The Graduate Council swept the dust off the academic procedures manual and chose a new assistant chair at Monday’s council meeting.

Graduate Council Chairman Jerrold Zar said several sections of the academic procedures manual were reviewed and sent to various committees of the Graduate Council as a result of the meeting.

A few months ago the University Council asked for several sections, such as curriculum and rules and regulations, of the manual to be updated.

Although no actual changes were made at the meeting, recommendations for changes were given, Zar said.

“My guess is there will be some changes,” he added.

Next on the agenda was the appointment of a new assistant chair to the Graduate Council.

Physical Education Professor Jerald Floyd will be taking the wheel as assistant chair of the Graduate Council while Art Professor Norman Magden is on sabbatical leave.

Magden held the one-year position during the fall semester, but Floyd will be taking over for the spring semester.

Floyd said he was unaware he would be nominated and elected by the Graduate Council. He is pleased with his new appointment, he said.

“My job is to assume the position of the chair (Zar) should he be absent,” he said.

The Graduate Council is an important part of the university and has equal representation of faculty and students, Floyd said.

The meeting also brought about a change in procedures used to review graduate programs.

Graduate programs are reviewed every seven years, but “this is the first time faculty will be reviewed with the programs,” Zar said.