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Graduate Council Minutes
April 3, 2013 / 10:00-11:30 a.m.
President’s Conference Room, Founder’s Hall
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Meeting called by: Luke A. Nichter @ 10:05 a.m.
Attendees: Graduate Council Members and Graduate Student Advisory Council Representative
Guests:
Sarina Phillips (External Program Review)
Question: Why is program review occurring now?
Response: Program review is required by the state. Programs were previously a part of
Tarleton. However, the coordinating board notified TAMUCT last summer that
our review schedule would need to be submitted. Graduate programs cannot
be adjusted; undergraduate programs can be moved (and are allowed one
move).
School Directors had the schedule for faculty review in the summer. The
Department Chairs received the schedule after approval from the directors.
The general consensus of the Graduate Council is for schedules under
consideration to be presented to the council to alleviate the shortness of time
for the review. Minimal faculty input has been incorporated and should be
corrected by presenting information to the Graduate Council much sooner.
This year’s review was called a pilot, because there was a short turn-around for
the review from the review board. The department chairs received the schedule
because it was a part of their responsibility to assess the departmental groups
(faculty teams). Department Chairs had from October to December to develop
a plan for how they would complete their assessment. Some departments will
complete portions in May. Each department has done well in all areas.
External reviews are encountering problems with finding evaluators and
guidance. The external reviewers must be nationally recognized.
Undergraduate programs may need to find an in-state reviewer if problems
persist with finding out-of-state programs.
The document is due back in July. The next group will be notified in August.
Evaluations will be conducted all summer. Comments and concerns are
accepted now for consideration of forthcoming review protocols.
Seven year review cycles are a part of the state’s requirement and SACSCOC
recommends five years. This question of cyclic review will be broached during
evaluations this summer.
Question: Can Coordinators be notified of these types of tasks as well as Department
Chairs.
Response: Department Chairs only received the schedule because it was a part of their job
responsibility to assess their departments. However, notification of these tasks
will be disseminated to Coordinators and the Graduate Council before they are
implemented. Deadlines will be set within the departments to determine the
timelines for assessments. Directors may need to be brought into the
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conversation for the sake of creating feasible timelines. Also, the Graduate
Council was not in effect when the process of faculty review began and was
therefore not consulted during the pilot, but will be in the future.
Question: Training
Response: Training will be planned into the review in the summer. An example should also
be provided, however, certain information may be available if researched. Data
requests should be made via email.
Requests: Program requirements and interface for clarification (program accountability).
Also, external program reviews should be standardized.
Question: Plans for external review for quasi academic programs (i.e., Distance
Learning, Student Affairs).
Response: There have been conversation about administrative external reviews; however,
there are none in place at this time. There is no mandate and the budget does
not support it. Audits may be the alternative response to external reviews for
administrative programs.
Cecilia Morales, Ryan Thompson (Exam Proctoring)
Overview:
Proctoring is available in room 204 (testing center with Testing/Proctoring
Associate). There are 15 testing stations one in a separate room with
accommodations for students with special needs. Scribes and other disability
needs should go through Disability Support. Monitoring via cameras,
microphones and computers is available and implemented by the proctoring
associate- Cecelia Morales. Lockers are also available for the placement of
personal items for test security. The ETS TExES (TEP) certification
assessment is now offered in the testing center (both current students and
those of the community). Some of these exams have several portions and
need test availability over several sessions. This is a major advancement for
the TAMUCT testing center and future requests to offer the GRE are in the
consideration; but, the need is not immediate as far as the GRE testing sites
are concerned. This may be a possibility for our center forthcoming because of
our association with ETS.
The process for acquiring proctoring support is found online (Current StudentAcademic Support). A three-page form, which includes faculty member contact
information, allows the testing center to set-up proctoring for classes, to be
conducted in the testing center. Comprehensive exams are also service
provided if there is space available. The only limitation is that there is no
service for classroom proctoring (all proctoring is done in the testing center).
Testing Center hours are generally 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 to 6:00
p.m. (Saturdays and evenings are not available at this time, however, a need
has been expressed and will be available when more staffing is available.)
Off-campus proctoring: Faculty instructions guide the proctoring and the
service is available for students by the advisement of the instructor. The
student is responsible for searching out off-campus proctoring that meet criteria
when they are unable to take their exams at the testing center (criteria is
located online).
Writing tutoring is needed to assist students who have issues with English
writing skills (evenings and Saturdays would be more beneficial for graduate
students).
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Old Business
1. Previous Minutes: A motion was made and accepted to approve the previous minutes
Discussion:
Review and Approve Graduate Council Minutes from March 6
Handout:
20130306 Graduate Council—Minutes.docx
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2.
Marketing Needs for Graduate Programs
Discussion:
Educational Leadership:
Produced a program informational packet for Marketing to approve and had it printed
through an outside source. The folders used to hold the material were provided by
Marketing and the end result was demonstrated as a finished product.
Marketing Requests:
Send requests for approval to Marketing and Cc the Associate Vice President for
Graduate Studies or the Graduate Council President.
The Graduate Council president will send an email on April 15 with an update of
Marketing materials made available.
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3. Graduate Student and Faculty Awards
Reminder:
Presenter: Nichter
Encouragement of graduate faculty members who have students nominated for
an award and graduate coordinators to attend the Graduate Banquet. External
reviewers have completed the selection of five finalists for each nomination area
and award winners will be announced at the banquet.
The May 8th banquet is specifically for graduate faculty and students, not to be
confused with the Distinguished Faculty and Student awards which is geared
more toward undergraduate achievement.
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4. Variable Credit Thesis/Practicum/Internships Course
Presenter: Nichter
Discussion (FYI):
The Graduate Council unanimously stated its support for variable
thesis/practicum/internship course. Dr. Porter will follow-up with Dr. Phillips to
administratively make the change in the catalog. Credits may as a default
continue to be listed as three hours; however, administratively it must be
changed to represent the number of hours needed for completion, dependent
upon thesis defense.
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5. Faculty Workload Policy and Summer Issues
Discussion:
Handout:
Presenter: Nichter
Summer Issues vis-à-vis draft Faculty Workload Policy
Faculty Workload SAP updated 1-10-13.docx
The workload amendment has been passed to move forward and be implemented next
summer. Graduate portions of the faculty workload policy will go into effect in the fall.
Summer issues referencing workload will be effective in the summer of 2014.
Tri-semesters were discussed and decided that the uniqueness of TAMUCT does not
allow graduate faculty to move to a schedule that supports three semesters within an
academic year.
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6. Increase in GRE requirement from 280 to 282
Discussion:
Presenter: Nichter
Proposal to increase admissions standards to GPA 2.5+, GRE 282+. Programs may set
their own score limits; however, admission to the university would be set at a 2.5 GPA
and a GRE score of 282.
Comment:
Attention must be given to raising the scores because many of the professional students
have not attended school for a while and may have a difficult time meeting the score
requirement.
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New Business
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1. Continuing Ed. Issues
Presenter: Nichter
Discussion:
As early as next year TAMUCT will be moving towards hiring of Director of Continuing
Education. A meeting with MCEC founder and director demonstrated a 10,000 student
need for continuing education.
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2. Graduate Studies Commencement Banner
Presenter: Nichter
Discussion:
The Associate Vice President for Graduate Admissions, Studies, & Research has made a
proposal to have a banner made for Graduate Studies to be displayed at
commencement. May or may not be ready for May graduation.
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3. Increase in FSRC Funds
Presenter: Nichter
Discussion:
DLIT donation of $10k beginning 2013-2014
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4. Chairing Comps for Graduate Adjunct Faculty
Discussion:
Presenter: Nichter
Proposal to allow former full Graduate Faculty to chair comp for one year. Professional
Education & Policy Studies does not support this proposal. Adjuncts may serve on
committees but not chair them and this is feasible.
This item will remain on the agenda for the next meeting.
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5. Fall Review of Graduate Council Documents
Presenter: Nichter
Discussion:
Numerous documents needing review beginning Fall 2013 will facilitate the need two
committee memberships.
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Committee Reports and Issues Referred (No reports made)
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1. Curriculum Committee
Members: Chennamaneni, Dixon, Ritter, Wortham
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2. Graduate Faculty Committee
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Members: Cude, Fry, Ross (Chair), Yeager
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3. Recruitment and Retention Committee
Members: Eddins, Lapierre (Chair), Newberry (Ex-officio), Strutton
Issues Referred:
a. Non-degree seeking student admissions and retention procedures
b. Procedure for re-taking a course with GPA below 3.0
c. Job description for Graduate Assistants
d. Acceptance of coursework with no GPA
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4. Graduate Catalog and Graduate Advising Manual Committee
Members: Berry, Diestel, Lyon, McNett (Chair), Newberry (Ex-officio)
Issues Referred:
a. Vision, Mission, Values, and Goals
b. Graduate Faculty Characteristics Study #14-20
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No end of April meeting needed
Adjournment: 11:43 A.M.