Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Council in Attendance: 
Ahmed Al-Kaisy (Engineering)
Christopher Livingston (Architecture)
Wade Hill (Nursing)
Sobia Anjum (Student Representative)
Lisa Davis (Letters & Science)
Tena Versland (Education)
James Becker (Health & Human Development)
Sara Mannheimer (Library)
Anne Christensen (Business)
Que Vo (International Programs)
Susan Kollin (Letters & Science)
Craig Ogilvie (Dean of The Graduate School)

Also in Attendance:
Lauren Cerretti (Graduate School)
Emily Peters (Graduate School)

Absent:
Brock Smith (Agriculture)
Dennis Aig (Arts)
Michael Brody (Faculty Senate)

Meeting started at 11:01 am

Approval of February 5, 2020 Minutes

Motion to approve made by Livingston, 2nd by Davis, unanimously passed

Announcements

Faculty Senate Update (Brody): absent

Old Business

Master of Music in Music Ed Response (Livingston/Aig)

  • Updates addressed UGC’s comments: advising, tenure track faculty, electives 4xx level or above, co-convening courses
  • Q: “no committee will be listed on the program of study”?
    • The advisor should be listed on the program of study
    • The instructor of 575 could also be listed as a committee member
    • Difference between advising and instructor of course
  • Review of how other coursework-only master’s programs list committees
  • Impact of Activity Insight, but when it is an actual course (i.e. 575) the instructor is getting teaching credit
  • The policy subcommittee could review master’s policy to give departments flexibility on how to configure professional master’s committees (1-3 members)
  • It is also important to protect the student’s interests. For example, consider guidance in situations where there is a conflict with their one advisor.
  • Livingston will ask proposers to clarify the intention/wording of the committee. UGC can vote at the next meeting

Graduate Certificate for Dual Enrollment Mathematics Teachers, proposal (Livingston)

  • Item moved to the next meeting – updates were just received yesterday

New Business

PhD in Exercise & Nutrition Sciences (Livingston)

  • Overview: program has been in development for a while, have been working the last four years on setting up infrastructure and resources (i.e. faculty, lab space). Two potential points of entry: master’s en route or directly into PhD with a previous master’s degree.
  • Q: on pg. #3, currently 4% of registered dieticians (RDs) hold doctoral degree. Is there demand for more PhD prepared students?
    • A: There have been relatively new changes in the required qualifications. Due to these changes, anticipate a need for more PhD prepared students.
  • Pg. #3: employment opportunities to increase by 20% to 2020—this could be updated to project into the future
  • For PhD level scientists, in our geographic region, there were 208 job postings in Exercise & Nutrition Sciences in the past year
  • Q: 8 state regions listed: are those programs roughly the same size as ours?
    • A: Some are larger programs, but the model is similar
  • Q: Can students go straight from bachelor’s to PhD?
    • A: Students will go through the master’s level first
    • It is good for the students to have a stop-out point
  • Q: On pg. 10, item #4 reads that you will have to complete all of those items for the degree? (3 first author manuscripts, a grant application, 3 conference presentations)
    • A: These requirements are standard in the field. Many of our current master’s students are already doing this.
  • Q: For the master’s en route to PhD, would they do research in their master’s?
    • A: Yes, it’s a thesis track. Might be different than PhD research or might be an extension. Not a professional master’s.
  • Something to think about is students that come in with a master’s already that did not have a thesis in their previous degree.
    • Most programs are having students complete papers even if it’s not a thesis. Something that would be evaluated at admissions
  • Q: Relationship with UM? A: the programs are very different and UM is supportive of MSU’s proposal.
  • Budget form attached looks like program will break even, but there is actually about a $200,000 cost, “institutional support”, to the university to run the program (ongoing cost, see pg. 30)
    • Part of this is two tenure-track faculty lines
  • Places where the different curricula (tracks) could be clearer
  • Q: NTT’s will help with teaching duties for other faculty—how many students are served in these classes—tuition revenue? A: Completely restructured undergraduate model—move to larger lecture sections with separate labs. Created co-convened courses. Anticipate NTT will teach large lecture and some of the 4xx level specialized courses so range of 120 lecture to smaller specialized 30 student classes. This change will start next year regardless of if the PhD program is approved.
  • Q: projected enrollment listed in appendix? Seems like there is a sufficient pipeline but modest enrollment projects. A: Don’t want to overestimate enrollment. Also methodical about getting started—each faculty member would have 2 GTA and 1 GRA students (2-3 students per faculty member).
  • Q: Is that enrollment typical for a PhD program? A: minimum of 6 students. If a faculty member had a grant and could support more students, they could. The minimums listed are what are needed to teach undergraduate sections.
  • Market research said there is a huge mismatch. 200 open positions versus PhD programs graduating 10 students a year (due to constraints). Supply much higher than demand.
  • Pg. 11: at least 3 committee members must be in HHD – requirement might be hard to meet, GS would not stop a committee that didn’t meet this
  • Pg. 13: At the end of Biomechanics/Motor Control Curriculum, use “transfer.” Would be helpful to use the same wording as pg. 12 – since these are not true transfer credits that will be built onto the transcript
  • Dissertation credits listed inconsistently (24-28 in some places, 18-28 in other places)
  • Q: Timeline? A: Hoping to start Fall 2021—would like to have fully approved by summer
  • Comments can be forward to proposer, request changes, Livingston will highlight the changes and send to Council before next meeting

 

MS in Veterinary Science (Livingston)

  • WIMU program. Students spend one year getting credits –leaving MSU without a credential—go on and get a DVM from Washington St. While they’re leaving us, MSU confer degree. These students are already here doing the work, courses exist, faculty exist.
  •  Should be added that they will meet Graduate School requirements, minimum GPA, advisor, paperwork (program of study, graduation application), etc.
  • Similar discussions for WWAMI, but University of Washington are concerned because WAAMI is currently going through accreditation – concerned that MSU students would have something the other students don’t. Washington State did not have this concern about WIMU students.
  • Good for the students in their future career
  • Would be good for the department to think about who in the department will handle the paperwork requirements
  • Q: Would students be required to complete the MS? A: Most students express interest in completing the MS while they are here.
  • Admissions requirements should be specified. Wouldn’t be open to students that are not in the WIMU program? This should be clarified in the proposal.
  • Pg. 3 referenced similar 1-year programs in the country. What if a person doesn’t go on with a DVM? Will they be competitive in the industry—does the program match national benchmarks?
  • Q: timeline? A: Hoping to graduate students spring 2021
  • Livingston will send Council’s comments to proposers

Adjourned at 12:04 pm

Next scheduled meeting – March 4, 2020 LJ 325