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COGS Structure
COGS General Assembly:
Composition: COGS Program Representatives and COGS Officers.
Function: To provide a forum for graduate students across programs to meet and discuss current issues.
Role: To represent and provide a voice for graduate students in student governance. For example, the General Assembly can pass resolutions to change current University policy or create new University policy. In addition, members of the University administration are invited to COGS meetings to speak directly to graduate students about current issues and concerns.
The General Assembly also elects the Officers of COGS.
General Assembly meetings are open to all graduate students; however, only members of the Assembly are allowed to vote on issues.
Frequency of meetings: Approximately three times per semester during the school year.
COGS Program Representatives:
Composition: Each graduate degree program selects one member to be the Program Representative.
Function: To represent each graduate degree program by attending General Assembly meetings and communicating with the COGS Officers about issues and concerns from their program.
Role: To vote on resolutions and other business of the General Assembly. To communicate to the General Assembly concerns of graduate students and communicate back to students in their programs COGS activities and University business. To elect the COGS Officers at the last meeting of the Spring semester (except for VP of Finance which is elected at the last meeting of the Fall Semester). In addition, COGS Program Representatives have the chance to serve on University Committees as representatives of COGS.
COGS Senators:
Composition: Seven senators elected each year (with several alternates) by the General Assembly
Function: To represent COGS at the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA) along with the President of COGS and represent COGS at the Student and University Senate.
Role: To vote on resolutions and issues brought forth at GAPSA and Student and University Senate. To engage in debate and discussion of issues and represent graduate students in student governance.
Frequency of meetings: In addition to COGS General Assembly meetings, attendance is required at GAPSA General Assembly meetings (usually 4 per semester) and University and Student Senate (usually 2-3 times per semester).
Graduate Education Council (GEC) Chairs:
Composition: Three graduate students and two alternates elected by the General Assembly
Role: To represent graduate students in the GEC
Function: To attend the GEC meetings and discuss changes to PhD programs, give feedback on graduate education policies, discuss other issues related to graduate education, and vote on program changes and other issues brought forth to the GEC.
Frequency of meetings: Meet about once per month during the academic year.
COGS Officers:
Composition: President, Vice Presidents (Executive, Finance, University Relations, Internal Relations, Communications), Director of Events, Historian(s), Graduate Education Council (GEC) Chairs, and COGS Senators.
Function: To represent graduate students in University governance and activities and the voice of graduate students at the University of Minnesota.
Role: To advocate for graduate students and communicate with University administration regarding graduate student concerns. To serve in the GAPSA Assembly (President and COGS Senators),University and Student Senate as representatives of graduate students.
COGS Executive Committee:
Composition: COGS Officers, Graduate Education Council (GEC) Chairs, ex officio members (past President, Parliamentarian, and committee chairs), and other leadership positions as defined by the bylaws.
Function: To guide the direction of COGS and COGS activities for the year based upon the Officers’ vision, the General Assembly’s needs, and current university climate.
Role: To plan and execute COGS activities for the year, to communicate with members of the General Assembly about COGS activities, and to communicate with the greater graduate student population about University issues related to graduate education.
Frequency of meetings: Approximately four times per semester with meetings occurring before the General Assembly meetings and two additional meetings at the end of each semester.
COGS Administrator:
Composition: Hired part-time staff member
Function: To perform administrative tasks of COGS.
Role: To serve as the institutional memory of COGS and help build relationships with the Graduate School staff. To be the voice of COGS through the cogs@umn.edu e-mail address and assist with all General Assembly meetings and Exec meetings.
Graduate School
Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education:
The COGS Executive Committee maintains an active relationship with the current Dean of the Graduate School to relay concerns and determine ways of working together to help meet graduate student needs. In addition, the Dean of the Graduate School serves with various members of the COGS Executive Committee on University Committees and communicates with COGS when opinions or information from graduate students is needed.
A current listing of the Dean and administrators for the Graduate School can be found at: http://www.grad.umn.edu/offices-contacts/dean.html
Graduate Education Council (GEC) (formerly known as Policy and Review Councils):
Composition: Chaired by the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education, includes 15-20 representatives from a variety of graduate programs across all colleges, three student members and two alternates.
A list of current GEC members, and their respective departments, can be found at http://www.grad.umn.edu/Transition/council/PGEC/
Function: To review and vote on all PhD programs including proposals for new programs, changes to existing programs, and deletion of programs.
Role: To maintain the consistency of high quality PhD programs across colleges and disciplines. In addition, the GEC will provide feedback and input on issues and concerns for the Graduate and Professional Assembly (to be formed) and on changes to graduate education policies.
Frequency of meetings: Monthly
Directors of Graduate Studies (DGS):
Composition: Faculty members of a graduate program with degree seeking students.
Function: To share responsibility with the department chair for guiding and improving graduate education within their program. Responsibilities generally fall into three areas: 1) student related: examples include admissions, programs, grievances etc. 2) faculty related: example is determining eligibility to serve on examining committees 3) curricular and graduate program related: examples include program changes, course changes, program reviews, etc.
Role: To serve as a liaison among the graduate student body, faculty, and Graduate School administration.
