BSU Graduate Committee Meeting-MINUTES
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
8:00 a.m.
111 Deputy Hall
Committee Website: http://faculty.bemidjistate.edu/ckippenhan/BSUGradCom/
Members: Rick Koch, Michael Urban, James McCracken, Christel Kippenhan
Absent: Wendy Greenberg, Mark Christensen, Heidi Hansen, James Barta
Guest: Patrick Welle
Non-Members: Patty Hartshorn, Joan Miller
I.
*Approval of the Minutes of February 5, 2014 [use the committee website listed].
Mike moved (Jim M. 2nd) to accept. Motion carried.
II.
Curriculum:
a. SPED #5 – 13-14: Christel moved (James 2nd ) to approve. Motion carried.
b. ED (FasTrack) 13-14 #15: FYI-changed to variable credits
c. Communication Arts and Literature Endorsement (small revision-added ENGL 5580 and ED 5840) - FYI
III.
Patrick Welle: SCI prefix on Computer Applications to STATS; ENVR prefix on Grants and Contracts course to UNI
Dr. Welle discussed the possibility of submitting a curriculum proposal to change prefixes for SCI 6350 and ENVR
6850. SCI would change to STATS and ENVR would change to UNIV. Rationale for revisions are:
1. Improve enrollment to cover more of a broad audience; especially with the STATS course…it would be a
draw for other disciplines.
2. Intellectual content would cover more of a broad audience
3. Faculty instruction could be rotated throughout different departments
It was suggested that he talk with other areas that already have STATS courses or grants & writing courses to
determine if these courses could be used.
Concern that a UNIV prefix would imply the course would be too general.
Michelle Frenzel’s comments: “…if the ‘new’ ENVR 6890 and SCI 6350 will be in any other graduate degree programs?
If they are not, then who would be the additional students that would benefit from taking the course? Just curious how
changing the prefix opens it up to more students. If the reason to change the prefix is to allow more options for who
instructs the class, that doesn’t feel that should be the only reason for changing a prefix. I know there are challenges with
the cost study if someone from one department teaches in another department, but those challenges have been worked
out from my understanding and Doug is really good at associating the cost of the instructor with the credits generated
Dr. Welle will go back to the department for further discussion.
IV.
Announcements/FYI:
 Graduate Mini-Grants (2nd Call) Update?; 3 received so far; deadline: Friday, Feb. 28
 Graduate Committee Membership: has it gone to the Rules Committee yet? Update? In the process of
revising by-laws….concern was why the Library position removed? April 24th minutes…Tabled till
next meeting; Rick has been in conversation with Larry Swain, Chair, Rules Committee.
V.
New Business
a) BSU Graduate Assistantship Allocations: assignments of GA’s; Tabled till next meeting; Joan will provide
data as to where GA positions are allocated; teaching/non-teaching.
VI.
Old Business
a) Membership Criteria for BSU Graduate Faculty: Due to structural changes within the School of Graduate
Studies, these guidelines need to be revised and then sent through Senate for re-approval. Tabled till next
meeting….need to look at the entire document for clarification. Tabled.
b) Continue with Graduate Faculty Orientation Review
i. 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.
Reporting Secretary,
Joan Miller