BSU Graduate Committee Meeting-MINUTES
Wednesday – October 23. 2013
8:00-8:50am
111 Deputy Hall
Committee Website: http://faculty.bemidjistate.edu/ckippenhan/BSUGradCom/
Present: Christel Kippenhan, James McCracken, Mark Christensen, Rick Koch, Wendy Greenberg
Absent: Heidi Hansen (due to schedule), Michael Urban
Non-Members: James Barta (Absent), Joan Miller
I.
*Approval of the Minutes of 9, Oct. 2013 [use the committee website listed]. Mark moved (Christel
2nd) to approve as is. Motion passed.
II.
Announcements/FYI-none
III.
Business
a) Curriculum Proposal: TechSts 10-11 #13: Mark moved (Wendy 2nd) to approve pending
substitution of form 3 and adding the new form to include syllabus. Motion failed.
Approval from Dean, etc. is needed. Enough changes were being requested in IT 4/5777
course that the committee referred it back to department for revisions as well as reapproval. Will review again at the next meeting: Oct. 30, 2013.
b) Response to Charting the Future: The response signed by Dr. Koch, Chair, BSUFA
Graduate Committee, was sent electronically to President Hanson, BSUFA office, and
Patricia Hughes (convener of MnSCU Grad Deans) by Joan on Oct. 22, 2013.
c) General Rubric for Research Papers/Thesis:
1. What does an excellent thesis/research paper/capstone project look like?
We need samples on our website; current thesis by Katelyn Larsen (permission
received). Is one sample enough? Kurt Reynolds, English thesis-Mark will contact
Kurt to see if he would be willing to allow us to post his thesis as an example of
an exemplary creative writing sample; students need to be informed that their
thesis may be considered published if it’s posted on a website. Add watermark
to the paper to prevent copying and pasting. Check with SCSU or other sister
institutions as to their policies; Joan will check with Mike Urban on an
exemplary Education research paper.
d.
How do we grow the graduate school at BSU?
Discussion ensued on how we can grow our graduate enrollment using existing
curriculum currently available through creating fundable certificates, licenses, etc.

English – Writing Certificate (F2F – summer offerings? Environmental Studies
(how could writing courses help EVSS students as well as other graduate
students?)
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


Technology, Art, & Design: could some of their courses be double numbered so
students could use in a cognate in Education MS
Certificates: 9-18 credits; must be offered over two terms; are fundable if the
Feds approve the actual certificate;
Licensures: are fundable if they are an approved MN state license
Students must be registered for at least 5 graduate credits to be eligible for
financial aid
Graduate Committee Representatives will take this information back to their
departments for input. Committee will continue to discuss at future meetings.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:55 a.m. Will meet again next Wednesday, October 30 from
8-9 a.m. in Deputy 111.
e. Continue with Graduate Faculty Orientation Reviewi. Item #3, The Job of the Graduate Faculty Representative/Q & A….committee is not
adverse to repeating one week….three week…..etc. No later than to the GR….Joan
will go through and make sure wording is consistent…
ii. Item #4, Advising a Thesis or Research Paper: tabled till next year.
f.
*Revised Graduate Assistantship Guidelines: Reference to Dean, School of Graduate
Studies
Joan Miller, Reporting Secretary
BSU Graduate Committee