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Graduate Council Minutes 3/5/14
GBB 205, 12:10-1:00 p.m.
Members Present:, M. Berthelson, D. Biehl, D. Campbell, X. Chu, I. Crummy, L. Gray, M. Kia,
A. Kinch, B. Klaasen, E. Stone, S. Williams S. Sprang, K. Swift
Members Absent/Excused: M. Alwell, N. Hassanein, A. McKeown
Ex Officio Members Present: B. Brown, R. Arouca, N. Hinman, S. Ross
The 2/19/14 minutes were approved. Members expressed concern for the hardship of Professor
Allendorf and his family due to the recent avalanche. A fund has been set up to help the family.
Communication:
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Professor Campbell sent two documents to members of the IIP Oversight Committee
(Members on Graduate Council from PhD granting programs) for feedback. The IIP
Oversight Committee Procedures and the proposed Process for IIP Student’s Program
Revision should be reviewed by the IIP Oversight Committee prior to submission to the
full Council for approval.
Business Items
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The Council discussed its charge as outlined in the Faculty Senate Bylaws. In the
past the Council was chaired by the Graduate School Dean, so may have had
more authority to set policy. Currently it can recommend policy. This would be
consistent with the Academic Standards and Curriculum Review Committee.
The Council approved the changes to its responsibilities appended below.
Amendment to the bylaws require introduction at a Faculty Senate meeting and
vote at a subsequent meeting and should be accompanied with a rationale. Chair
Sprang will draft the rationale to be introduced at the April Faculty Senate
meeting.
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Dean Ross would like the Council to consider the possibility of proposing the
creation of a graduate faculty.
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Chair Sprang requested members to consider serving as chair next year. At the
most he spends three hours a week on Council business in addition to the one
hour meeting.
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Next week the Council will be meeting with Provost Brown. This is an
opportunity to ask specific questions regarding the administration’s view of the
Graduate School and how it and graduate education will be supported in the
future.
The Graduate School’s self-study was distributed to members. It was briefly
summarized by Dean Ross. Graduate education at UM has been stagnant. The
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only growth has been in professional degrees. All new programs are developed
with no resources and the Graduate School has been chronically underfunded.
Consequently the dean has no power, which likely contributed to two failed
searches. The situation is drastically different at MSU. MSU’s Graduate School
Dean has power and resources. He Chairs the Graduate Committee and Graduate
School staff review curriculum changes. MSU faculty have relinquished much of
their authority over the curriculum to the administration. They have a different
faculty governance system.
The Graduate School would like the Council to help craft additional
recommendations to include in the self-study or as a separate internal review.
Student members see the review as an opportunity to be specific about what is
needed to succeed.
Programs need guidance to improve the morale of faculty and graduate students,
not lofty strategic plans. Programs are not competitive nationally because of the
university’s low stipend levels. This results in not being able to attract top
students. One of the morale issues is uncertainty linked to funding. The Council
should ask the Provost what the administration is going to do to make
improvements and how he plans to support graduate education.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:02 p.m.
Graduate Council Charge, Faculty Senate Bylaw Amendment
Responsibilities
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Promote, review, and evaluate graduate programs to ensure vitality, currency, and
quality;
Review and make recommendations on all requests for new programs, for
deletions of programs, and for curriculum additions or changes by departments
and schools;
Consider suggested changes in Graduate School regulations;
Consider issues raised by graduate students relating to regulations of specific
graduate programs or their welfare;
Initiate and supervise Oversee interdisciplinary graduate programs housed in the
Graduate School; in response to national, regional, or state needs, or to the desires
and needs of sufficient numbers of graduate students;
Allocate awards ad scholarships conferred by the Graduate School;
Decide on substantive matters Recommend policies relating to graduate
programs, curricula, general Graduate School regulations, awards and
scholarships, etc., and forward decisions to the Graduate School, Faculty Senate,
or and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs as appropriate.