Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators Meeting
September 5, 2012
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Mendenhall 221
Present: Armstrong, Robin; Atkinson, Terry; Avenarius, Christine; Bell, Paul; Bickely-Green, Cynthia;
Bishop, John; Brown, Carol; Bunch, Sheila; Cook, Alethia; Cope, John; Dingfelder, Michael; Donica,
Denise; Dudek Ron; Eagle, Scott; Eble, Michelle; Ellis, Maureen; Gares, Paul; Glass, Scott; Henning
Sylvia; Jacobs, AJ; Jantzen, Chris; Jones, Terry; Kelley, Tim; Kulas, Tony; Lamson, Angela; Long, Pat;
Mahar, Matt; Mallinson, David; McConnell, Tom; Morehead, Andrew; Patterson, Belinda; Phillips,
Joy; Pokorny, Marie; Pressler, Jana; Preston, Ron; Prividera, Laura; Ringler, Marjorie; Rappleyea,
Damon; Russell, Paul; Skalko, Thom; Swanson, Carl; Tabrizi, Nasseh; Teleki, Jane; Toriello, Paul; Van
Dross, Rukiyah; West, Terry; Williams, Tina; Woods, Terri; and Xiaoming Zeng.
1.
Call to order
1:04 p.m.
2.
Approval of minutes from April 23, 2012
Minutes are being reconstructed
3.
Update on recent Graduate Council action items

Only curriculum actions approved by the Graduate Council have been forwarded to the
Academic Council

Curriculum matters are presented as resolutions and presented all the way to the Chancellor for approval

The drop date, patent form, transfer credit policy, and 5000-level course policy changes did not get forwarded to the Academic Council


Chain of command regarding what matters need Chancellor approval needs to be discussed
The Graduate School needs a systemized process for forwarding individual items up the chain of command
4.
Admission office updates, including international student application process a.
Students will be asked to obtain transcript evaluation by an external agency after admit decision is made

Policy changed December 2011

Transcripts are evaluated to prevent fraudulent transcripts and test scores

Sharp decline in Biology department international applicants

Full transcript evaluation may not be immediately required for conditional acceptance decision, in order to observe if international application numbers rebound

Process will be the following: Translated transcript received, routine look, obtain GPA if possible, use transcript to satisfy basic applicant parameters, if program does decide to admit student the transcript evaluation will be required and paid for by the student

Dr. Gemperline suggested program directors and coordinators make international admit decisions sooner in order for transcript evaluation to be completed on time

Robin will research to see if the graduate school can send international student transcripts to directly to the evaluation service

b.
Other Announcements

Dates for the GPDC meetings are posted on the graduate school website

Dr. Gemperline requested that members regularly attend

Robin Ashley announced Farah Sharifi is no longer working as a processor at the graduate school. Letters by processor: o Deborah – A-D; R o Tasha – E-K; N-Q o Theresa – M; S-Z o An email will be send to GPDC’s with a summary of international transcript process information and workshops for new program directors and coordinators
5. Probation and termination

Data for the last 3 years by college being distributed for general awareness

Report provides data for the number of students who go on probation per year and the number of students dismissed per year by college

Dr. Gemperline will show program directors and coordinators where this data is located and suggested setting up BIC reports to receive this data annually
6.
Graduate school appeals policy a.
For discussion – appeal dismissal for reasons other than insufficient GPA

Policy is vague and GPDC’s should err on the side of due process when interpreting

Dr. Gemperline polled GPDC’s for allowing appeals for dismissal for any reasons including GPA and the majority indicated no, in support of insufficient GPA not being a justification to appeal dismissal
7.
Tuition remission processing and timeline

Let the graduate school know which students are receiving remissions as far in advance as possible for financial aid packaging

Both the graduate school and financial aid are aware there will be last minute changes but would like to get as much work done on the front end as possible

Contact Alexis Morris if a student needs to drop courses so that a portion of the remission is simultaneously withdrawn

Please send Alexis Morris any revisions for spring semester

Dr. Gemperline and Alexis Morris will draft a summary email to all GPDC’s
8.
Plus/minus grading scale for graduate students
Dr. McConnell and Dr. Morehead discussed asking Graduate Program Directors and
Coordinators to poll their graduate faculty
9.
Graduate assistantship reallocation process

Data sent to all colleges with a due date set for October 5

Review and prioritize requests before sending to Dr. Gemperline

A recommendation will be given to the Academic Council, followed by a discussion with the deans

Graduate Assistantship unit budgets for 2013-2014 will be released in mid-November or early December


Dr. Gemperline would like to schedule time in October to discuss data issues and to share strategies and best practices to use data to improve recruiting o Unreliable numbers for completion rates and attrition
10.
Adjourn
2:35 p.m.
Recorder,
Amy E. Tripp