Executive Committee Meeting Minutes: February 2, 2001

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

  1. The meeting was called to order at 2:20 P.M. Interim Vice Provost Ian C. Hart presided.
  2. It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent on a voice vote to approve as distributed the minutes of the 01-19-2001 meeting.
  3. It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent on a voice vote to approve the list of Plans of Study and Dissertation Proposals.

    E. Pagoulatos asked how the Dissertation Approval process that was approved by the Graduate Faculty Council (GFC) on 4-24-1996 has been working. T. Peters noted that the new process has proven to be a significant improvement in terms of efficiency and overall "user-friendliness" over the former Area Review Committee arrangement. He mentioned, however, that there still is concern on occasion about Dissertation Proposal approval being granted a short time before the oral defense. L. Strausbaugh recommended that the success of the new arrangement and the concern about timely approval be communicated to the membership of the GFC. I. Hart asked Peters to prepare a report for the Council membership.

  4. Karen Cajka and Roxanne Donovan addressed the Committee concerning issues and factors that are impacting graduate student morale. Both are members of the Graduate Student Senate (GSS) and represent that body on the Graduate Faculty Council (GFC). Donovan currently serves as President of the GSS. They spoke about a broad range of topics covering university-wide issues, departmental issues, and immediate concerns of graduate students. Specific topics included: housing, parking, financial aid, diversity, mentoring, and funding for research support and professional development. Extensive discussion ensued. It was noted that Vicky Triponey, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, and Carole Henry, Executive Director of Residential Life, are scheduled to speak to the GFC on 2-28-2001 about graduate student housing and related matters. There also was discussion about setting priorities and developing effective strategies to achieve desired goals.
  5. A revision of the proposal to implement a Ph.D. program in the existing Field of Study of Social Work (considered initially at the 1-19-2001 meeting) was discussed. There was consensus that the revisions are responsive to the questions and concerns that were raised at the previous meeting.

    It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent to approve the revised proposal.

  6. There was discussion about the dual listing of undergraduate and graduate courses which have identical course descriptions. J. Henkel described the problem and recommended that there always be a specified additional component that would have to be completed successfully for those students registering for the graduate course. It was recommended that consideration be given to recasting some of these courses as 300's-level courses in which a limited number of highly-qualified undergraduate students could enroll.

    It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent to table this matter pending further discussion at the next meeting.

  7. There was discussion about the upcoming meeting of the Graduate Faculty Council on 2-28-2001. Vicky Triponey and Carole Henry will be discussing graduate student housing. It was recommended that a list of specific questions be given to each well in advance of the meeting. I. Hart agreed.
  8. Adjournment was at 4:18 PM.

Present:

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

Guests: Karen Cajka and Roxanne Donovan, GSS representatives to the GFC

Regrets:

  • Anderson, G.
  • Carmichael, G.
  • Maresh, C.
  • Marsden, J.
  • Maxwell, G.


Respectfully submitted,

Thomas B. Peters
Secretary