Graduate Faculty Council Meeting Minutes: February 26, 2003

1. The meeting was called to order at 3:05 P.M. Vice Provost Janet Greger presided.
2. It was moved, seconded, and passed without dissent on a voice vote to approve as distributed the minutes of the 1-27-2003 meeting.
   
3. J. Greger informed the Council that three task forces have been formed to examine major components of the operation and functions of the Graduate School. These are: Admissions and Records, Graduate Program Review, and Graduate School Student Services. These groups will meet regularly over the next three months and will prepare reports by the end of the current semester.
   
4. J. Greger introduced Karla Fox and Richard Brown, Co-Chairs of the Academic Plan Task Force (APTF), who were present to speak about the work of the Task Force. Several handouts were distributed, including: the Academic Plan Task Force Plan of Work Timeline, 2003; Academic Planning Task Force Areas of Emphasis (draft); APTF Working Group Report - February 6, 2003: Resource Allocation and the Chancellors's Competition (draft), Operating Principles for Facilities and Physical Plan (draft), Draft Outline for the Academic Plan Task Force Report. Copies of the documents are attached to the file copy of these minutes.
   
   Fox explained the planned contents of the group's final report. Brown spoke about the areas of emphasis, which include: Arts, Culture and Society from a Local to Global Perspective; Environmental Sustainability; Health and Human Service Systems; Life Sciences; Scientific Innovations and Technology; and Undergraduate Enrichment.
   
   Brown also spoke about the proposed biennial Chancellor's grant competition, which is designed to facilitate the development of faculty consortia. Grants (ranging from $50K to $500K) would be awarded from a pool of money to be created by taking .5% or 1% off the top of the University's academic budgets. The draft document includes a set of principles as well as a schedule for the proposed competition. A feature of the proposed program is the use of external reviewers (three per grant application). In the course of discussion, considerable support developed among the Council membership for making the program a matching situation rather than a stand-alone grant competition. Brown and Fox agreed to take this recommendation back to the Task Force.
   
   A concern was raised that taking the grant pool off the top of the academic budgets would limit further the institution's ability to hire more tenure-track faculty. Noting that the grant competition is for multi-disciplinary groups of faculty working collaboratively on a project. J. Marsden asked if the Task Force would take into consideration those fields where researchers work independently (e.g., English).
   
   Fox spoke about facilities and physical planning. The three main aspects of the Task Force's deliberations in this area include priorities for UCONN 21st Century, classroom planning, and internet and telephony needs.
   
   Members expressed interest in discussing the Academic Plan further at the March meeting. It was agreed to invite Fox and Brown to meet with the Council again at that time to provide an update and to respond to questions.
   
   
5. J. Henkel gave a presentation on the implementation of the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS). He spoke about the different kinds of visas and documents that are involved and about the new strict regulations by which the University and all international students must abide in the future. Newly-entering international students must now provide documentation guaranteeing that they have sufficient money to cover expenses for at least the first year of study (currently $12,474 for students with at least a 50% time graduate assistantship). A properly-completed financial declaration form must be part of every international application. It was noted that two SEVIS training sessions, as requested by the faculty, have been arranged for international graduate students - Monday, 3-3-03, at 4:00 PM and Wednesday, 3-5-03, at 1:00 PM (both sessions are to be held in room 200 of the Graduate Center).
   
   There also was discussion about fees that all graduate students (including graduate assistants) are required to pay. In particular, it was noted that the General University Fee is required of all students and that it is not waived for graduate assistants. J. Greger indicated that this matter is being studied at this time.

6. J. Greger announced that the next HELPLINE program for department heads and research administrators will be held on March 7th from 9:00 to 11:00 AM in room 200 of the Whetten Graduate Center.
7. Adjournment was at 5:05 P.M.
   
   

Respectfully submitted,

Thomas B. Peters
Secretary

Present:

• Abikoff, W.
• Albert, A.
• Baldwin, A.
• Barnes-Farrell, J.
• Boster, J.
• Brody, H.
• Brown, R.
• Clifford, J.G.
• Cormier, V.
• Cournoyer, D. (alt)
• Cromley, E.
• Cutlip, M. (alt)
• Dunne, G.
• Enderle, J.
• Jones, C. (alt)
• Karan, O.
• Maresh, C.
• Marsden, J.
• Mathieu, J.
• Mayer, B.
• McAvoy, B.
• Mukhopadhyay, N.
• Schultz, E.
• Sheehan, N.
• Shvartsman, A.
• Silbart, L.
• Smith, E.
• Troyer, J.
• Warner, G.
• Zhang, B.
  
  
  
  Graduate School:

• J. Greger
• J. Henkel
• T. Peters
  
  

Regrets:

• Anderson, G.
• Cusson, R.
• Herzberger, D. (on leave),
• Klein, L.
• Makriyannis, A.
• Maxwell, G.
  
• Myers, K.
• Robinson, M.
• Segal, J.
• Segerson, K.
• Stern, D.
• Streifer, P.