Graduate Council Minutes
08-15-2012
PRESENT: Durham (Chair), Beach, Bonnell, Conaway, DeCoster, Frank, Goebel,
Hall, Hanka, McGuire, Niemeier, Rhim, Rodgers, Rowser, Schultz, Valadares,
Williams, and Zehr.
The meeting was called to order at 9:05 AM.
A. Approval of Minutes
Dr. Goebel moved that the minutes be approved as distributed. Dr.
Valadares seconded. Motion passed.
B. Graduate Faculty Applications
Dr. Durham moved that we do an electronic vote for the following
graduate faculty. Dr. Goebel seconded. Motion passed.
a. Anderson, Austin – Education
b. Carroll, Rob – Education
c. Daum, David – Education
d. Dickel, Timothy – Education
e. Hobbs, Richard – Occupational Therapy
f. Kilbane, Janet – Occupational Therapy
g. Price, Curtis – Business
h. Walsh, Colleen – Nursing
i. Young, Stephanie – Communications
j. Zehr, Stephen – Liberal Arts
C. Proposed Modifications to Graduate Studies Policies and Procedures –
Discussion:
a. Dr. Zehr will email Dr. Durham his suggestions on modifying the
term, “discipline-specific” under Discussion of Criteria for
Membership on the USI Graduate Faculty by Type.
b. Dr. Rhim suggested that the name of Graduate Council remain
and not be changed to “Council of Graduate Program Directors”.
c. Dr. Rodgers moved with that after the minor changes have been
made that the Graduate Council re-endorses the Proposed
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
Modifications to Graduate Studies Policies and Procedures. Dr.
Goebel seconded. Motion passed.
Graduate Assistantships:
a. The policy for Graduate Assistantships has been modified to allow
graduate students to work more than the allotted 20 hours during
summer sessions and students are not required to be enrolled in
summer classes to maintain their graduate assistantships.
Graduate students enrolled in a minimum of six graduate credit
hours in both the fall and spring semesters may qualify for a
Graduate Assistantship.
Recruiting Initiative:
a. Graduate Programs will be represented at the CareerLink and the
University of Evansville Graduate Fair. Undergraduate Admission
counselors will assist Graduate Studies in recruiting efforts at
these events and Dr. Barbara Williams will be the guest speaker at
the University of Evansville fair.
Administrative Assistants/Associates Council
a. The purpose of the council is to be informative on changes to
graduate admissions, to provide training on Banner and to pass on
updates on decisions made in graduate council.
b. First meeting was held July 23, 2012. The agenda included
discussions on overrides and Sandy Frank was the guest speaker
on topics concerning the Office of the Registrar.
Repository for program application materials:
a. Susan Todd reported that a repository was in the testing stages
and as individual program’s needs were implemented the
repository would be made available to each program.
“Certificates and Endorsements”:
a. Dr. Durham will meet with the directors from Social Work,
Occupational Therapy, Education and Nursing to clarify on how
Graduate Studies defines Certificates and Endorsements.
Establishment of Graduate Student Research and Travel Awards
a. A starter fund of $25,000 was funded by the Provost Office for
2012-2013 school year. As of July 1, 2012 Graduate Studies will
receive the graduate application fees which will fund the
Graduate Student Research and Travel Awards beginning in 201314. Research and travel awards will be capped at $750.00 and Dr.
Durham is in the process of establishing the criteria and the
application form for the awards.
b. Dr. Hanka motioned and Dr. Williams seconded that the Graduate
Studies Director will make the decisions on how the awards are
awarded and that all applicants will receive an acceptance or
rejection letter. Motion passed.
J. WGU Indiana
a. Dr. Durham informed the Graduate Council that currently
students with WGU transcripts are being deemed eligible as
having a minimum GPA requirement of 2.5 if they have a grade
“P” for pass.
b. WGU transcripts do not give GPA’s but only “P” for pass. WGU
reported that their “P” is equivalent to a 3.0/4.0.
K. Readmission versus re-application:
a. Any student who has been admitted to a graduate degree
program, but who has not been continuously enrolled in and
receiving graduate credit each semester of the academic year (not
including summer terms) will need to apply for readmission to the
Office of Graduate Studies.
b. Any graduate student not matriculating for two consecutive
semesters (not including summer terms) must fully reapply for USI
graduate eligibility and for admission to the graduate program in
which he/she was previously enrolled. These students will need
to complete the entire application packet, including all official
transcripts, application for graduate study, and application fee.
c. Graduate Studies will reform the Change of Graduate Program
form to reflect the readmission/re-application process.
L. Graduate Checkout and Course Validation forms:
a. Discussion on problems with the current process of graduation
checkout. Dr. Durham agreed to come up with a new form for
graduation checkout that will incorporate all classes and grades
within a graduate program.
b. Validation forms need to be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies
before they are sent to the office of the Registrar.
M. Graduate Program Director’s Handbook/Policy and Procedure
Manual:
a. Dr. Goebel moved that the Graduate Program Director’s
Handbook/Policy and Procedure Manual be approved as
distributed. Dr. Bonnell seconded. Motion passed.
N. Reminders:
a. Deadline that all students must be admitted by Friday, August 17th
in order to enroll in fall 2012 courses.
b. Application fee will be increased from $35.00 to $40.00 effective
August 20, 2012.
c. Course by course transcript evaluations are required for all
international applicants.
d. New Graduate Studies website (in progress).
e. New readmission process
f. Double-check to make sure individuals are on graduate faculty
prior to the semester they teach.
O. Next Graduate Council Meeting:
a. Discuss the future of Graduate Studies and the position of the
Director of Graduate Studies and what that position should be.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:50 AM.