This series includes agendas and minutes, annual reports, bills and resolutions, and correspondence of the Graduate Academic Council, created in 1961 as the Graduate Council. The Council has responsibility for implementing graduate academic planning as established by the Council on Educational Policy ( Faculty Handbook , 1984, pp. 21-22). The Graduate Academic Council has been concerned with residence requirements (1971), credit transfer policy, guidelines for independent study and research investigations, the conferral of degrees, and the evaluation, revision, and adoption of academic programs. The Graduate Academic Council predates the formation of the Faculty Senate, having functioned as a general council of the College independent of the Faculty Council ( Faculty Handbook , 1962, p. 20). The Graduate Council was created on May 26, 1961, by the Graduate Faculty and replaced the Committee on Doctoral Studies (established in 1960) and the Committee on Graduate Studies (a subcommittee of the Academic Council); the Council also assumed the responsibilities for graduate study that had been the province of the Academic Council (Report of the Graduate Council, May 7, 1962).
These records were transferred to the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, by the University Senate. Paper records are transferred prior to 2014, and likely prior to 2001. Since 2016, records are created, managed, and maintained primarily in digital form. Records from early 2000s-2018 were managed and transferred managed by Elisa Lopez, secretary in the President's Office in 2016-2018. Support staff for university administration was significantly reduced in 2018 as a cost-saving measure. Senate records from 2018-2019 were transferred by Elizabeth Gray from the Provost's office, who took over as Senate staff support. Council records are also managed by assigned staff members, but transfers have been irregular.
Paper minutes, 1961-2000 transferred prior to 2014. Paper agendas, minutes, and correspondence ~2000-2017 were managed by Jonathan Bartow at transferred in 2023 by Colleen Davis. Born-digital agendas and minutes are available starting in 1999 and were also transferred in 2023 by Colleen Davis.