diff --git a/graph/loaders/comments.js b/graph/loaders/comments.js
index b09dbc497..2287527e6 100644
--- a/graph/loaders/comments.js
+++ b/graph/loaders/comments.js
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ const getCommentsByQuery = async ({user}, {ids, statuses, asset_id, parent_id, a
 
   // Only administrators can search for comments with statuses that are not
   // `null`, or `'ACCEPTED'`.
-  if (user != null && user.canViewNonNullOrAcceptedComments() && statuses) {
+  if (user != null && user.can('SEARCH_NON_NULL_OR_ACCEPTED_COMMENTS') && statuses) {
     comments = comments.where({
       status: {
         $in: statuses
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ const getCommentsByQuery = async ({user}, {ids, statuses, asset_id, parent_id, a
   }
 
   // Only let an admin request any user or the current user request themself.
-  if (user && (user.canViewOthersComments() || user.id === author_id) && author_id != null) {
+  if (user && (user.can('SEARCH_OTHERS_COMMENTS') || user.id === author_id) && author_id != null) {
     comments = comments.where({author_id});
   }
 
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ const genRecentComments = (_, ids) => {
  */
 const genComments = ({user}, ids) => {
   let comments;
-  if (user && user.canViewOthersComments()) {
+  if (user && user.can('SEARCH_OTHERS_COMMENTS')) {
     comments = CommentModel.find({
       id: {
         $in: ids
diff --git a/graph/mutators/action.js b/graph/mutators/action.js
index a572a641c..dc3fe1a70 100644
--- a/graph/mutators/action.js
+++ b/graph/mutators/action.js
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ const deleteAction = ({user}, {id}) => {
 };
 
 module.exports = (context) => {
-  if (context.user && context.user.can('mutation:createAction', 'mutation:deleteAction')) {
+  if (context.user && context.user.can('CREATE_ACTION', 'DELETE_ACTION')) {
     return {
       Action: {
         create: (action) => createAction(context, action),
diff --git a/graph/mutators/comment.js b/graph/mutators/comment.js
index 9557c1dcf..51ebc5a4f 100644
--- a/graph/mutators/comment.js
+++ b/graph/mutators/comment.js
@@ -236,19 +236,19 @@ module.exports = (context) => {
     }
   };
 
-  if (context.user && context.user.can('mutation:createComment')) {
+  if (context.user && context.user.can('CREATE_COMMENT')) {
     mutators.Comment.create = (comment) => createPublicComment(context, comment);
   }
 
-  if (context.user && context.user.can('mutation:setCommentStatus')) {
+  if (context.user && context.user.can('SET_COMMENT_STATUS')) {
     mutators.Comment.setCommentStatus = (action) => setCommentStatus(context, action);
   }
 
-  if (context.user && context.user.can('mutation:addCommentTag')) {
+  if (context.user && context.user.can('ADD_COMMENT_TAG')) {
     mutators.Comment.addCommentTag = (action) => addCommentTag(context, action);
   }
 
-  if (context.user && context.user.can('mutation:removeCommentTag')) {
+  if (context.user && context.user.can('REMOVE_COMMENT_TAG')) {
     mutators.Comment.removeCommentTag = (action) => removeCommentTag(context, action);
   }
 
diff --git a/graph/mutators/user.js b/graph/mutators/user.js
index d68351701..c5819fded 100644
--- a/graph/mutators/user.js
+++ b/graph/mutators/user.js
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ module.exports = (context) => {
     }
   };
 
-  if (context.user && context.user.can('mutation:setUserStatus')) {
+  if (context.user && context.user.can('SET_USER_STATUS')) {
     mutators.User.setUserStatus = (action) => setUserStatus(context, action);
   }
 
-  if (context.user && context.user.can('mutation:suspendUser')) {
+  if (context.user && context.user.can('SUSPEND_USER')) {
     mutators.User.suspendUser = (action) => suspendUser(context, action);
   }
 
diff --git a/graph/resolvers/action.js b/graph/resolvers/action.js
index cf7be3beb..2814dc85f 100644
--- a/graph/resolvers/action.js
+++ b/graph/resolvers/action.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ const Action = {
   // This will load the user for the specific action. We'll limit this to the
   // admin users only or the current logged in user.
   user({user_id}, _, {loaders: {Users}, user}) {
-    if (user && (user.canViewOtherUsers() || user_id === user.id)) {
+    if (user && (user.can('SEARCH_OTHER_USERS') || user_id === user.id)) {
       return Users.getByID.load(user_id);
     }
   }
diff --git a/graph/resolvers/comment.js b/graph/resolvers/comment.js
index fb01a1585..2a678469b 100644
--- a/graph/resolvers/comment.js
+++ b/graph/resolvers/comment.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ const Comment = {
   },
   actions({id}, _, {user, loaders: {Actions}}) {
 
-    if (user && user.canViewActions()) {
+    if (user && user.can('SEARCH_ACTIONS')) {
       return Actions.getByID.load(id);
     }
 
diff --git a/graph/resolvers/root_query.js b/graph/resolvers/root_query.js
index 9deaba5f6..3f76cb9d2 100644
--- a/graph/resolvers/root_query.js
+++ b/graph/resolvers/root_query.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const RootQuery = {
   assets(_, args, {loaders: {Assets}, user}) {
-    if (user == null || !user.canQueryAssets()) {
+    if (user == null || !user.can('SEARCH_ASSETS')) {
       return null;
     }
 
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const RootQuery = {
   comments(_, {query: {action_type, statuses, asset_id, parent_id, limit, cursor, sort, excludeIgnored}}, {user, loaders: {Comments, Actions}}) {
     let query = {statuses, asset_id, parent_id, limit, cursor, sort, excludeIgnored};
 
-    if (user != null && user.canViewOthersComments() && action_type) {
+    if (user != null && user.can('SEARCH_OTHERS_COMMENTS') && action_type) {
       return Actions.getByTypes({action_type, item_type: 'COMMENTS'})
         .then((ids) => {
 
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ const RootQuery = {
     return Comments.get.load(id);
   },
   commentCount(_, {query: {action_type, statuses, asset_id, parent_id}}, {user, loaders: {Actions, Comments}}) {
-    if (user == null || !user.canViewOthersComments()) {
+    if (user == null || !user.can('SEARCH_OTHERS_COMMENTS')) {
       return null;
     }
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ const RootQuery = {
   },
 
   assetMetrics(_, {from, to, sort, limit = 10}, {user, loaders: {Metrics: {Assets}}}) {
-    if (user == null || !user.canQueryAssets()) {
+    if (user == null || !user.can('SEARCH_ASSETS')) {
       return null;
     }
 
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ const RootQuery = {
   },
 
   commentMetrics(_, {from, to, sort, limit = 10}, {user, loaders: {Metrics: {Comments}}}) {
-    if (user == null || !user.canViewCommentMetrics()) {
+    if (user == null || !user.can('SEARCH_COMMENT_METRICS')) {
       return null;
     }
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ const RootQuery = {
   // so hide it in the event that we aren't an admin.
   users(_, {query: {action_type, limit, cursor, sort}}, {user, loaders: {Users, Actions}}) {
 
-    if (user == null || !user.canViewOtherUsers()) {
+    if (user == null || !user.can('SEARCH_OTHER_USERS')) {
       return null;
     }
 
diff --git a/graph/resolvers/user.js b/graph/resolvers/user.js
index 03e1b121a..faec4bd75 100644
--- a/graph/resolvers/user.js
+++ b/graph/resolvers/user.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const User = {
   actions({id}, _, {user, loaders: {Actions}}) {
 
     // Only return the actions if the user is not an admin.
-    if (user && user.canViewActions()) {
+    if (user && user.can('SEARCH_ACTIONS')) {
       return Actions.getByID.load(id);
     }
 
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const User = {
 
     // If the user is not an admin, only return comment list for the owner of
     // the comments.
-    if (user && (user.canViewOthersComments() || user.id === id)) {
+    if (user && (user.can('SEARCH_OTHERS_COMMENTS') || user.id === id)) {
       return Comments.getByQuery({author_id: id, sort: 'REVERSE_CHRONOLOGICAL'});
     }
 
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ const User = {
   roles({id, roles}, _, {user}) {
 
     // If the user is not an admin, only return the current user's roles.
-    if (user && (user.canChangeRoles() || user.id === id)) {
+    if (user && (user.can('UPDATE_USER_ROLES') || user.id === id)) {
       return roles;
     }
 
diff --git a/models/user.js b/models/user.js
index ab88fe6f1..932d11775 100644
--- a/models/user.js
+++ b/models/user.js
@@ -159,41 +159,6 @@ UserSchema.index({
   background: false
 });
 
-/**
- * returns true if the user can look up assets through the api
- */
-UserSchema.method('canQueryAssets', function () {
-  return !!intersection(['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR'], this.roles).length;
-});
-
-/**
- * returns true if the user can view actions
- */
-UserSchema.method('canViewActions', function () {
-  return !!intersection(['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR'], this.roles).length;
-});
-
-/**
- * returns true if the user can view non-null or non-ACCEPTED comments
- */
-UserSchema.method('canViewNonNullOrAcceptedComments', function () {
-  return !!intersection(['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR'], this.roles).length;
-});
-
-/**
- * returns true when a user can view comments that are not their own
- */
-UserSchema.method('canViewOthersComments', function () {
-  return !!intersection(['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR'], this.roles).length;
-});
-
-/**
- * returns true when a user can view comment metrics
- */
-UserSchema.method('canViewCommentMetrics', function () {
-  return !!intersection(['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR'], this.roles).length;
-});
-
 /**
  * returns true if a commenter is staff
  */
@@ -201,35 +166,6 @@ UserSchema.method('isStaff', function () {
   return !!intersection(['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR', 'STAFF'], this.roles).length;
 });
 
-/**
- * returns true when a user can see other user info
- */
-UserSchema.method('canViewOtherUsers', function () {
-  return !!intersection(['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR'], this.roles).length;
-});
-
-/**
- * when a user can modify tags
- */
-UserSchema.method('canModifyTags', function () {
-  return !!intersection(['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR'], this.roles).length;
-});
-
-/**
- * when a user can change roles
- */
-UserSchema.method('canChangeUserRoles', function () {
-  return !!intersection(['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR'], this.roles).length;
-});
-
-UserSchema.method('canSetCommentStatus', function () {
-  return !!intersection(['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR'], this.roles).length;
-});
-
-UserSchema.method('canSetUserStatus', function () {
-  return !!intersection(['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR'], this.roles).length;
-});
-
 /**
  * This verifies that a password is valid.
  */
@@ -249,39 +185,12 @@ UserSchema.method('verifyPassword', function(password) {
   });
 });
 
-/**
- * All the graph operations that are available for a user.
- * @type {Array}
- */
-const USER_GRAPH_OPERATIONS = [
-  'mutation:createComment',
-  'mutation:createAction',
-  'mutation:deleteAction',
-  'mutation:editName',
-  'mutation:setUserStatus',
-  'mutation:suspendUser',
-  'mutation:setCommentStatus',
-  'mutation:addCommentTag',
-  'mutation:removeCommentTag'
-];
-
 /**
  * Can returns true if the user is allowed to perform a specific graph
  * operation.
  */
 UserSchema.method('can', function(...actions) {
   return can(this, null, actions);
-
-  if (actions.some((action) => action === 'mutation:setUserStatus' || action === 'mutation:suspendUser' || action === 'mutation:setCommentStatus') && !this.canSetUserStatus()) {
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  // {add,remove}CommentTag - requires admin and/or moderator role
-  if (actions.some(a => ['mutation:removeCommentTag', 'mutation:addCommentTag'].includes(a)) && ! this.canModifyTags()) {
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  return true;
 });
 
 // Create the User model.
diff --git a/perms/mutationReducer.js b/perms/mutationReducer.js
index 7e3c1b3cd..9aa34b017 100644
--- a/perms/mutationReducer.js
+++ b/perms/mutationReducer.js
@@ -13,28 +13,31 @@ module.exports = {
   SET_COMMENT_STATUS: 'SET_COMMENT_STATUS',
   ADD_COMMENT_TAG: 'ADD_COMMENT_TAG',
   REMOVE_COMMENT_TAG: 'REMOVE_COMMENT_TAG',
+  UPDATE_USER_ROLES: 'UPDATE_USER_ROLES',
   UPDATE_CONFIG: 'UPDATE_CONFIG',
   reducer: function (user, perm, context, initialState) {
     switch (perm) {
-    case 'muation:createComment':
+    case this.CREATE_COMMENT:
       return true;
-    case 'mutation:createAction':
+    case this.CREATE_ACTION:
       return true;
-    case 'mutation:deleteAction':
+    case this.DELETE_ACTION:
       return true;
-    case 'mutation:editName':
+    case this.EDIT_NAME:
       return true;
-    case 'mutation:setUserStatus':
+    case this.UPDATE_USER_ROLES:
+      return check(user, ['ADMIN']);
+    case this.SET_USER_STATUS:
       return check(user, ['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR']);
-    case 'mutation:suspendUser':
+    case this.SUSPEND_USER:
       return check(user, ['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR']);
-    case 'mutation:setCommentStatus':
+    case this.SET_COMMENT_STATUS:
       return check(user, ['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR']);
-    case 'mutation:addCommentTag':
+    case this.ADD_COMMENT_TAG:
       return check(user, ['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR']);
-    case 'mutation:removeCommentTag':
+    case this.REMOVE_COMMENT_TAG:
       return check(user, ['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR']);
-    case 'mutation:updateConfig':
+    case this.UPDATE_CONFIG:
       return check(user, ['ADMIN', 'MODERATOR']);
     default:
       return initialState;