Graduate Council Meeting - Minutes
December 9, 2002

Graduate Council Members:

 

Ken Bowers, College of Letters & Science; Janice Bowman, College of Agriculture; Doug Cairns, College of Engineering; Marc Giullian, College of Business; Richard Helzer, College of Arts & Architecture; Bruce McLeod, Graduate Dean; Gretchen McNeely, College of Nursing; Jill Hayes, Graduate Students; Craig Stewart, College of Education, Health & Human Development

 

      Present:    Chair Bruce McLeod, Janice Bowman, Mark Giullian, Ken Bowers, Craig Stewart, Richard Helzer, Doug Cairns, Gretchen McNeely,  Maggie Gudatis (College of Graduate Studies),  Donna Negaard (College of Graduate Studies)

 

Graduate Council Agenda Items:

 

Item 1:  Review and approval of November Graduate Council minutes

 

Motion:  Bowman moved to approve November Graduate Council minutes. Stewart seconded.                 

 

Vote:  Unanimously passed

           

Item 2:  Graduate Council working closer with Faculty Council

 

McLeod indicated Provost Dooley would like to have more communication between Graduate Council and Faculty Council.

 

Members of the Graduate Council thought it would be a good idea to invite Faculty Council members to a meeting next semester. The invitation would be similar to the invitation the Deans and Department Heads received last fall semester.

 

Action:  Plan on inviting Faculty Council to one of the Graduate Council spring 2003 meetings.

           

                       

Item 3:  Continuing discussion of comprehensive examinations

 

Discussion continued on whether a comprehensive exam should be required for all graduate programs. Bowers asked what the definition of a comprehensive exam would be. It was suggested that the exam should compile all of the information the student has learned that applies to their graduate degree. It should be something more than a collection of courses. The capstone project and presentation at the end of the MSSE program is different from the traditional comprehensive exam.

 

McLeod asked the Graduate Council if the master level programs offered by their respective colleges had comprehensive exams. Each Graduate Council representative stated that they had something in place or something that could be in place as long as the definition of the comprehensive exam was flexible.

 

 

Item 4:  Defining “Professional” programs at MSU

 

Summary of ideas brought up in the meeting.

 

·         How many committee members are needed to maintain a high quality program?  The current minimum number of committee members needed for a master’s program is three. Could a committee be just as beneficial with two members?

·         Another suggestion was to have a standing committee for students who are not pursuing a thesis option.

·         What is the role of the Graduate Council in regards to professional program?

·         Certificate programs are different than master degree programs. Some examples of certificate programs are CLTW and IGERT programs.

 

 

 

The next Graduate Council meeting is scheduled for Friday, February 14th from 9:30-10:30 in the Bradley Conference Room (Wilson, Room 2-257)