Article 7: Procedure for Amending and Revising this Document

7.1 Any member of the Michigan State University community may initiate a proposal to amend or revise this document.

7.1.1 A graduate student shall submit such a proposal to the all-University graduate student governing body for approval. The all-University graduate student governing body may approve the proposal by a majority vote of the members present. If approved, the proposal, with recommendation for its adoption, shall be submitted to the University Committee on Graduate Studies through the all-University graduate student governing body’s regular representatives.

7.1.2 A faculty member shall submit such a proposal to the college’s graduate committee for its approval. The college graduate committee may approve the proposal by a majority vote of the members present. If approved, the proposal, with a recommendation for its adoption, shall be submitted to the University Committee on Graduate Studies through the college’s regular representative(s).

7.1.3 Any other member of the Michigan State University community (not a graduate student or a regular faculty member) may submit a proposal to the Graduate School for transmission to the University Committee on Graduate Studies.

7.2 All proposals to amend or revise this document must be approved by both the all-University graduate student governing body and the University Committee on Graduate Studies by a majority vote of the members present, unless there is a legal reason to immediately revise this document to comply with State or federal laws.

7.3 If approved by the University Committee on Graduate Studies and by the all-University graduate student governing body, the proposal, with recommendations for its approval, shall be submitted to the University Council.

7.4 The University Council shall review all amendments and revisions and either approve or reject them in accordance with the Bylaws for Academic Governance. A proposed amendment or revision that is rejected by the University Council shall be returned to the University Committee on Graduate Studies and to the all-University graduate student governing body along with a written explanation for the rejection. This explanation may include suggestions for alteration of the proposal. A proposed amendment or revision that is approved by the University Council shall be forwarded to the President, who shall present it to the Board of Trustees.

7.5 The Board of Trustees shall review all amendments and revisions and may approve the proposal, at which time it shall become operative unless the Board specifies a different date, or reject the proposal and return it to the University Council with an explanation.

7.6 The University community shall be promptly informed of all action taken on proposed amendments and revisions.