Graduate Academic Council
2007 – 2008
Minutes of the Council meeting of May 1, 2008
Approved by the Council on September 23, 2008
In attendance:
J. Baronner (staff), J. Bartow (staff), F. Bolton (staff), S. Chinnam; S. Friedman, L. Kranich (Chair),
J. McLaughlin, A. Pomerantz, M. Pryse, S. Saleh, L. Scoville
Unable to attend: G. Denbeaux; C. Robbins, M. Tse
1.
Minutes of the GAC meeting held 4/17/2008 were considered, amended (minor changes) and approved
(7-0-1). One member abstained due to their inability to attend the 4/17/2008 meeting.
2.
Dean’s Report – M. Pryse
3.

Dean Pryse mentioned the difficult budget climate we are in that was discussed at the faculty meeting a
couple weeks ago. For the moment, faculty and TA offers are on “hold.” Dean Pryse expressed
concern over TA positions which we rely on heavily for teaching assistance. Making additional offers
for grad student support will be on hold until we hear firmer budget information from Interim Provost
Phillips, but the good news is that almost all of our doctoral offers and many of our master’s offers have
already been made and accepted.

Dean Pryse thanked Chair Kranich for forwarding to the Senate Executive Committee her interest in
meeting with the group to discuss the proposal for UNI courses attached to the Certificate in College
Teaching Program. She expressed her disappointment with the meeting’s outcome. The SEC
acknowledged need for such a program but were concerned that the request established a precedent that
was not already established by the Senate Charter. Although other ideas were tossed out, none were
deemed workable. Dean Pryse thanked the Committee on Curriculum & Instruction for their diligent
work. ITLAL will continue providing workshops and seminars to assist students before they enter the
teaching world. Dean Pryse regrets the Senate’s decision to table the request to fall semester.
Chair’s Report – L. Kranich

Chair Kranich pointed out that there are two statutory issues concerning the proposal by ITLAL for an
internal Certificate in College Teaching: (1) currently, there are no provisions within the University
Senate Charter for the review and approval of graduate level UNI courses, unlike undergraduate UNI
courses which are described in Sections X.3.11.7 and X.3.11.8, and (2) there is no precedent for
awarding graduate credit for courses offered by non-academic units. Since no statutes exist, the
Executive Committee has remanded the issues to appropriate councils / committees for consideration
and possible charter amendment.

Two proposals for joint degree programs, BA Economics/MA Public Affairs & Policy and BS
Economics/ MA Public Affairs & Policy, which were previously approved by GAC, have now been
approved by UAC.

A proposed charter amendment to create a new level of review for academic proposals not originating
from colleges and schools that offer degree programs was discussed at the last Senate meeting and will
be voted upon at the next meeting. The Initial Review Committee of Academic Proposals (IRCAP) is
intended to serve an equivalent role to a departmental review for academic proposals originating within
academic units. Proposals approved by IRCAP would then be forwarded to UAC or GAC, as
appropriate.
Discussion on Initial Review Committee of Academic Proposals (IRCAP)/GAC Authority Course Approval
A Council member expressed concern that if a proposal fails to be approved by IRPAC, then it will not
reach GAC nor will GAC necessarily be made aware of the proposal. The proposed charter amendment
contains provisions for appealing IRCAP decisions. It was agreed to recommend that GAC or UAC, as
appropriate, be represented on the appellate board.
GAC Minutes
May 1, 2008
Page 2 of 3
The Chair pointed out that, unlike undergraduate UNI courses, the Senate Charter makes no provision for
graduate level UNI courses. Parallel to UAC’s statutory authority to approve undergraduate UNI courses,
GAC could be vested with similar authority over graduate UNI courses. It was pointed out that part of the
GAC Charter states that GAC has the responsibility for graduate education. A motion was made and
approved 7-0-1 to propose the following Charter amendment:
It is proposed that the University Senate Charter be amended to include language charging the
Graduate Academic Council and its Committee on Curriculum & Instruction with the responsibility to
review proposed new or revised University-wide, e.g. UNI, graduate courses and recommend and
establish that final action on such courses be taken by the Graduate Academic Council.
The motion will now move forward to the Senate Executive Committee. It was noted that, should the
proposed amendment be approved, this may require modification of the IRCAP amendment.
4.
Committee Reports
Committee on Curriculum & Instruction Report – A. Pomerantz
Item #1: Women’s Studies and Sociology proposed to establish a new MA Women’s Studies/PhD
Sociology degree program. This proposal would allow Women’s Studies students with interest in Sociology
and PhD Sociology students with interests in Gender Studies and Women’s Studies to combine their study
in both fields. The Committee approved the proposal.
Item #2: Women’s Studies proposed a curriculum revision to the Women’s Studies MA program. The new
proposal would require students taking an additional course outside their discipline to provide students with
a grounding in more than one field of study. The proposal was approved by the Committee.
Item #3: The Department of Physics proposed a curriculum revision to the Physics’ MS program. There
were many changes to both curriculum and departmental exams for the MS and PhD programs. Since the
changes were in need of further rationale, the Physics Department was provided questions from the
Committee. Other portions of the proposal included deactivation of courses no longer being taught or
redundant courses, new courses being proposed, updated course descriptions, and a renumbering plan. That
portion was approved by the Committee.
Item #4: Department of History – Proposal to incorporate a new History and Media track within its History
MA. The proposal was returned to the Department due to confusion with tracks not being labeled and
difficulty understanding which requirements applied to all involved tracks.
Item #5: Department of Geography and Planning – Changes requested to two required core planning
courses. A core course for Pln 501 (Planning History and Philosophy) is being reduced from 4 to 3 credits.
A new Pln 510 course (Globalization and International Planning Practice) was proposed for one credit. The
Committee voted to approve both courses.
Item #6: School of Education – Revision requested for CAS Reading degree. Several questions were
forwarded by the Committee to the Reading Department for clarification. Since no response was given, the
Committee tabled the proposal.
Item #7: Department of Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies – Proposal to revise its MA.
The Department requested a reduction of credit requirements from 33 to 30 for the MA degree. The
Committee sent the proposal back to the Department since its argument for credit reduction was not
persuasive.
GAC Minutes
May 1, 2008
Page 3 of 3
Item #8: School of Criminal Justice – Request for changes to Criminal Justice Ph.D. program requirements.
Two courses that currently serve as core courses for the MA program are being proposed as requirements
for the PhD program as well (Crj 607, Criminological Theories, and Crj 640, Theories of Criminal Justice).
The Committee voted to approve the proposal.
The Chair requested both background information and e-mail messages sent between the Committee and
departments be provided electronically in the future to members before Council voting takes place.
5.
Future Meetings
CCI has four pending items. Our next meeting will be held Thursday, May 8th.
END OF GAC 5/1/08 MINUTES
**************************
Attachment #1
To:
Graduate Academic Council
From:
Anita Pomerantz, Chair
GAC Committee on Curriculum & Instruction (CC&I)
Date:
April 29, 2008
Subject: Report and Recommendations
CC&I Members Present: G. Denbeaux, A. Pomerantz, B. Thiel, and F. Bolton (staff).
Guest: Dr. Glenna Spitze and Dr. Gwen Moore, Professors in the Department of Sociology
Eight items of business were considered.
1.
College of Arts and Sciences Department of Women’s Studies and Sociology –
Proposal to establish a new MA Women’s Studies/PhD Sociology degree program
This proposal to establish a MA in Women’s Study/PhD Sociology would allow Women’s Studies’
students with sociological interests and Sociology PhD students with interests in Gender Studies and
Women’s Studies to combine their work in these two fields. The total number of credits for each
degree remains the same: 60 credits (plus Research Tool requirement) for the Ph.D. and 32 credits
for the M.A. As a significant body of courses will count toward both degrees simultaneously, the total
of required credits for the combined degree is 64 including the Research Tool. As an example the
Sociology comprehensive exam in Gender will count as the Women’s Studies master’s project. The
combined degree is the outcome of a longstanding pattern of informal cooperation between the
Departments of Sociology and Women’s Studies and utilizes faculty strengths and interests that
overlap both departments. The Committee voted (3-0-0) to approve the proposal.
2. College of Arts and Sciences Department of Women’s Studies – Curriculum revisions to the
Women’s Studies MA program
The current curriculum for a MA in Women’s Studies includes a required core of four courses; three
courses forming a coherent field of study, one course that considers the intersection of gender with
race, class, sexuality and/or nationality; and other courses as advised. , The new curriculum specifies
the need for students to expand their knowledge by taking at least one course in a discipline outside
the department, as advised by the department’s Graduate Director. The rationale for this addition is
that it provides students with a grounding in more than one discipline and provides them with additional
interdisciplinary skills. The proposal was endorsed unanimously.
3. College of Arts and Sciences Department of Physics – Curriculum revisions to the Physics MS
program
The Department of Physics proposed numerous changes to curriculum and departmental exams for
both the M.S. and Ph.D. programs. The Committee felt that several of the proposed changes were in
need of further rationale and asked that the Department of Physics be contacted with their questions to
gain greater understanding and proposal clarity.
Many Course Action Forms accompanied the proposal. Course changes included the deactivation of
courses no longer taught, the elimination of redundant courses, the institution of new courses, a
revised numbering scheme, and revised course descriptions. The Committee concurred that these
changes to the Physics program should be moved forward and implemented.
4. College of Arts and Sciences Department of History – Proposal to incorporate a new History and
Media track within its History MA
The M.A. in History degree requires a 30 credit program of study. The new History and Media track
proposed for the M.A. in History requires 36 credits. As the tracks were not labeled, it was difficult to
understand what requirements applied to each of the tracks involved. The Committee requested that
the proposal be returned to the Department of History for revision and clarification.
5. College of Arts and Sciences Department of Geography and Planning – Changes requested to two
required core planning courses
In accordance with Planning Accreditation Board requirements, the Department of Geography and
Planning submitted a Course Action Form to reduce the credit requirement of its core course Pln 501,
Planning History and Philosophy, from 4 credits to 3. At the same time, a new course, Pln 510,
Globalization and International Planning Practice, for one credit was presented as a required core
course. Therefore, there is no change to the number of credits needed in fulfillment of the core course
credit requirements. The Committee voted unanimously to approve both courses.
6. School of Education – Revision requested for CAS Reading degree
The School of Education’s Department of Reading seeks to make changes in their CAS degree
program to the comprehensive examination and the course distribution requirements leading up to the
exam. The Committee had communicated several questions to the Reading Department prior to the
meeting. As no response was received, the Committee was unable to move forward with a decision
concerning the proposal.
7. College of Arts and Sciences Department of Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies –
Proposal to revise its MA
The Department of Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies has requested to reduce the
credit requirements for its M.A. from 33 to 30. The Committee did not find the argument presented in
the proposal compelling for doing so. The Committee will again communicate its need for further
justification to the Department.
8. School of Criminal Justice – Request for changes to Criminal Justice Ph.D. program requirements
One change requested for the Criminal Justice Ph.D. was curricular. Two courses, Crj 607,
Criminological Theories, and Crj 640, Theories of Criminal Justice, are foundational core courses for
Criminal Justice’s M.A. program. The School would now like these courses to be required for the
Ph.D. program as well.
The School of Criminal Justice wished to eliminate Part A of their Comprehensive Exam which is a
separate paper intended to demonstrate a critical reading and mastery of relevant research. Instead a
research seminar, Research/Analytical Writing Seminar (Crj 701) will be required. The seminar will
deal with issues and processes pertinent to doctoral students entering advanced stages of research
and analysis. In conjunction with learning how to do a critical literature review, students will develop
and present research questions that are developed out of their reviews of the various literatures. It
was felt that Crj 701 was an appropriate substitute for Criminal Justice’s Part A of the Comprehensive.
The Committee moved unanimously to ap