Graduate Studies Committee
Minutes of September 16, 2008
Members present: Debi Prasad Choudhary, Thomas Devine, Leilani Hall, Vickie
Jensen, Bruno Osorno, Jared Rappaport, Jennifer Romack, Merril Simon, Jackie Stallcup,
Mary Woodley
Excused: Philip Gorman, David Moguel
Executive Secretary: Mack Johnson
Guests: Elizabeth Adams, Beverly Cabello, Deborah Cours, Robert Espinoza, Magnhild
Lien, Diane Schwartz, Christina von Mayrhauser
Staff: Hedy Carpenter, Gloria Roberts
I.
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 2:04 p.m.
II.
Announcements
Gloria Roberts announced that the EPC has setup a subcommittee to update
the curriculum proposal forms. Roberts asked if a member from the GSC
would like to serve on the subcommittee. Jackie Stallcup volunteered to serve
as the GSC representative.
Hedy Carpenter reported that over 200 students attended the New Graduate
Student Orientation. She announced that the 10th Annual Advancement to
Graduate Education (AGE) Conference would be held on October 11, 2008.
She explained that AGE is an all day event for CSUN students to gain
information on how to apply for masters and Ph.D. programs. Graduate
coordinators were sent an invitation letter to participate in the graduate fair.
Carpenter also reported that several new graduate coordinators attended the
Graduate Coordinators Breakfast. Graduate coordinators were encouraged to
contact Graduate Studies Office if they have any topics of interest or issues
for the GSC to discuss.
Mack Johnson announced that enrollment for new graduate students has
increased from last year. The current number of students seeking graduate
degrees is around five to six thousand. He explained that credential and PBU
students are counted as graduate students, but students enrolled in self-support
programs are not viewed as matriculated students and do not generate FTES.
Johnson reported that departments are increasingly proposing new graduate
programs through self-support rather than state support.
III.
Curriculum Assignments and Schedule
The committee received curriculum from six colleges. Consistent with GSC
practices, two members were assigned to lead the review and discussion of
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curriculum from each of the colleges. Additionally, the month/meeting of the
review was determined. Following is a listing of the colleges, GSC
representatives, and month of review.
College of Arts, Media, and Communication – Debi Prasad Choudhary
(Physics & Astronomy) and Merril Simon (Educational Psychology &
Counseling) – October
College of Engineering and Computer Science – Jennifer Romack
(Kinesiology) and Mary Woodley (Oviatt Library) – October
College of Science and Mathematics – Bruno Osorno (Electrical &
Computer Engineering) and Jackie Stallcup (English) – October
College of Heath and Human Development – Thomas Devine (History) and
Leilani Hall (English) – November
College of Humanities – Vickie Jensen (Sociology) and Jared Rappaport
(Cinema and Television Arts) – November
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences – Philip Gorman (Management)
and Jennifer Romack (Kinesiology) – November
IV.
Program Review Assignments
Biochemistry/Chemistry - Jennifer Romack
Communication Studies - Vickie Jensen
FCS - Jackie Stallcup
Geography - Debi Prasad Choudhary
Health Sciences - Leilani Hall
Linguistics - Bruno Osorno (continuing from last year)
Physical Therapy - Merril Simon
Psychology - Phil Gorman (continuing from last year)
V.
Experimental Topics Courses
GSC approved the following new and previously offered experimental topics
course proposals for Spring 2009:
Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication
Art
1. ART 496WD-Advanced Web Design (2nd offering)
Music
1. MUS 496ME-Music Entrepreneurship (3rd offering)
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College of Business and Economics
Business Administration
1. GBUS 695F-Experimental Topics in Portfolio Management (2nd offering)
Michael D. Eisner College of Education
Elementary Education
1. EED 595J-Lesson Design Study: Developing Best Practices (3rd offering)
2. EED 595MM-Making Sense of Learning and Teaching through the
Research Process (2nd offering)
Secondary Education
1. SED 595JG-Lesson Design Study: Developing Best Practices (3rd offering)
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Computer Science
1. COMP 595OSE-Open Source Software Engineering (2nd offering)
Mechanical Engineering
1. AE 595AFD-Atmospheric Flight Dynamics (2nd offering)
2. ME 496ALT-Alternative Energy (3rd offering)
3. ME 496GDT-Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (4th offering)
College of Health and Human Development
Communication Disorders and Sciences
1. CD 595L- Overview of Speech and Language Pathology (3rd offering)
2. CD 595P-Advanced Study of Articulation and Phonologic Disorders in
Children (2nd offering)
Environmental and Occupational Health
1. EOH 595RA-Advanced Risk Analysis (1st offering)
Kinesiology
1. KIN 695DA-Dance Seminar (1st offering)
College of Humanities
Chicana/o Studies
1. CHS 595A-Health Issues in Chicano/Latino Communities (2nd offering)
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College of Science and Mathematics
Biology
1. BIOL 496CM/CML-Computer Modeling in Molecular Biology and Lab
(2nd offering)
2. BIOL 496MF/MFL-Food Microbiology and Lab (2nd offering)
3. BIOL 496TB/TBF-Tropical Biodiversity and Field Studies (2nd offering)
4. BIOL 595TB/TBF-Graduate Tropical Biodiversity and Field Studies (2nd
offering)
Chemistry
1. CHEM 595N-Structure Based Drug Discovery Methods (1st offering)
approved with the following caveat:
 Add learning outcomes to the syllabus and correct minor typos
Geological Sciences
1. GEOL 595GD/GDL-Geodynamics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors
and Lab (1st offering) approved with the following caveat:
 Add names with dates for Record of Consultation on item #14
Mathematics
1. MATH 496F/FL-Mathematics for Digital Animation and Laboratory (1st
offering) approved with the following caveat:
 Correct one typo
Physics and Astronomy
1. PHYS 595CMP-Computational Materials Physics (2nd offering)
VI.
Curriculum Review
A. College of Science and Mathematics
Biology
1. Program modification proposal to delete the Genetic Counseling Program
was approved. Two committee members did not approve the proposal and
one member abstained.
VII.
Discussion Items
Magnhild Lien announced that she is the Senate Executive Committee
representative that will be reviewing the minutes for new policies approved by
the GSC. She distributed the Graduate Studies Committee’s charge/mission
for the members to review. She explained that a member should notify the
Faculty Senate Office if they could no longer participate on the committee
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during their term. Also, if any faculty member is interested in serving on the
committee they should contact the Faculty Senate Office.
The committee discussed some questions and issues to raise with Provost
Hellenbrand’s at the next GSC meeting. The committee decided to discuss
issues relating to the graduate differential and asked if funds could be
dedicated to the growth of graduate programs, faculty workload, and resources
associated with graduate programs. Johnson explained that the essence of the
differential is the reduction of units necessary to generate a Full-time
Equivalent (FTE) from 15 to 12 units, which would change the formula used
in generating FTES. Johnson reported that he has had some discussions with
the provost about utilizing the funding for graduate programs and stated that
the provost is cognizant of the issue.
VIII. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 3:45 p.m.
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