Executive Committee Meeting Minutes: December 4, 1998

Whetten Graduate Center #202, Giolas Conference Room
2:00 P.M.

  • The meeting was called to order at 2:09 P.M. Vice Provost Robert Smith presided.
  • It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent on a voice vote to approve as distributed the minutes of the 11/6/98 meeting.
  • It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent on a voice vote to approve the Plans of Study and the Dissertation Proposals on the attached list.
  • There was discussion about the future staffing needs of the Graduate School and of the newly-created Office of Sponsored programs.
  • There was discussion concerning the draft document People First: Reconfiguring the Graduate School's Graduate Fellowship Program (distributed at the November meeting by R. Smith). Points which emerged from the discussion included folding the funding which supports the Named Fellowships program into the total dollar amount as well as giving consideration to awarding fellowships to master's students when appropriate. It was agreed that the draft document will be discussed further at a future meeting.
  • The need to update and revise the Graduate School By-Laws was considered. J. Henkel noted that references to Area Review Committees should be eliminated since the Committees (as described in the By-Laws) no longer exist. He also pointed out the need to provide for representation on the Graduate Faculty Council for a small number of Fields of Study having far fewer faculty than the larger Field(s) of Study in their voting constituencies.
  • Following discussion, it was moved (G. Epling), seconded (D. Camaione), and passed without dissent on a voice vote to authorize the formation of a By-Law Revision Task Force.
  • There was discussion about faculty development. In particular, it was noted that a draft document on this subject was written recently by Vice Provosts Steele and Smith and that Graduate Faculty Council Representative J.R. Knox had recently recommended that the matter be placed as a discussion item on the agenda for the next Council meeting. L. Strausbaugh recommended the involvement of the Research Support Committee of the Council as well.
  • J. Henkel explained the process for the periodic review and reappointment of members of the Graduate Faculty and noted that the preparation of this year's documentation has been completed.
  • It was agreed that a meeting of the Graduate Faculty Council will be called for January 27, 1999. Agenda items will include an election to fill two seats on the Executive Committee as well as a discussion of faculty development (per item #7 above).
  • J. Henkel noted that the new Ph.D. program in Natural Resources continues to progress through the approval process at the Board of Governors for Higher Education.
  • The group extended its thanks for dedicated service to David Camaione, Emilio Pagoulatos, and Achilles Pappano who have completed three-year terms on the Committee.
  • Adjournment was at 4:08 P.M.

Present:

  • Anderson, G.
  • Camaione, D.
  • Epling, G.
  • Grasso, D.
  • Henkel, J. (Associate Vice Provost)
  • Marsden, J.
  • Peters, T. (Program Director)
  • Sacks, S.
  • Strausbaugh, L.
  • Smith, R. (Vice Provost)

Regrets:

  • Maxwell, G.
  • Pagoulatos, E.
  • Pappano, A.

Respectfully submitted,

Thomas B. Peters
Secretary