BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY
MINUTES OF THE September 21, 2009 MEETING OF THE GRADUATE COUNCIL
PLACE:
Public Service Center Room -1324C
PRESIDING:
Nancy E. Stamp, Vice Provost and Dean of the
Graduate School
MEMBERS:
Christopher Bishop, Michael Conlon, Carmen
Ferradas, Mark Fowler, Brandon Gibb, Robert Guay,
William Haver, William Heller, Dina Maramba, Chuck
Nelson, Beverly Rainforth, Olga Shvetsova, Pamela
Stewart Fahs
EX OFFICIO
MEMBERS:
Susan Currie, Dara Silberstein, Stephen Gilje,
Lindsay Tremain
EXCUSED:
Jacques Beaumont, James Fang, Stephen Gilje,
Sarah Lam, Andrew Merriwether, Pamela Mischen,
Gerald Sonnenfeld, Wendy Martinek
ABSENT:
Wayne Jones, Edward Li, Mr. Debi Mishra, Max
Pensky, Nan Zhou
I. CALL TO ORDER:
Vice Provost and Dean Nancy Stamp called the meeting to order at 3:00 pm.
II. ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Introductions of the members were made.
III. MINUTES:
The minutes of the May 11, 2008 were approved as written.
IV. CURRENT STATE OF GRADUATE EDUCATION
Dean Stamp reviewed the purpose of Graduate Council. She stated that Graduate
Council is the governing body for the Graduate School. The mission statement for the
Graduate School, the core values, the strategic plan, and the By-Laws are all posted on
the Graduate School website.
Curriculum Committee
This committee sets guidelines for proposing new courses and programs. This
committee also reviews and recommends for approval to the Graduate Council all new
graduate courses, new graduate programs and any major revisions of existing courses
and programs. There has been a standing rule regarding new proposed courses that
come to Curriculum Committee. The rule is the course comes to Graduate Council
approved unless there are two graduate council members who feel a further discussion
is warranted. Graduate Council always votes on new graduate programs.
Grievance Committee
This is the committee that hears graduate student grievances. We hope this committee
never meets; last time they met it was to review the grievance procedures. If there is a
grievance appeal in the department, then it would come to this committee.
Strategic Planning Committee
The Strategic Planning Committee several years ago developed the graduate school’s
strategic plan, the mission statement, the business statement and the core principals.
This year, the Strategic Planning Committee will be reviewing the Strategic Plan and, if
necessary, will make alterations and submit them to Graduate Council. Another key
issue for the Strategic Planning Committee this year will be addressing information
technology and how it is changing how people are doing research. Given those
changes and how rapidly this is occurring, is affecting how we train graduate students.
We want to prepare our graduate students for the IT skills for research and scholarship,
and the committee will be looking at ways to accomplish this.
Clark Fellowship Advisory Committee
This is an ad-hoc committee. We have a special fund from the NYS legislature for
supporting diversity in graduate programs. It is separate from other money that we
receive in support of graduate students. We have guidelines as to how we can use that
money and this committee helps follow those guidelines. They also develop policies for
the budget allocation and design of the program.
Overview of Graduate Education
Nationally, in the last ten to twenty years, there have been a lot of agencies and
organizations looking at graduate education in this country. There has been concern
that, while the US is still the gold standard in terms of graduate education, there has
been a lot of activity around the world in terms of graduate programs, in some cases,
modeling their programs after US graduate education. Increasingly, it has become very
competitive internationally for quality graduate students. The Carnegie Initiative Study
had two large books with 40-50 universities in the country that participated and made
recommendations about what the nation is to accomplish in doctorate education. This
fall, the results from the National Research Council 2006 Doctoral studies will be
released. Regarding the European Union, it is trying to make it easier for Graduate
Students to move from one university to another across all of these countries. As a
consequence of that, increasingly graduate education is taught in English. They have
come up with clear definitions of what a master’s degree should be and there is a high
element of professionalization in that, and a clear definition of what they think a doctoral
degree should be and the time limit. The time limit is a two year masters and a three
year doctorate. This will affect what is happening in the United States.
Public/Higher Education funding for the University has seen a decline in New York as
well as other states, in the amount of funds that go to higher education. The actual cost
of educating a graduate student is in excess of $35,000 per year. The tuition and fees
for in-state graduate students is $8,000 and over $13,000 for out of state. The money
we take in doesn’t begin to cover the actual cost. And the money that the state gives us
doesn’t begin to cover the cost. All our public competitors in the northeast’s’ tuition and
fees for graduate students are twice ours. Binghamton is offering an exceptional highvalue graduate education for a very affordable cost.
Dean Stamp gave an overview of what Graduate Council did last year. Graduate
Council approved the Physics Ph.D. formal proposal, along with two of The Decker
School of Nursing proposals; the Doctorate in Nursing Practice and the Psychiatric
Nursing. Graduate Council also streamlined the Certificate in College Teaching to
make it easier for the doctoral students to satisfy requirements. Graduate Council also
set standards for TA’s who were instructors of record.
Dean Stamp asked the group for their advice regarding the personal statement/essays
that the students are asked to submit with their applications. Many departments have
stated that the personal statement/essays are not very helpful. Other universities have
expressed the same opinion regarding the personal/statements, stating they all seem to
be the same. The University of Michigan came up with a solution by having the student
write two essays, not more that 500 words. The first essay is an academic statement,
where the student describes what their academic background is, what their academic
goals are and what their career goals are. The other essay is their personal statement
where the student outlines their experiences and their personal strengths. They also
asked the student to submit a short resume. The University of Michigan felt having the
questions separated out helped changed the quality of what they received from students
and helped them in their evaluation of students. Discussion ensued regarding the
personal statements at Binghamton. It was suggested that each department be able to
ask the students for specific information relating to their field of interest, rather than just
having all students answer the same personal statement. Another suggestion was on
the graduate website, the student could be directed to appropriate department for
answering the personal statement. The Dean will bring this issue to Graduate Cabinet
for its opinion.
V. ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 4:32 on a motion by Professor Guay and seconded by
Professor Olga Shvetsova.
_____________________________
Minutes recorded by Cheryl McGowan,
Secretary to the Vice Provost and Dean
of the Graduate School