Executive Committee Meeting Minutes: May 8, 1998

1. The meeting was called to order at 2:07 P.M. Vice Provost Robert Smith presided.
2. It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent on a voice vote to approve as distributed the minutes of
   the 1/30/98 meeting.
3. 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
4. There was discussion about graduate student financial aid, particularly with respect to the Predoctoral Fellowship program. R. Smith presented a plan to create three levels of fellowship awards ($10,000, $5,000, and $2,500) to be awarded together with half-time graduate assistantships. The money for the awards would be realized by pooling the student support dollars currently under the administrative control of the Graduate School. Once this phase is complete, private endowment money could be sought to augment and perpetuate the program. There was discussion about the need to develop criteria to be used in distributing these resources among the numerous fields of study within the Graduate School. Student retention and follow-ups on graduates should be examined.
5. There was discussion about recent developments in the eligibility of graduate students for Summer Work Study.
6. There was discussion about the size of graduate programs, particularly with respect to "right-sizing" programs and to assuring an appropriate critical mass of graduate faculty for each program offered. It was noted that the size of a program is not a reliable indicator of a program's quality.
7. Adjournment was at 4:07 P.M.

Present:

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

Regrets:

• Grasso, D.
• Maxwell, G.
• Pappano, A.

Respectfully submitted,

Thomas B. Peters
Secretary