University Graduate Council Minutes
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Council in Attendance:
Mike Wittie (Engineering)
Christopher Livingston (Architecture)
Scott Creel (Letters & Science)
Tricia Seifert (Education)
Michael Brody (Faculty Senate)
Marc Giullian (Business)
Jane Mangold (Agriculture)
Wade Hill (Nursing)
Catherine Dunlop (Letters & Science)
Dennis Aig (Arts)
Hannah McKelvey (Library)
Dawn Tarabochia (Health & Human Development)
Craig Ogilvie (Dean of The Graduate School)
Also in Attendance:
Lauren Cerretti (Graduate School)
Emily Peters (Graduate School)
Absent:
Maureen Kessler (Student Representative)
Meeting started at 11:01 am on WebEx
August 31, 2021 minutes
- Motion to approve by Wade, 2nd by Tarabochia, unanimous approval
Announcements
- Update from the Dean
- 15th day census tomorrow
- 20-25 international students didn’t receive first stipend payment
- Staff worked hard to get payments out 48 hours later
- Complex process: looking at ways to improve
- Figuring out more support for postdocs through VP for research
- Faculty Senate update (Brody)
- Programs previously approved by UGC will be reviewed at Senate tomorrow
- Programs are listed on Faculty Senate website – can check what’s moving ahead
- Last week met with Brock Tessman/OCHE to discuss covid vaccines and masks across MUS.
All faculty leadership believe BOR has constitutional authority to mandate safety
measures.
- Also advocated for cost of living and salary inequities
- BOR meets tomorrow – faculty leadership will again advocate for authority to mandate
safety measures
- Faculty can provide public comment
- Faculty Senate meets tomorrow afternoon
- Programs previously approved by UGC will be reviewed at Senate tomorrow
Old Business
- Video Conferencing Policy
- Review policy background: Waived in person requirement at beginning of covid pandemic. Last spring reviewed the policy: agreement to allow virtual defenses and examinations going forward but with some safeguards put in place.
- Comments/Questions on most recent draft:
- Second bullet under lost connection seems redundant
- Is it assumed that there will be a pre-defense discussion about the format?
- Yes, under suggested best practices: “at the discretion of the committee”
- Videoconference is just an option; if it is used, these are the guidelines
- Suggest adding clarification that video is not required when screensharing—helpful for the connection if others turn off their video
- In the best practice section, suggest adding that someone other than the student is
responsible for the logistics of running the video conference
- Revise policy and send updated draft
New Business
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion subcommittee for UGC
- Next action step: ask governance committee to review if this is a worthwhile committee to add
- Charge of UGC is to promote grad education and success of graduate students
- Reviewing systemic improvements (e.g. GRE)
- Inclusive and supportive in all areas of scholarship
- Individuals with different backgrounds and perspective leads to richer discussions
- Graduation rates currently lower for minority students
- Faculty know your programs best and what changes might work (e.g. comp exams)
- Also identify existing initiatives and make sure graduate education is a partner
- Comments/Questions:
- Does UGC have a representative on the Diversity Council?
- There is a graduate student representative on Diversity Council
- There is not a grad rep on Academic Diversity Partners
- Academic Diversity Partners primary focuses on UG
- Similarities between UG and GR, but there are also some unique issues to address at the graduate level: GRE, intensity level, finances, family housing, etc.
- It would be valuable to have Ariel Donohue attend a UGC meeting
- What came out of the year of diversity and what is still needed?
- Dean Ogilvie will invite Ariel to attend a UGC meeting to get a better sense of how
the committee can work within the university system and what’s already being done
- Does UGC have a representative on the Diversity Council?
- CSAI-CERT, Artificial Intelligence, Level I Proposal
- Anticipated demand: estimated 2 students based on informal inquiries
- Estimates seem low—expect there will be more demand
- Capacity of classes (e.g., STAT 511)
- Certificate wraps up what students are already doing, already take STAT 511
- Q: Doesn’t exist as a bachelor’s level degree?
- Correct, a way to get a graduate certificate in a specialization that can lead to a master’s
- Q: Should there be an ethics class?
- Good question: Social and ethical issues in CS is a 2xx level course, assumption that they already took this or a similar undergraduate class
- No required courses? Can just pick 12 credits within the limitations (e.g., could
take 4 courses from the 2nd block and none from the other blocks)?
- CSCI 446 seems like it should be required – ethical issues might be embedded in that course?
- Ask proposers to clarify the blocks
- Is there advising on the types of courses within computer science to make the right
choices for what they’re doing
- Who will be advising?
- Faculty can advise on areas, but need more administrative help in terms of paperwork
- Overall proposal looks good
- Send questions back to proposer
- Who will be advising?
- Anticipated demand: estimated 2 students based on informal inquiries
- PMHC-CERT, Psychiatric Mental Health, Level I Proposal
- Designed for advanced practice registered nurses
- Has already been to BOR because of credit load (31 credits)
- Positive feedback from BOR – helpful for our communities
- Questions/Comments
- Well-designed program that addresses a need
- List of courses is the minimum to sit for certification
- CON fields many questions about this certification. Insurances will not cover FNPs, even if they develop the competencies to cover these areas, they need to be certified
- Wittie motions to approve the proposal, Seifert seconds
- 9 approve, unanimous pass
- Provisional Admission
- Currently 3 admissions options: fully admitted; conditional (when something in the application hasn’t been verified), or provisional
- This policy proposes removing provisional admission and replacing it with our existing processes of probation and suspension
- Currently provisional admission is used when either:
- 1) The department considers some significant background missing and lists courses that the student must take
- 2) GPA is below 3.0: the department writes a letter of support
- Propose removing the provisional admission option. The provisional admission letter
isn’t very inviting to students. Instead, a student is fully admitted and becomes
a part of the regular probation and suspension system.
- If there are courses listed in the offer letter, proposed idea, if student doesn’t pass those courses, they fall into probation/suspension (biggest difference is a second attempt – instead of immediately suspended)
- Questions/Comments
- Appreciate the consideration of the offer letter and fairness to the student
- Advising resources to track these provisional courses?
- Suggest provisional courses on program of study and built in DegreeWorks
- Courses in DegreeWorks are currently only those required for a graduate degree
- Changing this may have an impact on accreditation or audits
- Accounting and Architecture admit with different codes when there are a large number
of leveling courses—this could be a potential solution
- Accounting example: if starting with a non-business background, coded as a non-degree student. Outline a list of courses that they need to take. Are required courses but don’t count toward graduate degree.
- Sometimes students take a provisional course in the 2nd a semester of a 2-semester program. Would that create a problem?
- Suggest provisional courses on program of study and built in DegreeWorks
- Finding an efficient way to manage the provisional course list would be helpful
- Council members will gather feedback on the proposal
- Council members will gather feedback on the proposal
Adjourned at 12:32 pm
Next scheduled meeting – September 28, 2021 WEBEX