu.
Graduate Council
The Graduate Council oversees graduate courses, certificates, concentrations, degree programs and policies.
The Council may advise the Provost regarding:
- Academic and admission standards and policies governing graduate education
- Approval of new and revised graduate courses, programs and academic pathways
- Approval of discontinued programs and academic pathways
- Review and assessment of graduate programs
- Planning and attainment of graduate education strategic goals
- Policies and resources for graduate student support
- Ensuring compliance with accreditation requirements in each of the above
The Council meets monthly during the academic year. Meetings are open to the entire George Mason University community.
Agenda items must be submitted two weeks prior to the meeting date. Late submissions will be postponed to the next meeting. The agenda will be posted online one week prior to the meeting. The agenda for the next upcoming meeting can be found here.
Graduate Council Meeting Dates 2024-2025
| Agenda Items Due | Agenda Online | Meeting Date | Meeting Location |
| 8/07/24 | 8/14/24 | 8/21/24 | Zoom |
| 9/04/24 | 9/11/24 | 9/18/24 | Zoom |
| 10/02/24 | 10/09/24 | 10/16/24 | In-person at Merten 1201 (1:00 - 2:30 pm) |
| 11/06/24 | 11/13/24 | 11/20/24 | Zoom |
| 12/04/24 | 12/11/24 | 12/18/24 | Zoom |
| 1/08/25* | 1/15/25* | 1/22/25* | Zoom *updated |
| 2/05/25 | 2/12/25 | 2/19/25 | Zoom |
| 3/05/25 | 3/12/25 | 3/19/25 | Zoom |
| 4/02/25 | 4/09/25 | 4/16/25 | Zoom (last meeting before catalog deadline) |
| 5/07/25 | 5/14/25 | 5/21/25 | In-person at Merten 1201 (1:30 - 3:00 pm) |
Graduate Council Members
| Laurence Bray Chair |
Senior Associate Provost for Graduate Education and Professor lbray2@gmu.edu |
Non-expiring |
| Graduate Council Secretary | provgrad@gmu.edu | Non-expiring |
| Stephanie Dodman College of Education & Human Development |
Assistant Dean for Academic Excellence and Associate Professor sdodman@gmu.edu |
07/2024-06/2027 |
| Jennifer Hathaway College of Education & Human Development |
Associate Professor, Literacy jhathaw2@gmu.edu |
07/2023-06/2026 |
| Ketul Popat College of Engineering and Computing |
Chair, Professor, Department of Bioengineering kpopat@gmu.edu |
01/2025-06/2025 |
| Ioulia Rytikova College of Engineering and Computing |
Professor, Information Sciences and Technology irytikov@gmu.edu |
07/2022-06/2025 |
| Marguerite Rippy College of Humanities and Social Sciences |
Associate Dean for Graduate Academic Affairs and Associate Professor mrippy2@gmu.edu |
07/2023-06/2026 |
| Benjamin Gatling College of Humanities and Social Sciences |
Associate Professor, English bgatling@gmu.edu |
07/2023-06/2026 |
| Robert Weiler College of Public Health |
Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor rweiler@gmu.edu | 07/2022-06/2025 |
| Holly Matto College of Public Health |
Associate Professor, Social Work hmatto@gmu.edu |
07/2023-06/2026 |
| Gerald Weatherspoon College of Science |
Associate Dean for Undergraduate & Graduate Affairs and Associate Professor grobert1@gmu.edu |
07/2023-06/2026 |
| Natalie Burls College of Science |
Associate Professor, Climate Dynamics nburls@gmu.edu |
07/2023-06/2026 |
| Justin Sutters College of Visual and Performing Arts |
Assistant Dean of Research and Assessment, and Associate Professor jsutters@gmu.edu |
07/2022-06/2025 |
| Gregory Robinson College of Visual and Performing Arts |
Associate Professor, Music grobins8@gmu.edu |
07/2022-06/2025 |
| Douglas Eyman Faculty Senate |
Associate Professor, Writing and Rhetoric deyman@gmu.edu |
07/2023-06/2024 |
| Susan Allen Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution |
Henry Hart Rice Chair of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, and Professor sallen29@gmu.edu |
07/2023-06/2026 |
| Agnieszka Paczynska Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution |
Professor, Conflict Analysis and Resolution apaczyns@gmu.edu |
07/2023-06/2026 |
| Stefan Toepler Schar School of Policy and Government |
Professor, Nonprofit Studies stoepler@gmu.edu |
07/2024-06/2027 |
| Siona Listokin Schar School of Policy and Government |
Associate Professor slistoki@gmu.edu |
07/2022-06/2025 |
| Paige Wolf Costello College of Business |
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Associate Professor pwolf1@gmu.edu |
07/2022-06/2025 |
| Ioannis Bellos Costello College of Business |
Associate Professor, Information Systems and Operations Management ibellos@gmu.edu |
07/2022-06/2025 |
| Carolyn Faith Hoffman Graduate Student Representative |
President, Graduate and Professional Student Association choffm5@gmu.edu |
07/2024-06/2025 |
| Xiaorong (Sherry) Shan Graduate Student Representative |
Executive Vice President, Graduate and Professional Student Association xshan2@gmu.edu |
07/2024-06/2025 |