Executive Committee Meeting Minutes: April 20, 2001


Whetten Graduate Center - Giolas Conference Room
2:15 P.M.

  1. The meeting was called to order at 2:21 P.M. Interim Vice Provost Ian C. Hart presided.
  2. There was discussion about a possible shift on the part of the University in the assignment of financial responsibility for the maintenance and repair of research facilities. It was agreed by consensus that the GFC Executive Committee would be greatly concerned if this responsibility were to fall to schools and colleges and/or to departments. The Committee also would be seriously concerned if the Research Foundation were to be asked to bear any financial responsibility in this regard. The Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Research, at his discretion, may choose to advise the Chancellor of the Committee's concerns.
  3. It was moved (G. Anderson), seconded (P. Faghri), and passed without dissent on a voice vote to approve the minutes of the meeting of March 9, 2001 and of the special meeting of March 30 and April 3, 2001.
  4. It was moved (G. Epling), seconded (G. Anderson), and passed without dissent on a voice vote to approve the list of Plans of Study and Dissertation Proposals.
  5. A proposal from the A. J. Pappanikou Center for Disability Studies to implement a graduate Certificate Program in Assistive Technology was considered and discussed. Following discussion, it was agreed that the proposal would be forwarded to the School of Allied Health for possible input. In addition, J. Henkel indicated that he would seek clarification of a few points raised in the discussion. The proposal will be considered further at a future meeting when additional information has been gathered.

    It was moved, seconded, and passed to table the matter.

  6. A request from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology to approve the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading option for four seminar courses was considered and discussed. The courses are: EE 482 - Seminar in Spatial Biology; EEB 484 - Seminar in Plant Ecology; EEB 486 - Seminar in Systematics; and EEB 487 - Seminar in Parasitology.

    It was moved (G. Epling), seconded (L. Strausbaugh), and passed without dissent on a voice vote to approve the request.

  7. Janine Caira, a member of the Research Advisory Council; Ilze Krisst, Assistant Vice Provost for Research; and Douglas Bradway, Coordinator of Research Services were introduced. They were present to discuss with members of the Executive Committee the four programs of the Research Foundation which provide support to doctoral students. The programs are: the Semi-Annual Doctoral Fellowship Competitions, Extraordinary Expense Awards, Doctoral Student Travel Awards, and Summer Fellowships for Advanced Graduate Students. Some highlights of the discussion follow:

    • Travel and summer fellowships should be considered for increased resources

    • Allow greater flexibility in the use of Travel Awards and raise the lifetime limit

    • Available money to be awarded needs to more focused to maximize the potential benefit

    • Focus should be on programs rather than on departments

    • Departments/programs should be encouraged to match Research Foundation dollars

    • Establish effective criteria (e.g., where program graduates find employment, time to degree, percentage of students who complete program, etc.) for distribution of available award resources.

  8. Adjournment was at 4:00 PM.

Present:

  • Anderson, G.
  • Epling, G.
  • Faghri, P.
  • Hart, I. (Interim Vice Provost)
  • Henkel, J. (Associate Vice Provost)
  • Herzberger, D.
  • Maresh, C.
  • Pagoulatos, E.
  • Peters, T. (Assistant Dean)
  • Strausbaugh, L.

Regrets:

  • Carmichael, G.
  • Marsden, J.
  • Maxwell, G.


Respectfully submitted,

Thomas B. Peters
Secretary