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Graduate Council
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, November 5, 2003
207 McDonough at 12 noon
In attendance:
Dave McShaffrey (Chair), Jim O'Donnell,
Gloria Stewart, Bill Bauer, Cathy Brown, Tina Ullman, Sharon Douglass.
Last week’s meeting minutes were approved without corrections.
Items:
Curriculum Committee and Graduate Council: McShaffrey will revise the
course proposal form to add a question about the effect of the graduate
course on the undergraduate curriculum; also, he will update Council’s
policies and procedures to reflect changes of Council’s authority for
approving graduate courses to avoid duplicative efforts by the 2 groups.
Special Education Certification: Bauer stated that he will submit a
program description for Special Education Certification in Education.
Individual course descriptions will follow.
Graduate student fees: Stewart clarified that PA students did not receive
money from Student Senate last year because graduate students did not pay
in any student fees. Graduate students will be charged student fees
starting Fall 2004; the fee amount is included in the per credit hour
tuition cost per program. McShaffrey stated that there is an account
number for this fee and $5000 has been deposited in it. Since the money
must be used before the end of the academic year, Stewart recommended that
money be encumbered by March 1. Bauer requested some of the funds be used
to pay for the graduate student reception at Commencement. Stewart will
review and revise the application form used by Investigative Studies for
graduate student requests for funds through Council. Brown suggested
designating the first meeting of each month to review funding
applications.
Graduate student representation on Council: one student per graduate
program will be permitted; representation will be voluntary; funds can be
applied for from graduate students even if there is not a student
representative from that program. Bauer expressed concern whether graduate
students would be able to attend Council meetings because of work
schedules. McShaffrey stated that email could be used to send information
to student representatives who are unable to attend meetings. Brown stated
she will compile a mailing list of graduate students.
Faculty overloads/on-loads with graduate courses: Stewart raised the
question if faculty who decline to teach a graduate course as an overload
have the option to teach the course on-load instead. Members discussed
concerns about the impact on undergraduate curriculum if, given the
option, faculty choose to teach graduate classes on-load as well as the
impact on graduate curriculum if faculty decline to teach the class as an
overload. This situation is an example of the lack of financial resources
and personnel to successfully maintain both levels of instruction. Council
recommended bringing this matter to Administration as a written
resolution. McShaffrey suggested adding a question to the course proposal
form about faculty/department commitment to the class/program in the
future. Bauer proposed asking for additional staff in Graduate Programs
and Continuing Education since Brown is the only employee in the office
currently and the workload has increased greatly in the past year.
Next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, 2003, 12 noon, 207
McDonough.
Meeting adjourned at 12:55 pm.