GRADUATE COUNCIL MEETING
April 22, 2015, GBB 202, 12:10 – 1:00 PM
ROLL CALL
Members Present: B. Bach, K. Briknarova, J. Hodgins J. Johnson, J. Kacmarcik, D. Spencer,
K. Swift, S. Williams
Members Absent/Excused: M. Alwell, M. Berthelson, I. Crummy, R. Delaloye, A. Kinch, N.
Lindsay, S. Ross, C. Stanick
Ex Officio Members Present: R. Arouca
The 3/25/15 minutes were approved.
COMMUNICATIONS

Chair Swift informed the Council of a situation with a Bertha Morton application. The
students sponsor didn’t send the letter on time. The letter was sent to Isa in the
Graduate School and Chair Swift late. He sent a message to Isa that it was fine to
consider and that she should take care of the details. However, this information did not
get to Kelly, who uploads the applicant materials to Moodle. So unfortunately, the
student’s application was not reviewed. Although the Social Science Subcommittee is
willing to review the application to see where it would have ranked, it didn’t see the
point given that all the scholarships have been awarded. If there is a possibility that the
Graduate School or the Anthropology department could come up with funds for an
additional scholarship then that is a different story. Chair Swift will talk to Dean Ross
about this possibility. The Council is not going to redo the process because the faculty
member missed the deadline.
BUSINESS ITEMS

The Council briefly discussed the revised guidelines for new MUS Academic Program
review. Chair Swift will send additional comments to the Faculty Senate Chair. The
policy is a little unclear, but it is an improvement from the last one.

The subcommittees provided a status report on the program review documents. The
Computer Science review is close to completion. A communication has been sent to the
Department chair asking for UG and co-convening course syllabi. The self-study was
completed in 2013, so reviewers were wondering whether anything had changed.
Materials for Biological Sciences are still being reviewed. It is a strong program. The
Social Science Subcommittee will complete the review of Economics next year and has
spoken to the Department Chair. Counselor Education’s review is in progress. A draft
should be sent to the Council prior to the next meeting.
The Council wonders whether it could skip reviewing programs with Accreditation.
The Council’s role is to emphasize items it sees as a priority in terms of the campus
environment. Its review is considered as part of the overall process. The Provost, Dean,
and Department Chair meet once the documents are in to discuss strategies for
improvement. Chair Swift will follow-up with Associate Provost Lindsay regarding the
dated materials and accreditation question.

The Council reviewed the revisions to the draft IIP Admissions Policy. The revisions
were made mostly to accommodate students from a non-thesis granting master
programs. There was discussion regarding the rule on not considering students who
had been rejected from a traditional PhD program. This section will be revised and sent
for the Council’s consideration and vote at the next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 p.m.