Graduate Council Meeting Minutes 10/24/12
GBB 202, 12:10-1:00 p.m.
Members Present: R. Arouca, A. Borgmann, D. Campbell, N. Hassanein, J. Hunt, H.
Naughton, E. Stone, K. Swift, D. Zielaski
Members Absent/Excused: M. Alwell D. Biehl, J. Campana, J. Johnson, B.Klaassen,
M. Mayer, P. Miller, S. Sprang, S. Ross
Ex-officio members Present: B. Brown, N. Hinman, J. Zink
The meeting was called to order by Chair Borgmann.
The 10/17/12 minutes were amended and approved.
Business Items

The pending items (listed below) from the Humanities Subcommittee were approved.
The Director of Film Studies will be reminded that UG courses require a graduate
increment and encourage the instructors to reference the procedure.
English
FILM 481 UG
Advanced Studies in Film
Journalism
JRNL 482 (RTV Advanced Video
440)
Storytelling
Increase repeatability from 6
to 9
Change number and level

Professor Beed, the Accounting Graduate Program Director, inquired about whether
various changes (appended below) would require approval by the Graduate Council.
These could have been articulated on a program modification form, but it wasn’t clear
whether this was necessary given there is no Graduate Catalog. The only place the
changes appear is on the Accounting Program’s website and on internal advising
documents. The Council approved the changes in any case with one member
opposed and one abstention.

Professor Hassanein reported on her research efforts regarding availability of a
Graduate School fund to enhance programs’ recruitment efforts. She spoke with
Interim Provost Hinman and Dean Ross about the issue and feels the problem is
larger and more complex than what she has the expertise to evaluate. Moreover, the
Graduate School does not have a discretionary budget.
The College of Arts and Sciences has been very vocal regarding the need for
increased recruitment efforts. The graduate program directors are meeting to discuss
recruitment strategies. Programs have been advised to write grants in order to use a
portion of F & A for recruitment. The pressure to grow programs with no resources
is demoralizing to faculty members who are already working over full-time and are
now expected to write additional grants in order to recruit students.
Chair Borgmann reminded members that the Council is concerned with academic
merit, but this overlaps with financial limitations.
The Graduate School has been talking to a consultant and hopes to facilitate a review
of operations in order to improve its structure. It would appreciate the Graduate
Council’s support in this. The Council agreed to support the Graduate Schools’
request for review. Specific questions that need to be addressed are: How can the
University better 1) promote programs, 2) more effectively recruit top students, and
3) improve the overall function of the Graduate School? Provost Hinman will talk
with Provost Brown about the issue. Camie: Could you confirm Nancy’s current title?

The Council briefly discussed the results of the Graduate Student Association’s
Survey. Given the low response rate, one should be cautious about the interpretation
of the results. It was noted that the survey was written with a bias toward dissatisfied
students. Comments indicate problems with advising and orientation. Chair
Borgmann suggested that the Council get the enrollment data to determine whether
there is a correlation of the response rates with the enrollments in schools and
colleges. Interim IIP Director Brown referenced data from a grant that shows the
University is weak in mentoring international students. One suggestion is for
programs to ask their students how well they are being advised and mentored and to
require that the findings be included in program reviews.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:02 PM.
1) There is a new section to the GMAT exam and we selected the level we prefer on
that new section.We are not requiring a score of 3.0 on this section, we are
preferring it. I don’t think a change in our GMAT preferences needs to go to
Grad Council. Correct? Part of the issue is that the section is so new, we will
need to monitor it for a while to determine our final level of acceptance. Right
now, we are setting a low, preferred limit until more data comes in.
2) Sometimes applicants to the MAcct Program have an acctg degree from many,
many years ago. We have found that courses over 5 years old need to be retaken
before entrance to the MAcct. This would not be a change in admission criteria.
It would be a change in determining which classes might need to be retaken in
order to begin MAcct-level classes after they are admitted. I don’t think this
change needs to go to Grad Council. That is an internal decision. Correct? (It
seems UM may already have a general rule about this.)
3) We have MBA internships and MAcct internships since we have two masters
programs in the Business School. We only will allow MAcct (acctg) internships
to count as an elective in the MAcct. This does not change admissions, prereqs,
or number of credits to earn a degree. It is just making sure students know that
MAccts must do MAcct internships. We thought that would be a given, but
decided we need to be able to put it in our materials. Again, it does not affect
admissions, prereqs or number of credits to earn a degree. It is just a direction
toward elective courses that are not required. Again, I don’t think this needs to go
to Grad Council? Correct?
4) There are lots of international trips/experiences that our grad students can now
take as elective credits in the MAcct Program. We would not limit the number of
credits taken, but want to limit the number of credits that count toward graduation
to 3 credits. I also don’t think Grad Council needs to look at this for the same
reasons given above. It is giving some direction for electives offered. Correct?