Graduate Council

sunflowers in front of cvpa building
Agendas and Minutes
Agendas and Minutes

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.

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council oversees graduate courses, certificates, concentrations, degree programs and policies.

The Council may advise the Provost regarding:

  • Academic policies governing graduate education
  • Approval of new and revised graduate courses and programs
  • Review and assessment of graduate programs
  • Planning and attainment of graduate education strategic goals
  • Policies and resources for graduate student support

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. All meetings will be held 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. The agenda for the next upcoming meeting can be found here.

Join the meeting here: https://gmu.zoom.us/j/97961786728.

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
1/01/25 1/08/25 1/15/25 Zoom
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
Yellia Seanor
Graduate Council Secretary
Graduate Administrative Specialist yseanor@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
Deborah J. Goodings
College of Engineering and Computing
Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Professor
goodings@gmu.edu
07/2024-06/2005
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
Paul So (Proxy for Natalie Burls)
College of Science
Professor, Physics
paso@gmu.edu
07/2024-12/2024
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