This document provides the governance framework for graduate studies resulting from the governance changes to the School of Graduate Studies and Research that were approved by the Senate of Queen's University on February 26, 2009. This document replaces the Constitution of the School of Graduate Studies and Research, Queen's University at Kingston (last revision date September 24, 1998 and approved at the October 22, 1998 meeting of Queen's Senate).

In 1943, the Senate constituted the Queen's University Board of Graduate Studies. This was reconstituted into the School of Graduate Studies in 1963 and expanded to include the research component in 1971. In 1990, the increasing importance of research led to the creation of a joint position of Dean of Graduate Studies and Vice-Principal (Research). This continued until 1995, when a separate portfolio of Vice-Principal (Research) was established.

The School of Graduate Studies and Research name reflected the jurisdictions over which the graduate school had responsibility and authority when it was established. Following the creation of the Vice-Principal (Research) portfolio, the responsibility for all aspects of the research enterprise, exclusive of graduate student research, was moved to the VPR.

In the interests of providing clarity and being accurate, the SGSR was renamed the School of Graduate Studies as part of governance changes approved by Senate in February 2009.