August 28, 2014
7:30-9:00AM 300 Park, Winder Board Room
or
2:00-3:30PM FASB 250
Minutes
1. Welcome – Dean Kieda
2. Graduate School Dean’s Updates:
a. DOGS website resources: minutes will be posted to the website.
ACTION: DOGS need to confirm that their contact information is up to date on the
website.
b. Recent University Policy changes:
i. 16 Credit hour limit enforcement - The college must petition for students who
need to take more credits.
ii. Scholarship database/federal policy – ACTION: Abi Ririe will send out a list of
scholarship counselors to the DOGS.
iii. Thesis Embargo policy – There is a three year limit to thesis embargos. Students
can request an extension from the dean if they need a longer embargo. This is
policy 6-201, 6-203 revised 6/10/2014.
iv. Visiting Scholars/postdocs/grad students – Visiting scholars cannot be
employees of the university. These persons cannot be paid; however,
departments can provide them with travel funds. A vote of relevant faculty (or a
representative body of the faculty) is required to appoint visiting scholars. The
two policies concerning this issue have been combined into one (6-317) and will
be going to the next meeting of the senate.
v. Internships/International Students – International persons receiving an
internship cannot be brought in on a tourist visa. F-1 and J-1 visa students must
be registered for credits. The International Center is enforcing this policy. This
office is the best place to start and acquire approvals for internships.
c. NSF-GRFP Program announced/planning – An announcement was made on August 1st
that $32,000 is available from the National Science Foundation to fund PhD students for
3 out of 5 years. Applications are due October 28th and November 3rd.
ACTION: Dean Kieda will post more information on the DOGS website. More information
is also available on the Graduate School website. NSF is looking for people to serve on
the panel as well if any DOGS are interested.
d. ARUP Graduate Incentive program Update – The Graduate School is matching funds
from each college in conjunction with a donor to top off current offers to graduate
3.
4.
5.
6.
students. 4 colleges have participated, but the Graduate School is still waiting on others
to take advantage of this opportunity.
ACTION: Dean Kieda will post this information to the DOGS website and email it to the
DOGS list.
Funding / Tuition Benefit Process – Jolyn Schleiffarth
Graduate fellows income counts toward the cost of education and tuition payments.
ACTION: Dean Kieda will check with the scholarship office to see if a GRF can be paid
through payroll instead of awarded as financial aid.
There is no cap on the student insurance benefit. The rate has gone up, and is now
posted on the graduate school website. A prescription benefit has been added.
International students are automatically enrolled unless they sign a waiver.
Departments need to reduce late overrides from coordinators. These need to be
submitted within two weeks of the end of the semester.
ACTION: Jolyn will email out flyers/references.
Thesis Approval Process – Kelly Harward
All students need to read the handbook before they start writing! (An updated copy will
be available online soon.) A preliminary review of manuscripts is STRONGLY encouraged.
Large manuscripts (over 200 pages) have a deadline one week before the standard
deadline. Thesis information is available on the website.
A request was made to open thesis boot camps to masters students.
A question was raised about a list of professional editors who might be available for
students. The thesis office will look into this possibility.
3MT – Tracy Rees, Francine Mahak Career Services
Donna White will be serving as a judge for the first 3MT competition in November. Two
more faculty members are needed to judge. A website will be in place in December.
ACTION: Tracy Rees will send a pdf of the 3MT flyer to the DOGS.
At this point theses, dissertations, and independent research projects are able to
present. For year one master’s students can participate at the University of Utah level.
Open Forum
a. A Spring ITA workshop will occur next semester. Late arrivals or those who encountered
Visa issues can register for spring. Diane Cotsonas and Dean Kieda will strategize this fall
about how to support more students in terms of resources and personnel.
b. Question on tuition benefit program: Students who received their masters from the
University of Utah are eligible to receive 6 semesters of support as a doctoral student.
Students who received their masters elsewhere are eligible to receive 8.
ACTION: Dean Kieda will talk to some former deans and research the history of this
policy and why it is in place.
POST MEETING REMARK: Students with masters from the University of Utah are
eligible for two additional semesters tuition benefit if they have TA’d for two years.
Students with a masters from another university are not eligible. Therefore both are
able to allow up to eight semesters tuition benefit.
c. FERPA guidelines were handed out. FERPA certification is mandatory.
d. During spring semester there was a discussion certificate programs and the relationship
between certificates and degrees. Can these credits be double counted?
ACTION: Dean Kieda will find a policy related to this topic, clarify, and post the
information.
POST MEETING REMARK: The only restriction on counted certificate credits
occurs if the student is non-matriculated into their graduate program when they
earn the certificate. The limit of the number of credits allowable as a nonmatriculated student then applies.
e. A question was brought up about graduate enrollment statistics. Dean Kieda said that
admissions are up by 2%, applications are up by 15%, and the number of degrees
awarded is up by 5%. The biggest growth is in business (MBA).