Executive Committee Meeting Minutes: February 14, 2003

1. The meeting was called to order at 2:05 P.M. Vice Provost Janet L. Greger presided.
2. J. Greger recognized those members who are beginning three-year terms. They are: Alexinia Baldwin (appointed) and Gregory Anderson and David Herzberger (reelected).
   
3. It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent on a voice vote to approve as distributed the minutes of the 12-13-2002 meeting.
   
4. It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent on a voice vote to approve the list of Plans of Study and Dissertation Proposals.
   
5. J. Greger spoke about ongoing efforts to prepare for the upcoming National Research Council ranking of doctoral programs. Specifically, she asked that members notify her as soon as possible of any concerns about the proposed taxonomy of programs being considered for use this time. Two handouts were distributed: (1) the proposed taxonomy, and (2) a summary of UConn's NRC rankings in 1995. There also was discussion about data collection. It was agreed that members will forward to Greger by 2-28-2003 the names of faculty members who could serve effectively as data-collection coordinators for the various areas identified in the proposed taxonomy.
   
6. J. Greger spoke of the need to create Task Forces to consider and to make recommendations concerning the following topics:
   
   
   • How can we simplify the graduate admissions process?
   • What data elements are important to include in a graduate student's record and how should these data be collected?
   • What constitutes graduate program review (annually and at five years)?
   • What services are important to provide (e.g., marketing and recruitment, alumni follow-up, NRC rankings, graduate-student survival skills workshops, career counseling and résumé workshops, general student counseling)?
     
     

   As a result of discussion, it was agreed to combine the admissions and records topics and to create three rather four Task Forces. These are to be called Admissions and Records (data infrastructure), Graduate Program Review, and Graduate School Student Services. It also was agreed that the Task Forces would be relatively small groups (perhaps a half-dozen members each) and would meet regularly between March and May.
   
   There was considerable discussion about the membership of the Task Forces, which will include representatives of the Executive Committee and the Graduate Faculty Council. J. Henkel and T. Peters also will meet with these groups. While various names were discussed at the meeting, it was agreed that the final membership of each Task Force would be nailed down within a week or so.
   
   There also was discussion about the timeline to be followed by the Task Forces in completing their work. It was agreed that each Task Force would have met at least once by mid-March, would be ready to present a rough draft of its main points at the April meeting of the Executive Committee, and that each would be able to present a nearly-final draft of its report at the May Executive Committee meeting.

7. A request from the Department of Dramatic Arts for three graduate program changes was considered and discussed. The following actions were taken:
   
   
   • It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent on a voice vote to eliminate the Area of Concentration of Theater History and Criticism for the Master of Arts degree program.
   • It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent on a voice vote to change from Costume Design to Costuming the name of the area of emphasis within the Performance/Production Area of Concentration for the Master of Arts degree program.
   • It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent on a voice vote to eliminate the Area of Concentration of Directing for the Master of Fine Arts degree.
     
     
8. A request to approve the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading option for the course POLS 372 - Introduction to Public Administration Skills was considered and discussed.

   Following discussion, it was moved, seconded, and passed on a voice vote to approve the request. There was one abstention.

9. J. Henkel introduced for discussion the matter of the policy that governs graduate students who register as auditors in courses. There was general agreement that there is a need for a more detailed policy in this regard. Members discussed possible modification of the current policy by requiring that students register for courses to be audited by the end of the second week of the semester, by prohibiting registration as auditor for any course that a student drops in the same semester, and by allowing course instructors to require a certain level of class attendance in order for a student to qualify for the AUD designation on the permanent academic record.
   
   L. Strausbaugh suggested that student's who wish to explore an area outside their own discipline be allowed to register for a one-credit or a variable-credit special topics course that could be graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U).
   
   It was moved, seconded, passed on a voice vote to authorize the Dean to explore the matter of course audits and possible alternatives, and to report her findings in this regard to the group.

10. E. Smith a raised for discussion a situation that involved plagiarism in the personal statement of a recently-received application for admission to the Graduate School. A broad-ranging discussion ensued. It was agreed that the Graduate School Student Services Task Force should include ethics issues and training in its deliberations.

    G. Maxwell spoke about a course entitled Responsible Conduct in Research that is offered at the Health Center. It was agreed that he would speak about the course at the March meeting.

    It also was agreed that the Department of International Services and Programs (DISP) should provide programming for international students in this regard. J. Henkel will confer with DISP about this and report to the group at a future meeting.

11. G. Anderson, University Senate Liaison, reported. He spoke about the Academic Plan as well as discussions about the purview of the Senate. Anderson suggested that the Graduate Faculty Council consider having a moderator. E. Smith recommended the Senate Executive Committee and the Executive Committee of the Graduate Faculty Council meet jointly on a regular basis. It was noted that the Senate and the Council collaborated effectively on the Visiting Scholar Joint Committee. L. Strausbaugh raised a concern about the difficulties that can be encountered in terms of attempting to offer graduate courses in the summer. It was agreed to discuss all of these points further at the March meeting.

12. There was discussion about calling a meeting of the Graduate Faculty Council for 2-26-2003. It was agreed to do so with discussion about the Academic Plan as the major agenda item. Karla Fox and Richard Brown, Co-Chairs of the Academic Plan Task Force, will be invited to speak. It also was agreed that there will be brief reports and updates on the implementation of SEVIS, the creation of the three Graduate School Task Forces, and the University policy on scientific misconduct.

    E. Smith and L. Strausbaugh requested that GFC voting constituency designations be added to the agenda for the March meeting as a discussion item.

13. Adjournment was at 4:40 PM.
    

     

Present:

• Anderson, G.
• Baldwin, A.
• Clifford, J.G.
• Cournoyer, D.
• Greger, J. (Vice Provost)
• Henkel, J. (Associate Vice Provost)
• Herzberger, D.
• Marsden, J.
• Maxwell, G. (Associate Dean)
• Peters, T. (Assistant Dean)
• Smith, E.
• Strausbaugh, L.
  

Regrets:

• Pagoulatos, E.

Respectfully submitted,

Thomas B. Peters
Secretary